ELVIS STYLE
The Haberdasher: Elvis through the years!
Elvis was a good-looking man, but in a suit he was a real eye-catcher. LEFT: Elvis is styled in a classic sports jacket. Seen here on location during the filming of It Happened at the World’s Fair. Circa 1963.
RIGHT: Elvis being outfitted at Lansky Bros., a men’s store in Memphis, TN in 1956. Elvis wanted his apparel to be as appealing as his voice, and Lansky Brothers catered to his desire for flashy and high-style clothing. Photograph published in Elvis Presley Speaks Magazine 1956. No renewed copyrights.
TELEVISION APPEARANCE
MARCH 17, 1956, STAGE SHOW SETUP
On March 17, 1956, Elvis and the Blue Moon Boys made their fifth Stage Show appearance where they performed Blue Suede Shoes and Heartbreak Hotel. During this television appearance setup, we see Elvis sporting a zoot suit.
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LOVE ME TENDER WARDROBE
Love Me Tender is a period western created right at the end of the Civil War in the South. The war took a heavy financial toll on both sides, but the South took an extreme hit which led to less fashionable and less durable clothing. Many Southern men relied on what was available in their communities.
Love Me Tender was Elvis’s first movie role where he played the youngest brother, Clint Reno, who was too young to enlist into the Confederate Army. His three older brothers were outfitted in the appropriate period Confederate uniforms. Confederate soldiers initially wore frock coats, but due to wartime shortages, many switched to waist-length cadet gray or butternut shell jackets.
Elvis’s wardrobe was designed typical of the time consisting of durable clothes suited to the labor, such as heavy cotton shirts, sturdy trousers, and boots. Even though many men during that time wore brogans (a coarse stout leather shoe reaching to the ankle), Elvis wore high top boots throughout the movie.
During medieval times underpants did not exist, so long shirts served as the base layer under all clothing and at night, all clothing came off except the shirt. As time moved forward, the nightshirt became just that; a shirt worn at night.
Throughout the film, Elvis’ hair is a relatively light color. At the end of the film, Elvis is seen with his hair dyed black. The color he maintained throughout the rest of his career.
Executive Wardrobe Designer: Charles LeMaire
Costumes Designed By: Mary Wills
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LOVING YOU
Edith Head was the lead costume designer for Elvis Presley’s wardrobe in the film Loving You. Elvis’s denim outfits were custom made by Nudies along with the red and white cowboy suit that Elvis wore while performing Teddy Bear.
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JAILHOUSE ROCK
On May 23, 1957 (or somewhere around that date), Elvis was in Hollywood doing a wardrobe test for the film, Jailhouse Rock. If you watch the movie Jailhouse Rock, the credits do not state who the wardrobe designer happened to be. I’ve come across several stories of who designed Elvis’ wardrobe for the movie. Needless to say, contradiction and confusion come into play because several articles counter each other and some are just plain ridiculous.
In one article they claim the wardrobe was designed by Walter Plunkett and this included the famous prison outfit for the Jailhouse Rock number. According to record, Elvis did not care for the initial choreography because it didn’t fit his style. So Elvis changed the choreography to resemble his moves. The costume change was tailored to suit Elvis’ changes to the choreography. Plunkett being the designer would make sense because his first credited work as a costume designer was the 1927 for the film Hard-Boiled Haggerty. Plunkett was famous for the costume designs for Gone With The Wind and Singin’ In the Rain. However, when viewing the list of Plunkett’s film designs, Jailhouse Rock is not on that list. Plunkett retired in 1966.
In a different article, they state Bill Belew designed the Jailhouse Rock wardrobe. Though history contradicts this claim because Bill Belew didn’t begin designing for Elvis until the 1968 Comeback Special.
The most confused writer of an article states that it was Catherine Martin who designed Elvis’s wardrobe for the movie. For those who have never heard of Catherine Martin, she is a well-known Australian costume designer who has worked on many films which include collaborations with her husband, Baz Luhrmann. Now it is true that she designed some of the wardrobe in the 2022 film Elvis. However, in order for Martin to have designed the wardrobe for the original Jailhouse Rock, she would have to be some kind of magical creature who can transport herself through time. Martin was born in 1965, Jailhouse Rock was released in 1957.
It would be nice to know who the wardrobe designer was for Jailhouse Rock. Until then, just like the number of licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, the world will never know.
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KING CREOLE
The costume and wardrobe designer for the 1958 film King Creole was Edith Head. As stated above, she also designed costumes for Loving You (1957).
According to IMDb, Edith Head was the main costume designer, but there were also wardrobe personnel involved which included John A. Anderson, Grace Harris, and Dario Piazza, who were not credited.
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G.I. BLUES
It is a misconception about Bill Belew being the wardrobe designs for G.I. Blues. As stated before, Belew didn’t begin designing for Elvis until 1968.
The true costume designer for G.I. Blues was Edith Head. Not only did she design Elvis’ wardrobe but also the costumes for Juliet Prowse, with the beaded dance costume which stands out among all the other designs in the film.
As far as the designs for the Army uniforms, there isn’t a specific law directly preventing movies from copying military uniforms. There are regulations and guidelines regarding the use of military insignia, trademarks, and the portrayal of military personnel in entertainment. Federal law does prohibit the unauthorized use of military trademarks or the misrepresentation of military service for personal gain. The Department of Defense (DOD) and individual military services have policies regarding the use of their names, insignia, and uniforms in promotional or advertising materials.
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FLAMING STAR
Flaming Star is a period western making this Elvis’ sixth film. At twenty-five, Elvis plays a mixed-race man whose mother is Kiowa and father is white. Elvis is outfitted in western designs indicative of the time. The costume designer for this 1960 movie was Adele Balkan.
Adele Balkan was born on August 27, 1907, in Alameda County, California. She was an American costume designer, known for The Fly (1958), From Hell to Texas (1958), Mighty Joe Young (1949), and The Blue Angel (1959). During Hollywood’s Golden Age, she designed for forty years on motion pictures. During an interview with Barbara Hall before Balkan died, in the transcript she stated a difference between her and Edith Head. A recommendation Edith Head made to her was to make the costume sketch in the shape and proportions of the actress who would wear the garment. Balkan stated, “That was very bad. They came out thick and short…. They had no sweep, they had no movement. You have to exaggerate. You have to really make a sketch that everybody’s excited about. The producer, the director, the star. And then you have to work to make her look like that.” In my opinion, this is probably why people believe that the Hollywood stars of old looked close to perfection when they really weren’t.
Adele Balkan died on November 20, 1999, in Los Angeles, California.
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WILD IN THE COUNTRY
The costume designer for Elvis Presley’s wardrobe in the movie Wild in the Country was Donald Lee Feld (Donfeld). He is listed as the costume designer in the film’s full cast and crew.
Donfeld was a prominent Hollywood costume designer known for his work on films like Days of Wine and Roses, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, and “Diamonds Are Forever”. He also designed the iconic Wonder Woman costume for the 1970’s TV series starring Lynda Carter.
Donfeld was a four-time Oscar-nominated American costume designer known for his work on films such as Spaceballs, Prizzi’s Honor, and The Great Race.
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BLUE HAWAII
The costume designer for the movie Blue Hawaii was Edith Head. She was known for her iconic work in Hollywood and won eight Academy Awards for her costume designs. There are several books written on Edith Head, and I feel fortunate to have two in my library.
Edith Head designed most of Elvis’ wardrobe for Blue Hawaii starting with the Army uniform. When most Hawaiian shirts are loose and unflattering, Head designed Elvis’ aloha shirts to be fitted and tailored. She also designed his tailored white jacket, warm beige tie, worn with sleek black trousers. The work shirts were off-white and blue with a catamaran on the breast pocket for the tour guide company logo. Lastly, there was the stylish wedding ensemble consisting of a white billowy sleeved shirt and sleek white trousers.
The swim trunks worn by Elvis were designed by Alfred Shaheen and his lead artist, Robert Sato, who also created the “Tiare Tapa” print. The “Tiare Tapa” print was a popular design by Shaheen that was used on various items like shirts, dresses, and hats which were part of Shaheen’s overall design work for the movie.
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FOLLOW THAT DREAM
Ruth Hancock and Sid Mintz were wardrobe designers for Follow That Dream (1962).
Sid Mintz was born on May 5, 1899, in Russia. Mintz is known for his designs in Follow That Dream (1962), Jiggs and Maggie in Society (1947), and Sabu and the Magic Ring (1957). Mintz died on February 19, 1985, in Hollywood, California, USA.
As of this date, June 14, 2025, we don’t really have any in-depth information on Ruth Hancock.
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KID GALAHAD
Listed in the credits for the film Kid Galahad, the wardrobe designers for Elvis Presley were Bert Henrikson and Irene Caine.
You may not have heard of Henrikson, but he was the costume designer for West Side Story (1961), The Great Escape (1963), and Some Like It Hot (1959). He was born on June 9, 1911, Union, Indiana and died on February 26, 1997, in Encinitas, California.
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GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS!
Edith Head was the designer for Elvis’ wardrobe for the Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962). We know B&K Enterprises Costume Company & Wikipedia claim that it was Bill Belew who designed Presley’s wardrobe, but Belew didn’t begin designing for Elvis until 1968 and continued to design for Elvis until his death in 1977.
There is so much you can say about Edith Head. She was known for her exceptional talent in creating costumes that reflected the character and enhanced the performance of the actors. She was an inexhaustible creator who throughout her career worked on over 1,000 films. She designed for many of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Elizabeth Taylor. She is also known for other famous film costumes, such as the sarong for Dorothy Lamour in The Jungle Princess (1936) and the toreador pants for Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina (1954).
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IT HAPPENED AT THE WORLD’S FAIR
The clothing that Elvis wore in the film It Happened at the World’s Fair was fashioned by renowned Hollywood tailor Sy Devore. According to producer, Ted Richmond, Devore designed a line of conservative suits and ties for Elvis with the intention of projecting him as a “clever, well-dressed young businessman.” According to Elvis Australia, Devore designed ten suits, two cashmere jackets, four sport coats, fifteen pairs of pants, thirty shirts, and fifty-five ties were all part of the wardrobe. The clothing cost $9,300 in total.
By 1960, Elvis had solidified his position as a client of Sy Devore, who was also tailoring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and their peers. By profession, Devore was a tailor, but he prudently broadened his skills to keep up with the ongoing trend toward casualness. He was now making the King’s distinctive shirts and pullovers in addition to the Rat Pack’s trademark narrow ties and sharkskin suits.
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FUN IN ACAPULCO
Again, Edith Head was the primary costume designer for Elvis Presley’s wardrobe in the movie Fun in Acapulco (1963). Sy Devore was also on board designing particularly the shirts and tailored suits.
The wardrobe for the film included:
- a short-sleeved sport shirt patterned in balanced block stripes of black, gold, brown, and taupe, all with a mottled effect;
- a rolled up long sleeved thin green striped shirt;
- Cream-colored cotton trousers with slanted side pockets and button-through back pockets;
- Beige waist-length short-sleeve cotton shirt with a Lido collar;
- Blue waist-length short sleeve dupioni silk shirt with a Lido collar;
- Navy blue swim trunks with wide white waistband and a white stripe down each side;
- Loafers with tan canvas uppers and dark brown hard leather soles;
- Black boots; and
- White tailored sports jacket with black trousers for the Bossa Nova performance.
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KISSIN’ COUSINS
Though they did not receive screen credit, Gene Ostler and Sylvia Posner were the designers for Elvis’ wardrobe for the film, Kissin’ Cousins (1964).
Gene Ostler was a costume designer, known for his work on the hit television series, The Waltons (1972). He was born on June 2, 1918, in Frankfort, Indiana, and died on January 20, 1980 in Los Angeles, California.
Sylvia Posner is known for her work on The McMasters (1970), How to Seduce a Woman (1974) and In God We Trust (or Gimme That Prime Time Religion) (1980).
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VIVA LAS VEGAS
Donald Lee Feld (Donfeld) and Sy Devore were the costume designers for Elvis in Viva Las Vegas (1964).
Donfeld created the beige linen collarless suit. The matching flat front trousers rose to Elvis’ waist where the trouser waistband met the center button of the suit jacket. During the film where Elvis removed his jacket you can see the buckle-tab side adjusters and side pockets on the pants.
Sy Devore designed the gray sharkskin shawl-collared suit Elvis wore during the performance of The Lady Loves Me.
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ROUSTABOUT
Edith Head was the costume designer for Elvis Presley’s wardrobe in the film Roustabout (1964).
Head was known for her close working relationships with actors and for creating designs that reflected the characters they portrayed. She is considered one of the most historically influential costume designers in film and holds the record for the most Academy Awards won by a woman. Her stunning designs for the musical numbers in White Christmas were unforgettable.
Some of the red dance costumes used in the film, worn by extras during the Carny Town song, were originally designed by Head for the movie White Christmas. They were repurposed for Roustabout a decade later.
On August 31, 2019, the black leather jacket worn by Elvis was auctioned for $40,000 to Crowd Bidder through GWS Auctions. The jacket has an interior Harley Davidson Motorcycles label along with an additional Paramount label sewn-in handwritten with “Elvis Presley” in black. The jacket was accompanied by an affidavit of authenticity from Memphis Mafia member Richard Davis on TCB letterhead.
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GIRL HAPPY
Elvis Presley’s wardrobe for the film Girl Happy was primarily designed by Lambert Marks at Western Costume Company. Marks was a key figure in designing the clothes for several of Elvis’ films which include Girl Happy, Spinout, and Stay Away, Joe.
The Western Costume Company was founded in 1912 by Louis L. Burns. It started out as a costume supply company for the earlier Western films. As time moved on, it developed into more than just western costumes. It grew to become the largest and oldest costume houses in the United States for the film, television, and theater industries in the United States.
Located in North Hollywood, California, the Western Costume Company is still in business. It is a well-established costume rental and supply company still serving the film and television industry. Their immense inventory is well-known as the largest costume house in the United States.
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HARUM SCARUM
If you can make it through this film, you would notice the beautiful costumes. However, this was such a low-budget production you wonder why they spent so much time and money on the wardrobe. The truth is they did not.
Beau Vanden Ecker, Gene Ostler, and Margo Weintz were the uncredited designers for the costumes Elvis wore in Harum Scarum (1965).
The costumes worn in Harum Scarum, especially those worn by extras, were not exactly designed for this movie. These were reused from the film Kismet (1944) and its 1955 remake. Very little was purchased or designed for Harum Scarum. Even the sets were reused for this production.
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TICKLE ME
According to the Elvis Australia website, Elvis’ wardrobe for the film Tickle Me was designed by Leah Rhodes.
Leah Rhodes won an Academy Award-for her costume designs for the 1948 movie Adventures of Don Juan.
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FRANKIE AND JOHNNY
The costumes for Frankie and Johnny were fun to look at and truly grabbed the character of the movie. The designer was Gwen Wakeling.
Gwen Wakeling was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1901. After she graduated from high school, she got a job as a fashion artist in a department store. Cecil B. DeMille, the American filmmaker and actor. When DeMille went to Paramount Pictures, he took Wakeling with him. In 1933, Wakeling went to work for Fox Films as the studio’s head costume designer. In 1941, due to a ruptured appendix, she quit Fox the following year and became a freelancer. She won an Oscar for costumes for the 1949 film. Samson and Delilah.
Wakeling died on June 16, 1982.
The wardrobe coordinator for Frankie and Johnny was Wesley Jefferies. A wardrobe coordinator is an expert who manages all elements of clothing and costumes for a production for film, theater, or another show. They work in partnership with the director, production designer, and costume designer to create the overall appearance of characters and make sure the costumes fit the production’s vision.
Jeffries was born on July 16, 1906, in Provo, Utah. Wesley worked as a wardrobe coordinator and was a costume designer, known for the movies The Manchurian Candidate (1962), The Party (1968), and The Satan Bug (1965). Wesley died on July 12, 2000, in Palm Desert, California.
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PARADISE, HAWAIIAN STYLE
Again, Edith Head designed Elvis’ wardrobe for another movie. This time it was for the movie Paradise, Hawaiian Style (1966). Head was not your run of the mill talent. She had a special gift for capturing the personality of a movie character with her costumes.
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SPINOUT
Elvis began assisting in the designs to the costumes he wore in movies in late 1960s. In the handwritten notes on an 8.5” x 11” sheet with a sketch of a vest for the movie Spinout (1966), he lists five different wardrobe combinations. The handwritten list was obtained from the Elvis Presley Museum.
Below is Elvis Presley’s handwritten list which was placed in a large wall display and auctioned on August 14, 2012.
Elvis Presley’s Handwritten Spinout Costume Sketch and Wardrobe List.
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CLAMBAKE
For the movie Clambake, Nudies designed the white “Millionaire Suit” worn by Elvis. Out of everything Elvis wore in the movie, this is the costume most people remember.
Nudie Cohn was born December 15, 1902, in Kyiv, Ukraine. He became an American fashion designer who made the flamboyant western suits popular. These suits became known as “Nudie Suits”. Nudie was also the creator of Elvis’ 1957 gold lamé suit. Cohn passed away on May 9, 1984, in Burbank, California.
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DOUBLE TROUBLE
Elvis’ wardrobe designer for the movie Double Trouble (1967) was Donfeld, who also designed the costumes for Viva Las Vegas.
The corduroy waist-jacket (below left) was sold for $25,400 with a black and white promotional photograph (below right) of Elvis wearing the jacket and a DVD.
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EASY COME, EASY GO
In the AFI Catalog, the credits state that Edith Head designed Elvis’ wardrobe for the movie Easy Come, Easy Go (1967) (see: https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/19884#3). On the Imbd website, it states the same (see https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0372128/?showAllCredits=true).
I mention this because AI has stated quite firmly that it was Bill Belew who designed Elvis’ wardrobe for Easy Come, Easy Go, but Belew didn’t begin designing for Elvis until 1968.
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SPEEDWAY
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STAY AWAY, JOE
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LIVE A LITTLE, LOVE A LITTLE
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CHARRO
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THE TROUBLE WITH GIRLS
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CHANGE OF HABIT
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