An Elvis costume is one of the few that everyone recognises in under a second. That is also the problem with it. Because the silhouette is so familiar, a half-committed version reads as a joke, while a properly assembled one gets you stopped for photographs all night.
Here is how to build it.
The five pieces that make an Elvis
You need three of these at minimum. All five and you are the best Elvis in the room.
- The jumpsuit. Non-negotiable. The high collar and flared leg are the whole silhouette.
- The hair. A black pompadour with sideburns. This does more work than anything except the suit.
- The sunglasses. Gold-rimmed aviators. Instantly recognisable even from across a room.
- The scarf. Red, round the neck, loose. Also the only prop you can hand to someone.
- The cape. Optional, high impact, slightly impractical. More on that below.
Step one: pick your era
Elvis had three distinct looks, and mixing them is what makes a costume feel wrong. Choose one.
1950s rockabilly
Pink and black, open collar, slicked hair, no jumpsuit. Cheap to assemble from your own wardrobe, but the hardest to make read as Elvis rather than "man in a nice shirt". Not recommended unless you commit to the hair.
1968 Comeback
Head-to-toe black leather, no rhinestones. Sharp, adult, and a good option if the full jumpsuit feels like too much. The story behind that night is in our '68 Comeback Special guide.
1970s Las Vegas
The white jumpsuit. This is what people mean when they say "Elvis costume", and it is what every costume in our Special Elvis range is built on. If in doubt, pick this.
Step two: the jumpsuit
Three levels, depending on how far you want to go:
- Standard. The Elvis Presley Costume for Adults gives you the zip-up jumpsuit, printed gem detail, belt and scarf in one box. For women, the Women's Elvis Presley Costume is the same idea in a women's cut.
- Deluxe. The Men's Deluxe Aloha Costume adds the glitter eagle across the back and red inserts in the flares, copying the 1973 Aloha from Hawaii suit.
- Top tier. The Grand Heritage Costume is the heavily bejewelled version with eagle patterns on the front, back and sleeves, and it arrives in a garment bag.
One practical warning that applies to all of them: white costume fabric is thin. Wear something underneath.
If you want the background on why Elvis wore one-pieces at all, we covered the design history in Elvis's jumpsuits explained.
Step three: the hair
This is where most Elvis costumes fail. A jumpsuit with your own flat hair does not read as Elvis. Two options:
- The Elvis Presley Wig with Sideburns, which has the sideburns attached.
- The Elvis Presley Wig for Adults, a straightforward black pompadour.
Both need a minute of fluffing and shaping out of the packet. Do that before you leave, not in the taxi.
Step four: the finishing pieces
- Sunglasses. The Elvis Sunglasses with Attached Sideburns are the cheapest shortcut in the whole costume, and if you skip the wig they do double duty by supplying the sideburns.
- Scarves. The set of three red Elvis scarves is worth it purely so you can throw one and still have two left.
- Cape. The Elvis Presley Cape is 30 inches of white with a screen-printed eagle and red lining. Spectacular in photographs, and genuinely awkward in a crowded bar. Elvis himself dropped capes after 1973 because people kept grabbing them.
Five mistakes to avoid
- Ordering your normal size. Costumes run smaller than clothing. See our Elvis costume sizing guide before you choose.
- Skipping the hair. The single biggest difference between a good Elvis and a confusing one.
- Wearing trainers. Boots, or at minimum a plain dark shoe. The flares need something with a bit of heel.
- Mixing eras. Black leather jacket plus white rhinestone jumpsuit is two costumes fighting each other.
- Forgetting undergarments. Mentioned twice because it comes up every Halloween.
Elvis costume FAQs
What is the easiest Elvis costume?
Wig, sunglasses and a scarf over a plain white or black shirt. Three items, and it still reads instantly as Elvis.
Can women wear an Elvis costume?
Yes, and the Women's Elvis Presley Costume is cut for it rather than being a unisex jumpsuit sized down.
What shoes go with an Elvis costume?
White or black boots with a slight heel. Elvis wore boots with every jumpsuit, and the flares are cut to sit over them.
Do I need the cape?
No. It is the most dramatic piece and the least practical. Buy it if you are being photographed, skip it if you are standing in a crowd all evening.
Browse the full Special Elvis range, or if you are dressing more than one person, read Family Elvis costumes.