American popular singer, “King Of Rock And Roll” was one the rock music’s dominant performers from the mid - 1950’s until his death. Presley grew up dirt - poor in Tupelo, Mississipi. He moved to Memphis as a teenager. Presley knew some of his music from the radio, some of it from his parents Pentecostal church and the group sing he attended. Sun records, a local blues label responded to his audition tape with a phone call. After several weeks of recording sessions, Presley ensued with a band. Their repertoire consisted of the kind of material for which Presley would become famous for such as blues and country songs, Tin Pan Alley Ballads, Gospel hymns. He received his draft notice in 1957 and was inducted into the army. He eventually served in Germany for about a year and a half. There was that rarest of all pop culture events, a moment of true grief.
· Described as a baritone and a tenor, had a wide range of vocal color which is reflected in his clothing. · combined different types of music to form a style called rockabilly, which became one of the key sounds in rock 'n' roll. To form this musical style, he fused the country-western music of the South with the rhythm and blues of African Americans and the pop music that dominated the radio and recording industries. · He sang amazing high notes to beautiful low notes. According to critics, there was no genre that Elvis could not do. · The link between his music and fashion is mainly due to his divergence of opinion. He was never afraid of colors, be It in music or his fashion.
· His style of music in 1950’s basically consisted of rock. He started off with basic jeans and stripped t-shirt which became the fashion for teenagers and is still one of the fashion trends of all times.
· By 1957, Presley’s music career had been established, thanks to hits such as Heartbreak Hotel and Hound Dog. Jailhouse Rock, from the film of the same name, saw Elvis reprise his unapologetically sexual, hip-thrusting performance style, much to the ire of conservatives. Aesthetically, he showcased a popped collar (a future trademark), and double denim, mastering the “Canadian tux” decades before it became a trend.
· For his 1968 comeback show, Elvis opted for top-to-toe leather. While his matte biker jacket lacked the bright embellishment often favored by designers today, his cocksure swagger typifies rock nonchalance. It’s a look that today’s chart-botherers, including Alex Turner, continue to channel.
· This picture was taken at Presley’s 1973 show in Hawaii, just four years before his death at the age of 42. In his final years, the singer was dealing with illness and prescription-drug addiction. Although gaudy and maximalist in the 70s, his style remained influential, with his signature studded jumpsuits undoubtedly inspiring the likes of Michael Jackson, Elton John and David Bowie. His icon white costume became so iconic that he is still remembered because of that. Basically, it created quite a stir as no rock artist challenged this fashion as black was the color associated with rock.
IMPACT ON EVERYDAY FASHION Elvis as a fashion icon and his personality was something that people of that era had never seen before. It was new, and more importantly it was controversial. He wore colours that would, prior to him, never have been worn by men. One of the most famous and controversial colours being “Baby Pink”, a colour exclusively associated and worn by women to portray their femininity. His status as a fashion Icon was legendary, something similar to that of Lady Gaga today. Whatever he wore, no matter how absurd ( by the standards of those times), was available for people to buy the next day ( figuretivly). Men followed his lead and began to move away from the conventional “masculine” colours to more fun and eccentric ones. They ditched their suits for a leather jacket, their shirts for round neck casual t-shirts. The Impact he had on fashion and what everyone wore was so profound that till today, there are few (men) who have managed to have such an impact and even if they did it was following his example and doing something something so absurd yet so pleasingly that the general public couldn't help but be spellbound and influenced by it.
IMPACT TODAY AND ON OTHER ICONS
Furthermore, looking at the impact he had on the fashion choices of the Pop stars coming after, it would be safe to say that he set the mould that they followed. Be it Micheal Jackson, or Elton John, they all followed his lead. Even to this day his stage style influences fashion designers and singers. One of the most famous homage paid to him was by singer Miley Cyrus in 2017 with the video of her song “Younger Now”, in which she sported clothes from the Elvis era, mainly influenced by this extravagant stage costumes. All these costumes were custom designed for her by Jeremy Scott for Moschino, this was a year post his Collection inspired by the the King. Not just Moschino but various other brands such as Coach, continuously take inspiration from his looks for their collections. In most of these shows we see the reinterpretation and the different uses of leather, and the entire rock and roll aesthetics that he helped solidify. It would hence, be safe to say that Elvis was and will continue to be one of the greatest fashion icon to have lived and to have made an impact that more or less helped to usher in a new era in mens fashion.
With his dark, curly hair, worn in a hair style, Elvis Presley stated 'A haircut can make or break your look'. And despite changing trends, certain styles keep coming back in vogue. A recent poll conducted among 1,000 men, revealed that the classic 1950s hairstyle made famous by rock & roll legend Elvis Presley is the most popular choice.  In the mid 50s Elvis had natural dishwater blonde hair with long sideburns. In the 60s his hair was styled by Hollywood and dyed jet black and without the trademark side burns. In 1963 Elvis copied his favorite actor of the era's hairstyle and went for the "Tony Curtis duck style" hairstyle. In the 70s Elvis’ wore his hair longer and grew his side burns. Recently, Elvis Presley has topped a poll of the most iconic hairstyles of all time.Â
When it came to hairstyles, Elvis wasn't afraid to try anything new (men never dyed their hair back then) Focusing on what drew in the crowd, he capitalized on something that many took as a given, and few realized all the effort it took to get his hair so perfect.
When Elvis burst onto the scene in the '50s, he revolutionized not just the sound of America, but also the style. Rock stars love the grungy look: sweat-stained T-shirts, ragged jeans, worn-out shoes.But Elvis Presley was no ordinary rock star.He was, after all, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and he dressed like it. Fans never saw Elvis on stage in anything less than the best. Even early on in his career, he carefully chose his fashionable stagewear. He wanted to give the audience a thrill – not just with his music, but with his look. All these years later, Elvis’ style is as iconic as his music. Elvis had great fashion sense, but it was designer Bill Belew who helped take Elvis’ fashion to the next level.
ELVIS PRESLEY's 1950's style Whilst Elvis was born and raised in the south of America, his style influences came from the people and the environment around him. Keeping a traditional, working class, almost laid back attitude to his style, he pioneered the high waisted trousers, penny loafers and cuban collared shirts that many of us know and love. In his down time, Elvis was the king of dressing casually. He was a man who knew what suited him, and how to wear it. Seen here in the 1950's with a casual striped shirt and a pair of jeans, the perfect downtime look that Elvis was known for. To re-create this casual look, grab yourself a white and navy striped shirt. Leave the top two buttons undone and tuck it into a pair of slim legged blue jeans. To top the look off, and to give it a more casual feel, then slip on a pair of white plimsolls, both for comfort and style. If you want to swap the plimsolls for a pair of black penny loafers then go ahead, we certainly know Elvis would have done. Elvis Presley was a man who wasn’t afraid of colour. During the 1950's a typical mans fashion could be quite drab and boring, but Elvis was a man who like to experiment with colour and pattern to make himself sand out from the thousands of screaming fans. To channel the Elvis Presley inspired look, then why not sport this subtle beige version with a tropical print. Teamed with a pair of black Wide legged trousers (for a nod to the 50’s) and a pair of classic black penny loafers, will have you expressing your inner Elvis in no time at all. For a more casual approach to the hawaiian shirt the can always tone down the colours. Try this white version with lighter blue accents on for size; teamed with a pair of wide legged (of course) chinos with the bottoms rolled up, and a pair of brown penny loafers for good measure, and you’ll be channeling Elvis on the beach in no time. Who could forget that classic jailhouse rock look Elvis donned in his famous music video. Although this was a costume meant to imitate a prison uniform, you can’t deny the classic style that oozes from Elvis during this music video. Everything works, from the penny loafers and raw denim jeans, to the striped polo shirt and workman’s denim jacket very stylish indeed. ELVIS PRESLEY's 1960's Style Elvis was a man who knew what he wore was stylish, and, at the peak of his career, wore clothes that were bang on trend and classically stylish for, not only the time, but even now. The 1960's was a time of classic tailoring and sharp lines; slicked back hair and button down shirts were all the rage and Elvis was, as always, stylish. Getting the Elvis Presley look isn’t a tricky ordeal, all you have to remember is to stick to classic styles and colours and always keep it casual. Elvis was a fan of the classic cuban collared shirt with a pair of wide legged trousers, bang on trend, not only for the 60’s but today as well. If you really want to pay homage to Elvis during the 60’s, then try on a mis-matched suit on for size. Go for contrasting colours such as beige and navy, as they work perfectly together despite being on opposite ends of the colour spectrum. Paired with a white button down shirt and brown penny loafers for good measure, and you’ll be swinging those hips before you know it. ELVIS PRESLEY's 1970's Style We’re finally there, we’ve reached the point in Elvis’s life where we’re starting to see the introduction of the bedazzled jumpsuits and thick sideburns that are synonymous with Elvis’ style. Now, unfortunately, I don't have a sparkly jumpsuit to offer you and there are reasons for that, but that doesn’t stop you from swinging your hips in a pair of blue suede shoes, thank you very much (three puns in one).
Presley was already a flamboyant personality with long greased - back hair and wild coloured clothing combinations. Presley’s Memphis home, Graceland is open to public. Numerous fans from around the world visit the legendary residence annually, especially around his birthday and anniversary of his death. During the gathering, fans held lit candles and stood outside of Presley’s home. The Memphis house consists of music, history, past cars, something for everyone to enjoy. Elvis style reflects on the cutting edge. It is a journey through the birth of rock and roll and rise of Elvis to a celebrated entertainer. From the king of rock and rolls’s gold records and Grammy awards to stage costumes are displayed. Presley became the teen idol of his decade, greeted everywhere by screaming horders of young women.