Elvis Presley understood early that people did not only hear a performer. They looked at him too. In the 1950s, his dyed black hair, high collars, loose trousers and brightly colored jackets already stood apart from the conservative menswear around him. He often shopped at Lansky Bros. in Memphis, building a look that matched the rebellious energy of his music.
By 1968, the image changed again. For his television comeback, Elvis appeared in the now-famous black leather outfit designed by Bill Belew. Instead of the polished Hollywood image audiences had seen through much of the 1960s, the leather made him look raw, confident and dangerous again.
Elvis Presley in Black Leather During the ’68 Comeback Special
When Elvis returned to Las Vegas in 1969, Belew initially designed simple karate-inspired two-piece outfits that allowed him to move freely. Those designs soon evolved into the one-piece jumpsuits that became synonymous with 1970s Elvis.
The suits grew increasingly elaborate with high collars, capes, oversized belts, studs and jeweled patterns designed to catch stage lights. Graceland now preserves more than 100 pieces of this stagewear and describes the outfits as an important part of the visual impact of Elvis’s concerts.
Elvis Presley Performs in the Famous Aloha From Hawaii Jumpsuit
The jumpsuits eventually became so recognizable that they almost turned into a symbol for Elvis himself. They also helped normalize something unusual for male performers at the time: clothing that was deliberately theatrical, glamorous and impossible to ignore.
Elvis influenced music, but he also helped redefine how a male superstar could look onstage. The hairstyle, leather, jewelry and jumpsuits all changed with the decades, yet the idea remained the same.
Elvis dressed to make sure you remembered him before he had even sung the first note.