For a long time now, musicians and artists have had tons of influence over renowned trends in the fashion scene. And although we’re not sure how musicians took control of the world of fashion or hairstyles, we know that none of the progress would have happened without Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll.
Elvis Presley was known for many things. Primarily recognized for his distinctive singing voice and perfect pitch, Elvis was also a heartthrob in the eyes of many due to his tight-fitting yet appealing outfits, and his beautiful head of hair.
With the help of his hair genes, Elvis Presley wore his hair in a range of likable ways. However, if you’d like to discover just how presentable they can be even in the modern day, consider skimming through the list of Elvis Presley haircuts we’ve unveiled throughout this material!
Table of Contents
- 15 Timeless Elvis Hairstyles For Any And Every Hair Density!
- Textured Flat Top With Mid-skin Fade
- Scruffy Elephant’s Trunk
- Choppy Gentleman’s Cut
- Gelled Up Quiff
- Dishevelled Comb Over
- Vintage Wet Look
- Messy Side-part
- Short Textured Faux Hawk
- Edgy Pompadour with Framing Streak
- Classic Pompadour
- Gentleman’s Combover with Low Taper
- Medium-length Curtains
- Regular Cut With Relaxed Streaks
- Outgrown Flow Haircut
- Relaxed Shag
- Looks Inspired By Elvis Presley’s Haircut!
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
15 Timeless Elvis Hairstyles For Any And Every Hair Density!
Apart from hitting the lottery with his singing voice, Elvis Presley secured his seat at the table of highly-influential artists in the 50s with his persona, dressing sense, and the live renditions of his creations. When all of them were taken out of the mix, however, it was his luscious head of hair that kept his impact alive!
Elvis Presley experimented with a series of hairstyles when he broke into the music scene and kept experimenting with his hair throughout, even during the final years of his life. However, if you’d like to skip past the awkward styling decisions and dive into the prominent ones, checking out the following entries should be sufficient!
Textured Flat Top With Mid-skin Fade
After finding success in the music scene as well as the film industry, Elvis joined the United States Army in the late 50s throughout the early 60s. During that time, not only did he have to leave his artistic talents behind, but he also had to trade his iconic sideburns and voluminous hairdo with a flat top.
This textured flat top is still a frontrunner among prominent military cuts, but its visuals also make it a remarkable look in general. The choppy strands hold up quite well when cut evenly, but they can be enhanced even further with some hair gel.
With a skin fade or a low taper, the fullness of the strands can be multiplied.
Scruffy Elephant’s Trunk
Elvis Presley was known for having good personal hygiene, taking multiple showers every day. And although he was known for shampooing every time as well, some of his looks offered messy and disorganized formations, such as this scruffy elephant’s trunk.
The elephant’s trunk was a look that initially skyrocketed in the 50s, being a common find among greasers. Elvis was one of the first prominent people to wear this look, which subsequently allowed the hair trend to reach new heights. His look was a tad bit different, however, since it had more uneven tousles instead of an organized and slanted frame.
Choppy Gentleman’s Cut
Another low-maintenance design that Elvis often placed his trust in is a choppy gentleman’s cut, which contains a simple creative process with tons of soft layers. Although he found more contentment in wearing disorganized layers with no styling process, one can easily pull off a range of commendable and formal options, such as comb overs, side parts, and slick backs with the structure of this design.
This gentleman’s cut is mostly perceived as a good look for those that want to create natural volume, as the messy layers generate tons of fullness. The look can be a bit difficult to maintain with coarse hair, but it should be able to work wonders for fine hair.
Gelled Up Quiff
Once Presley discovered the visuals of hydrating agents like Vaseline and the thickening properties of rosemary oil, the musician-turned-Hollywood star displayed his hair in several ways, which is when this hairdo, featuring a quiff hairstyle, came into existence.
Gelled-up looks can be a bit challenging to wear for those with thin or fine hair, but the procedure as well as the visuals make it the best companion for thick or coarse hair. On top of having tons of volume, this gelled-up quiff comprises the ability to secure a firm hold for an exceptional amount of time.
Dishevelled Comb Over
While he had to settle for a flat top during his first year in the United States Army, the King of Rock’n’Roll eventually grew his hair out, leaving behind this fantastic yet subtle-looking comb-over.
By the looks of it, it seems as though the look was formed using fingertips. The softness also implies that no styling products or enhancements were used.
The disheveled structure of this comb-over can be created without an issue with densely-packed hair. As long as one uses styling foam or hair mousse, replicating the features should also be possible with thin to fine hair.
Vintage Wet Look
Before “The Wet Look” resurfaced in Hollywood during the 80s, the vintage hairstyle had a small following that believed in the features it offered. One of the devoted followers was none other than Elvis Presley.
Although the look is not as glossy, this variant of “The Wet Look” can still be worn in this day and age, especially if you’re seeking something with volume and shine. The structure might be challenging to form when the strands are dry, but it should take a couple of minutes on damp hair.
Instead of using a water-based hair gel, it is advised to add a layer of argan or rosemary oil, with a dime-sized amount of styling pomade.
Messy Side-part
If you’re currently growing your hair out, but are often being held back by awkward phases, this messy side-part should be effective enough to get you out of that slump.
Forming the side-part should be easy on wet hair, as long as you have a wooden comb to manipulate the cuticles. Once created, air dry the hair to bring the messy layers into existence.
The messy layers might stay steady when implemented on coarse hair, but using some hair clay should be enough to keep the thinner pieces in place.
Short Textured Faux Hawk
Although Elvis was mostly renowned for wearing voluminous hairdos, his luscious hair was also perfect for creating a texture-oriented look, such as this faux hawk right here.
Textured haircuts are ideal for those seeking a way to incorporate some extra fullness into the strands. In addition to looking good at all times, a short-textured faux hawk also offers a strong hold. By using texturizing powder and sea salt spray, one can easily add to the natural volume and thickness of this look.
Additionally, to mimic the shine that this look holds, using some hair putty should be sufficient.
Edgy Pompadour with Framing Streak
While most of the former entries can still be worn with tons of flair today, nothing compares to this edgy pompadour, the look that was popularized by none other than Elvis Presley.
This pompadour follows a voluminous shape, with an incredible amount of gloss. While the shine was mostly created using Vaseline by Elvis, using hair wax should be healthier and more advantageous in the present. For the volume, one may also use pre-stylers like sea salt spray.
Classic Pompadour
Before he grew out his hair, another remarkable pompadour that gradually became a part of Elvis Presley’s identity is this classic variant.
This design features matte-based visuals with soft layers, making it ideal for those with fine hair. The strands often require some elevation, which can easily be added using thickening powder or mousse.
A classic pompadour is a perfectly balanced look. In other words, the hairstyle of Elvis can be worn anywhere without stirring up any trouble.
Gentleman’s Combover with Low Taper
A relatively clean-cut look that Elvis wore for a while was a gentleman’s comb over, showcased alongside a low taper.
The combover was always greased up, providing the strands with an incredible amount of hold. While the taper fade wasn’t as apparent, it often did a great job at giving the strands on top some extra thickness and a lightweight feel.
By the looks of it, this gentleman’s combover pairs best during high-profile events. The hairdo may also stand out the most when teamed up with formalwear.
Medium-length Curtains
As Elvis got older, his jet black hair just grew in length, forming this medium-length mid-part, or curtains, as a result.
This curtain hairstyle is a great hairdo to resort to for avoiding awkward phases. Since the strands seem naturally formed, all one has to do is dampen the hair before creating the structure.
To mimic Elvis, the sideburns should be grown out accordingly. However, to add more body to the temple, a low taper should be sufficient.
Regular Cut With Relaxed Streaks
After growing his hair year in, and year out, Elvis finally gave himself a break from the weight of his hair, with a regular cut that many can still wear to this day.
This medium-length regular cut is probably the underdog on this list, as the variant isn’t talked about as much. However, in our opinion, this hairdo paired best with his jet-black hair follicles, making them look thicker than they actually were.
The styling process is also quite lenient, further adding to its likeability. Once the structure is created on damp hair, the strands only need hairspray to stay sound for an impressive amount of time.
Outgrown Flow Haircut
During his final years, Elvis really gave his strands enough time to grow gracefully. It all paid off in the end, however, as it allowed the King of Rock and Roll to wear this flow cut with grown-out sideburns.
Although the visuals may be frowned upon in the modern era, replicating the hairdo shouldn’t be too bad if you’re an Elvis fanatic with an admirable head of hair. It has a fair amount of volume and hold. The layers around the sides are also quite beneficial, as they can give the wearer’s face a slimming effect.
Relaxed Shag
For a brief amount of time, Elvis also blended his sideburns exceptionally with a medium-length shag. The hairdo not only contained tons of body, but also had an angular structure that gave his face more definition.
This shag cut can be a good way to give flat hair some elevation. Using the swoop can also work wonders for those with a big forehead or a receding hairline.
To form the hair without any grease, using a hair mousse is advised. However, if you want the hold to be rock solid, use a significant amount of hair spray.
Looks Inspired By Elvis Presley’s Haircut!
Loved the options but need more context? If so, here are a couple of hairstyles that were inspired by the creator of “Heartbreak Hotel,” Elvis Presley!
This Short Yet Voluminous Comb Over
This Jet Black Pompadour With Framing Layers
A Sharp And Messy Pompadour
This Elephant’s Trunk With A Low Taper Fade
This Quiff With A High Skin Fade
Frequently Asked Questions
If the visuals mentioned in the former segments were sufficient, yet you have a series of unresolved questions regarding Elvis Presley’s haircut, say goodbye to the confusion with the following questionnaire!
Q: How do I get the Elvis Presley haircut?
Ans: Elvis Presley’s genetics gifted him with a coarse head of hair, which he utilized and experimented with to the fullest throughout his lifetime. However, as long as you get the right haircut, mimicking the visuals of his iconic pompadour, in addition to every other option, should be a walk in the park.
To embrace his aesthetics to the fullest, grow your sideburns out. You may also use rosemary oil to thicken your hair and make it look as polished as Elvis Presley’s.
On another note, if you need visuals, consider giving this video a watch!
Q: What is the colour of Elvis Presley’s natural hair?
A: Believe it or not, Elvis Presley was not born with jet-black hair. In fact, the musician had golden blonde hair throughout his adolescent years. Once he entered his late teens, however, Elvis grew his hair, and his sideburns, draping the cuticles in jet-black.
Q: What did Elvis use to style his hair?
Ans: Elvis was big on personal hygiene. He was known for shampooing every day when he first rose to stardom. Additionally, to keep his hair flawless at all times, the greatest musician of all time would use Vaseline and a few drops of rosemary oil.
Conclusion
Although no one would ever dare to question the legacy and talent of Elvis Presley, another element that they can never doubt is the list of contributions the King Of Rock And Roll made to the fashion scene. While his slim-fit, bedazzled leather suits were unfathomable and sought-after, the aesthetics of the outfits seemed incomplete without his densely-packed head of hair.
From flat tops to side parts, Elvis Presley experimented with a number of hairstyles. The one that rose above the rest, however, was his classic pompadour. And if you’d like to replicate his iconic look, wind back to the previous section and give the video a watch.
When push comes to shove, Elvis Presley’s hairstyle, also known as the Elvis cut, can be easy to replicate and wear with thick hair. However, as long as you have thickening spray and texturizing powder, maintaining the look with thin hair should be possible!