So, I ended up watching that Elvis movie again a while back, the new one. And you know, what really stuck with me this time? The outfits. Seriously, I couldn’t shake ’em. It wasn’t just about them looking flashy; it was something more.
I figured, why not actually dig into this a bit? Not like a historian or anything, just, you know, satisfy my own curiosity. So, I did. I spent a good chunk of an afternoon, probably more time than I should admit, just looking up pictures, re-watching clips specifically for the clothes. My partner just shook their head, said I was having a mid-life crisis expressed through Baz Luhrmann films. Maybe they were right, who knows?
My “process,” if you can call it that, was pretty basic.
- Pulled up tons of movie stills.
- Made little mental notes on what stood out.
- Tried to see if there was a pattern to what I liked.
It wasn’t rocket science, just me and Google Images, and a lot of pausing the movie.
What I Actually Noticed
First off, the sheer variety was something. You had the early days stuff, the sharp, almost innocent looking suits. Then BAM, the leather for the ’68 Comeback Special. That black leather outfit, man. It just screamed something, didn’t it? Pure rock and roll. I remember thinking, “Could anyone else even pull that off?” Probably not.
And then, of course, the jumpsuits. The famous white ones, the ones with all the bling. I used to think they were a bit much, maybe even a bit cheesy if I’m being honest. But seeing them in the context of the movie, understanding the Vegas showman era, they just… worked. They were part of the whole larger-than-life persona. I found myself looking at the details – the embroidery, the capes, the belts. Someone put a heck of a lot of thought into those.
I even started thinking about the colors. Lots of white, sure, but also those powder blues, the black, the occasional gold. It wasn’t random. I bet there was a whole strategy behind it, matching the mood or the song. Or maybe I’m overthinking it and they just looked cool.
This whole deep dive got me thinking about something else too. Back when I was younger, I actually tried to be a bit more flamboyant with my clothes. Nothing on an Elvis level, obviously. I’d have looked like a right idiot. But I tried, you know? A bright shirt here, some weird shoes there. Most of it was a disaster. I remember one particular shiny shirt I bought for a party… let’s just say it stayed in the closet after its first and only outing. It’s funny the things you remember.
It’s different now, isn’t it? Fashion, I mean. Or maybe it’s just me getting older. Everything feels a bit more toned down, a bit safer. Seeing those Elvis movie outfits, it was like a reminder of a time when performers really performed with their clothes too. It was part of the show. Not just something you wear, but something you inhabit.
So yeah, that was my little adventure into the world of Elvis movie outfits. Didn’t solve any world problems, didn’t write a thesis on it. Just spent some time looking at cool clothes and thinking about them. It was a nice distraction, actually. Made me appreciate the artistry, not just of Elvis, but of the people who helped create that image on screen. They really did capture something, didn’t they?
