This baby Elvis costume all started with my inability to find a hairdresser for myself in Los Angeles. I’ve lived in the LA area for the better of ten years, yet still only get my hair done when I visit my stylist in my native New York. Only the best for me and thus my kiddos too, right? This meant that my 14 month old would NOT be getting “baby’s first haircut” anytime soon. The result, you ask? His dark, full, and now long hair started to look very Elvis-like. To top it all off, my fairly new walker had a very “Elvis the Pelvis” gait about himself. This coif combined with “My Boy” bow-legged “HIP-py” walk are what inspired this costume!
It was now time to get to work, using as many materials from home as possible. It is the epitome of DIY/homemade, and the total price tag comes in at a whopping 99 cents (plus tax)—for the gold ribbon belt, which I also would be able to use for my costume. The white shirt and pants and “Blue (ha ha, okay, black) Suede Shoes” were hand-me-downs or gifts already in rotation.
The red flare-pant add-ons were found in my raw materials bag. The red cape is one of my son’s bibs turned around (there’s a zebra hiding underneath!). The sunglasses were mine and found taking up space in our coat closet. The purple fabric on the back of the cape was leftover sleeve material from my hubby’s DIY costume.
The famous cape eagle was outlined with a silver Sharpie — also found in the home. And finally, the jewels used to adorn the outfit, cape, and shoes were made from Avery dots, glitter glue, gold rhinestone numbers cut into my desired patterned designs (leftover from my 2015 bachelorette party—originally 99 cents), and red rhinestone stickers (previously purchased for a 2019 prospective 100th Day of School project—also 99 cents).
Side bar, I went all “Crazy Arms” tossing crap around while looking for the red rhinestones I just knew I had somewhere… fast forward to a 5 in the a.m. hunt and I unexpectedly first come across the gold glittery rhinestone number stickers before locating the red ones, but voila—a new creative idea is sparked! And yes, I still had these used items ready to repurpose—what else was I supposed to do with them? “Return to Sender”?? I know you said spare no details, but you’d tell me if this is all “Too Much”, right??? ;)
Since it’s getting late—“It’s Midnight”, to be exact – the reaction you ask? The people have had a “Burning Love” for this “Bossa Nova Baby” and this costume as well! They told me “It’s Now or Never” to enter my little “U.S. Male” into a costume contest. So, “A Little Less Conversation” —let’s get to the point: “Don’t Be Cruel”, please, “Treat Me Nice” and crown this “Rock-a-Hula Baby“… “The King“!
