Elvis Presley is The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. He’s still number 1 on various Billboard charts. Back in the day, he was the King of style as well. He set a lot of trends and his style continues to influence artists to this day. Even his hairstyles are timeless. Perhaps the most iconic of these styles could be found on the King’s famous crown: his hair, which is considered one of the greatest in grooming history. If you want to know how to do ‘the Elvis’ yourself, read on.
“I could do an Elvis movie. I got the hair.”
– Shawn Mendes
“The Elvis look” is actually a style taken from the mid-18th century called a pompadour. Named after a woman, Madame de Pompadour, mistress of King Louis XV, this hairstyle can work for a variety of people and looks. In the 1950s and early 1960s, the pompadour had a male renaissance with early country rock and roll and movie stars like James Dean, Johnny Cash, and of course Elvis Presley wearing this cut. Today – celebrities such as David Beckham, Bruno Mars, Alicia Keys, and Pink have famously sported a type of pompadour.
How to style an Elvis Presley pompadour
The basic concept behind the Pompadour style is having a large volume of hair up top, swept up from the face and forehead, and often swept up the sides and back as well. What makes a “natural” Elvis Presley hairstyle? Using natural-based products, of course, like Phillip Adam’s natural-based styling products! You can create a pompadour, or the ‘Elvis’ cut, with products that provide shine and structure like sculpting clay and pomade.
Step One: To style a perfect Elvis cut, you will need to make sure your hair is freshly washed and conditioned properly.
Step Two: Apply product to hair using your hands. Phillip Adam Sculpting Clay should be applied to the hands first – rubbing it gently between your hands will heat activate it, dissolve the clay and allow you to work it into your hair. You can combine the Sculpting Clay and Pomade products to create a styling ‘potion’. The exact amount of product will vary based on your head of hair, but start with a little and continue to add until you find the right amount. You can add a bit of water to change the consistency. Do not stick product directly on your hair – use your hands as your hair stylist would!
Step Three: To create height, first work the pomade or sculpting clay into your hair from the back of your head towards your forehead, so your hair points forward. Then, with a bit more product and using your hands, work the hair up and back from your forehead, towards the back of your head, to create the pompadour effect.
Step Four: Use a comb to style your pompadour so that it highlights your best features and creates the look you are going for. Finish the look with a light blast of hair spray or volumizer.
Use these steps to create your look and share your results with us! Elvis was a style icon and working even a bit of ‘Elvis’ into your hair routine can be a fun and stylish endeavor.