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From the moment Doctor Who was revived on our screens, it seems that costumers have been on the hunt for that perfect alt. Back when Rose Tyler was the reigning companion, her Punky Fish hoodies and Top Shop blouses retailed for a pretty penny. Next, it was Amy Pond. Her clothing was an eclectic combination of brands and expensive jackets. Then came Clara Oswald, with her dresses that were hard to find, in patterns difficult to duplicate, and made many costumers familiar with the ins and outs of Urban Outfitters. Even River Song spent several episodes donning the designer brand All-Saints - a company whose clothes are generally not of a price point accessible to the general public. Yes, I have skipped a few companions in this narrative, but not many. The frequency of costumers to use expensive brands to clothe their characters has turned on talented cosplayers and fans to the hunt for viable alternatives.
Communities on Livejournal and, later, Tumblr have dedicated their entire focus to finding clothing alts for their favorite characters - usually the more screen accurate better. Sort of a fandom version of that feature in fashion blogs and magazines where those in the industry try and find a more affordable version of a usually out of reach, high-fashion item.
Because my primary cosplay focus as of late has been the 13th Doctor, I have been spending a decent amount of time locating alts for some of her more expensive or unique pieces. Let's take a look at what is arguably the most distinct aspect to come from the 13th Doctor's costume, her rainbow striped top.
I have to say that I don't consider buying all of the following tops a mistake. I know I'm going to wear this cosplay many times over the next few months. It's always good to have an extra shirt or two as a backup. Also, they can always be incorporated into an everyday look. This is what makes them such appealing pieces to many people, especially those who aren't looking to cosplay but do something like an "inspired by" outfit. My quick styling of the sweatshirt version of this top shows how easily it can be mixed with other patterns and how well it blends with a multitude of other colors.
Let's breakdown the pros and cons of the different versions of this top that I have located to date.
1) Redbubble In the 24 hours following the announcement of Thirteen's official look, fan-made alts were already popping up on RedBubble. It's hard to say which one was first. Many different designs - all bearing resemblance to each other - began to pop up on Tumblr. I even made my own hastily designed version in hopes that it would arrive in time for Chicago TARDIS. It did, and that was the first convention where I debuted my official version of Thirteen. Because of the limited clothing styles RedBubble offers to its customers, most of these alts are printed on the same shirt and cost around $28. Not a bad price considering the examples I was giving prior to this, but (in an unusual twist) cheaper than what we would find out is the more screen accurate tee.
2) Brandy Melville (Option 1)
While there is no definitive information on what might be considered a screen accurate top for this look (one source even says it was developed by the costume designer and Whittaker herself), there have been quite a lot of whispers about the brand Brandy Melville. This clothing site has been linked to other Doctor Who looks, which is why fans began looking there once the outfit debuted. Interestingly, I have worn both of the Brandy Melville tops referred to in this post as a part of my cosplay (to two different events, mind you), and people received both to the point where they truly believed it was the top. Your mileage may vary, of course.
If you do have your heart set on Brandy Melville as your source, the price point for this brand is unusually low compared to those that carried screen accurate pieces in the past. The Rin Rainbow Top retails for only $16. Unfortunately, this tee also has its drawbacks.
The first issue is with sizing. Brandy Melville has previously been under fire for its "one size fits all" offerings. With this piece, it's especially horrible as it is only available in a size S/M. This leads me to the second issue. On top of the piece being very true to size, it also has a cropped bottom. Now, those high-waisted culottes make a bit more sense.
3) Forever 21
This is the newest out of all of the alts. While Brandy Melville has had their tops in stock for months, this only appeared on the Forever 21 website a few weeks ago. While the Striped Off-the-Shoulder Top has colors that are a little less bold compared to its Brandy Melville counterparts, the price cannot be beat. For $9.99, I bought myself two of them. This, in addition to various sizes being available, makes this top a very good alt for the overall 13th Doctor look.
(Side note: If you happen to be looking for a plus sized near-version of this top, Forever 21 also has this one in white.)
4) Brandy Melville (Option 2)
The Acacia Rainbow Top is the "friendlier" version of the Rin Rainbow Top. More of a sweatshirt than a tee, this option retails for $26. Sizing on this piece is also a little friendlier. It still suffers from that "one size fits all" issue, but this top could easily fit those who fit into a L or even XL in other clothing brands. This coupled with the fact that it does not have a cropped bottom makes this top friendly for everyday wear as well as cosplay.
This kind of top is trending for spring and summer right now, so you may encounter others that look like they can serve as alts for the 13th Doctor top. The key to selecting an alt for this top is making sure the fit and style are comfortable enough for you to wear for as long as you need to be cosplaying. Screen accuracy is something many of us like to shoot for, but that might not be the first aspect of a cosplay piece you look at - that's okay! Be comfortable and confident. That is always the number one priority.