Fans agreed that the white bell-bottomed jumpsuit, embellished with a bald eagle made from red, gold and blue studs, was one of the entertainer’s most iconic overall looks. They called the iconic costume the “American dream come true.”
“All Elvis Jumpsuits had a meaning but the Aloha from Hawaii 1973 was everything, was the American Dream coming true in one of the greatest artists in the musical industry and history. The Eagle, the American Flag colors, representing the little poor boy with the most amazing parents ever, that educated him from nothing and sent him to the world to delight people with his talent,” wrote one follower.
A second penned, “The legend!!! Iconic!!! Absolutely stunning and gorgeous.” A third fan noted, “The American Eagle, and what an iconic one it is.”
Graceland’s vice president of archives and exhibits Angie Marchese told CNN that representing the United States was important to the entertainer, as the event was broadcast worldwide via satellite. This concert was the first time any artist had shared a live performance in that manner.
Marchese understood the significance of performing for a global audience. With that in mind, she told CNN that Presley collaborated closely with his longtime costume designer, Bill Belew, to create a jumpsuit that embodied everything he believed was important for this one-of-a-kind performance.
Marchese said, “He told Bill, ‘I just want the suit to say America.’ This was one of the few occasions when Elvis made a special request of his designer.”
Elvis Australia interviewed Belew in 2020. He shared his thoughts regarding the legendary piece of costuming.
“I think possibly his favorite was always the Aloha Hawaii suit, the American Eagle, you know,” Belew said. “I remember when I was in Europe, I had seen the American Embassy there. And there was a big controversy at the time about it, the American Eagle being across it.”
He concluded, “And I said ‘I’ve got it’. I know what’ll work cause I had thought about the American flag and I said no, no. and I said the American Eagle. And he said ‘That’s great. I like that’, and so we did that.”
Elvis Presley died in four years after the Hawaii concert special in August 1977. He was 42.
Over the course of his two-decade career, Elvis Presley’s style evolved dramatically, from flashy jackets and pegged pants to Army fatigues, black leather, and rhinestone-studded jumpsuits. Yet among all his unforgettable looks, fans overwhelmingly agree that one outfit stands out as the most iconic of them all. It represents a peak moment in the King of Rock and Roll’s career and remains a lasting reminder of the era.
On July 13, Presley’s official Instagram posed a trivia question to fans. It asked, “What motif did Elvis famously wear on his jumpsuit in the 1973 Aloha from Hawaii concert?”
The answer was “The American Eagle.” The question followed a week’s worth of posts about the iconic stage wear Presley made famous throughout the 1970s.