Elvis Costumes

Elvis Through The Years

Those wearing Elvis costumes must first decide which era of Elvis they want to emulate.

The Early Years

This was Elvis in his hip-shaking, heart-breaking glory. Elvis often wore a casual suit with a button-up shirt underneath. Leave the collar of the shirt unbuttoned to show your carefree attitude.

A popular look from Elvis's early years is the outfit he wore in Jailhouse Rock. This modified prison uniform consisted of a shirt with large black-and-white stripes, black pants, and a black button-up jacket with a prisoner number on the front. The jacket and pants featured prominent white stitching, giving it a low-budget look. You can add white stitches to black fabric by drawing dashes with a white sewing pencil or chalk. Just be careful not to rub your hands across the lines.

The '68 Comeback Special

After several years of dwindling popularity, Elvis returned to the public consciousness with a highly successful television special. This version of Elvis was all about black leather. Wear black leather pants and a black motorcycle jacket to become mid-career Elvis.

Elvis in Vegas

Bring on the flashy jumpsuits and gold jewelry. Dark sunglasses? Rhinestones? Fringe? Flared legs? A cape? When it comes to putting together a costume worthy of a Vegas performance, the tackier, the better. With a little ingenuity, you could piece together a jumpsuit by modifying the legs, neckline, and collar of a pair of coveralls and adding decorative elements. Unless you're adept at sewing, this is probably a costume you should purchase.

The Hair

Early Elvis sported a slick pompadour with sideburns. To recreate the look, you'll need hair gel and a comb to shape your hair. In later years, he maintained the basic pompadour shape, but added volume; the sideburns also became more prominent. Try teasing your hair to reach the appropriate volume, and use large amounts of hair spray to hold it in place.

For those who don't have natural Elvis-worthy hair, wigs are available to complete your costume, or just add sideburns. If you're looking for an unusual accessory, you can even try knitting your own Elvis wig.

Buying Elvis Costumes

Elvis costumes are common enough that you should be able to find a jumpsuit or two at most retailers. For a greater variety, though, you'll need to visit a costume store or go online:

• While most people picture a white jumpsuit, online stores also carry red, black, and blue versions.
• Be a movie star with the Jailhouse Rock costume.
• Add a cape to any costume.
• A prop microphone gives you the opportunity to serenade your friends with your favorite songs from the Elvis catalog.
• You don't have to be male to channel the spirit of Elvis. Ladies can get in on the fun with their own version of the white jumpsuit.
• Elvis fans can also be any age, with costumes for babies, toddlers, and older children.
• Elvis fans don't even have to be of the same species. Dress your pooch in his own costume, and wait for the "Hound Dog" comments to roll in.

If you would like to wear a higher quality jump suit or wig without investing a lot of money, you may want to consider renting your costume. Elvis is a popular choice most rental shops are sure to have in stock.