“Yes, this doctor is preeeetty good. As, I’ve said, is Amy, and she gets to wear all these small skirts, which I will admit was very cold, but also very cool. They originally wanted to put me in trousers, but I did say I’d like to wear a skirt because – you’ll understand when you watch it.” Karen Gillan, The Guardian
Oh ho ho ho. How this made me smile. Once upon a time, Doctor Who companions wore mini skirts as a matter of course. It was their duty. They were ‘for the dads’. Suddenly the promotional gubbins for the new series is all about how ‘sexy’ the new companion is, and how strange and new (and, in the case of the Daily Mail, how awful) this is. Pah. This calls for a mini tribute to minis in the Tardis, featuring the best four mini-wearers in its history: Anneke Wills as Polly, Wendy Padbury as Zoe, Caroline John as Liz and Katy Manning as Jo.
Liz Eggleston 
Hahaaa…I love this humourous post! And I do love short skirts, that is why I am glad that tights and leggings make a come-back. They make such perfect cover-ups for minis. 😉
awesome vintage pics !
Great to see this racy retro revival x
Fantastic, I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to the latest reincarnation, but bring back Zoe, Jo and of course The Brigadier say I.
Fabbo pics!!Minis rule!
I'm sure those minis were intended to keep dads happy, but you've proved they work for the girls too! We're all oohing-and-aahing over the fashions, as I'm sure the mums (and especially daughters) did at the time! You've provided a useful historical correction too. Its tiresome how many 'firsts' or new developments aren't firsts at all.
That Mail article was an absolutely shoddy piece of journalism. It's like they just went through it with Word to find any references to "mini" and deleted. They whinged about Amy's skirts being too short, but carefully skirted (ha ha) round any mention that Victoria ended up with her skirts round her armpits (and besides, apart from her first story, she never wore the "long Victorian dresses" they claimed she did); completely avoided Liz and Jo altogether (hmm, could this be because Liz and Jo's skirts made Amy's look L-O-N-G?), claimed Sarah only wore sensible sweaters (again, WTF), and hilariously claimed that Peri wore trouser suits. (that's about the most creative modestifying description for shorts and leotards…)DMC
Thanks everyone, glad you all enjoyed it!Who should bear some resemblance to the era in which it is 'set', which was why the Rose Tyler wardrobe was so weird. Those hoodies and tracksuit bottoms were so….Nineties. And which is why the mini thing is quite appropriate now. Although I prefer vintage minis to the stupid puffball monstrosities most girls seem to be wearing on nights out at the moment.Daniel, that Mail article was a travesty. I got so ranty reading it, as you might imagine. Especially the Victoria nonsense…
I don't read articles in the Daily Mail as they make my head actually physically explode and that gets really messy.I do like the new Doctor, AND new assistant though. Which is a relief!
Was about 9 when Jo Grant was on the scene and didn't any girlie stuff at all, time being taken up with admiring Jon Pertwee's velvet jacket's and wishing he was my Dad.Odd now to be watching it with the "for the dad's" element seemingly back in (HOW many close-ups on her skirt was there this week?) and a dad meself.Would still rather have the velvet jacket and white pompadour quiff though.
Despite being "unconventional" in her looks, I always liked Caroline John-as-Liz Shaw. She's in precious few adventures and I still lament her early dismissal; yes, I know she was pregnant, but still…