Visitors to London in mid-September could be forgiven for wondering if they were seeing double, triple, or even quadruple when hundreds of Elvis fans poured into town. Dazzling white suits and sequins by the thousands abounded at a celebration of the life and work of the “King” in Hyde Park.
Whenever Elvis fans get together, there is inevitably a debate about how best to pay tribute to his memory. Some opt for the traditional black hair, white suit and sequins while others opt for black or gold jumpsuits or simply concentrate on the voice. Regardless of how tribute is paid, it is rare to find someone who can successfully distill that mix of voice and showmanship that made Elvis the legend he is today.
One problem that plagues all Elvis fans who opt for the full white suit is the difficulty of keeping the suit in impeccable order. Despite the availability of bleaches and washing powders “guaranteed” to keep your whites sparkling, when you add sequins and possibly red sparkles, keeping your Elvis outfit clean becomes a chore.
Our first tip for those short on time is to choose a suit that doesn’t have sparkles or red sparkles inserted. That reduces worry about color and saves you from having to wear pink for your second outing as Elvis. If you’re brave enough to choose a multi-color jumpsuit, the best options are spot cleaning, hand washing with a color-fixing solution, or dry cleaning. Choose a dry cleaner that uses one of the new ranges of solutions, such as GreenEarth silicone solution, which is much gentler on clothes and won’t damage sequins.
For those who go for the pure white option, again if it’s sequins, spot cleaning, hand washing or dry cleaning is best. Avoid using bleach as this can discolor the suit and leave you with a white suit with whiter spots. If you have to use a bleach substitute, then white wine vinegar or lemon juice are good alternatives.
The most important rule when it comes to stains on white clothing is to remove the stain as soon as possible and use cold water instead of hot water. Hot water can fix stains and make them virtually impossible to remove. Blood responds best to cold water as does red wine, although the best treatment for a red wine spill is to immediately rinse it with white wine.
When you iron your Elvis suit, iron it inside out or cover it with a towel to avoid damaging the decoration. Black suits should generally be ironed inside out, as the black material can become shiny with repeated ironing.
Treat your Elvis costume well and it will last you for years. Just stay away from the peanut butter banana sandwiches!