Elvis Dressed to Rock

For the first time, take an in-depth look at the fashion pieces that defined the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s style and career, with more than 150 pieces from the archives at Graceland including early suits, jumpsuits, capes, belts, jewelry, original designer sketches, and more.

In the history of Rock ‘n Roll, no performer ever defined a style like Elvis. From his rockabilly suits of the 1950s to the jeweled jumpsuits of the 1970s, the King’s on-stage fashion became as iconic as his music. Now, for the first time, the Graceland archives open their doors for this once-in-a-lifetime look at the stagewear of the King. From the now-iconic gold lamé suit in the 1950s and the leather suit from the 1968 Comeback Special to the last jumpsuit Elvis wore onstage in Indianapolis, this comprehensive book contains more than 150 pieces of stagewear spanning Elvis’s entire career. Stunning jumpsuits, beautifully detailed capes, numerous belts, two-piece suits, studded boots, jewelry, and even chokers that were created for Elvis but never worn on stage are all featured in beautiful new photography created especially for this book. Also included are suits that until now have never been seen as their complete sets, including three Cisco Kid two-piece outfits worn in Las Vegas in 1971, and two of Elvis’s Dude Suits, worn in Las Vegas in 1972.

Detailed information from the archives about the suits, including the definitive list of names for the jumpsuits, and fascinating historical context and insights about the detailing and construction of the pieces from noted costume historian Karan Feder, accompany stunning detail photography of each piece. Lavishly illustrated with new photography of each piece in the archive, images of Elvis on stage in the pieces and album covers on which they appear, rare sketches from costume designer Bill Belew, and more, this beautiful book is a look at the King’s style like never before.

About the Author

Karan Feder is a leading expert in the field of performance costume history, preservation, and exhibition. She is an experienced museum professional with expertise in the development and execution of compelling costume and fashion exhibitions. Karan is also the author of Barbie Takes the Catwalk: A Style Icon’s History in Fashion.