film style, show notes

The Menswear in Elvis (2022)

Posted on by Ethan M. Wong

This has everything to do with us!

I think I’ve said it before, but I’m not really a music guy. I like film music sure, but song-songs are something that is quite new to me. As a result, I’m not too familiar with Elvis outside of the jokes made about him and Johnny Bravo of course. That made watching Baz Luhrmann’s biopic a truly wild experience, as his over-stylized and fast paced (but extremely long) movie was the first time I learned about Elvis and heard his music.

You can hear more about the movie in the bonus episode (a preview for non-patrons is below), but just know that I was actually impressed with the costuming. It’s definitely a step up from Luhrmann’s Gatsby flick which doesn’t hide its 2010s attempt at vaguely 20s attire with its skinny unhemmed pants and odd (and I mean odd) waistcoats.

Instead, Elvis actually feels period accurate. Elvis’s leisure-esque jackets, severely unbuttoned sportshirts, and two tone shirts are done faithfully in the 50s section of the film before transitioning to flares, white boots, and sequined capes in the second half. Colonel Parker even gets a part of the fun with his western themed tailoring and guayabera shirts (though his straw trillby feels like something you could get at a mall kiosk). It’s fun to see the variety of outfits pop up on Elvis, Parker, and assorted characters (like BB King or the other members of the Elvis Coterie) as the film speeds through at breakneck speed (while still feeling like a slog).

With Austin Butler’s constant thirst trapping (he is pretty damn good as the King), I wouldn’t be surprised if this leads to a bit of a rockabilly revival, at least in some way. The use of lace and open sport shirts are already in the zeigeist but they’re mainly done in a vaguely gorp way, with short shorts and truckers; I’d love to see this come in with big pleated pants and two tone loafers, both of which are also current, but not as big. It’s also hard not to enjoy all the black silk/rayon and the jaunty scarves; I’m certainly getting inspired to use both in Going Out Looks for extra flair. I wouldn’t be surprised if this starts a bit of a microtrend as Elvis’s vibe is perfect for the current mood of menswear. At least on tiktok!

Anyway, join our Patreon for the full episode or listen to the preview below.

Podcast

This man in the pink suit didn’t go to Oxford.
The lace is damn cool. I’d be scared of tearing it though.

More pink!
Fun socks with spectator loafers.
A Going Out look.
This is a vibe. I’ve gotta do a similar look with my corduroy suit sometime.
All leather.
The western styling of Parker’s suits takes a 40s European spin when you find out he’s not from the US.
A corporate look on Parker.
Nudie suit on Hank Snow.
The real Colonel Sanders.
Love Elvis’s dark geometric shirt against a Brown Checked Jacket.
They definitely got Elvis’s tie right!
vibes.
Are donegal summer trousers due for a comeback?
They copied the wardrobe expertly in the film, especially when this moment was done on screen. I wish I had screenshots!
Trad.
His sunglasses game is strong.

Thanks for listening and reading along! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon to get some extra content and access to our exclusive Discord. We also stream on Twitch and upload the highlights to Youtube.

The Podcast is produced by MJ.

Always a pleasure,

Ethan M. Wong

Big thank you to our top tier Patrons (the SaDCast Fanatics): Philip, Shane, Austin, Jarek, and Henrik.

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