Table of Contents
Introduction
Elvis had sideburns, greased-back hair, and more charisma than any man has a right to have, and therefore remains one of the most famous musical legends to date. This was made even more memorable by an unusual hairstyle he always sported during his two years in the US Army. We owe the “Elvis army haircut” its peculiar tale of fame story and its place in popular culture awareness.
Elvis Gets Drafted
The media’s influence peaked in the middle of Elvis’s early career in December 1957 when he was drafted into service of the U.S. military. When he was drafted, the shooting of his movie “King Creole” was still in progress, for which he asked for a two-month extension; Elvis arrived at basic training in March 1958. He very clearly stated that he doesn’t want any form of prioritization while serving out his time.
Like all recruits, Elvis went through a reception process at Fort Chaffee station. As a foundation for that subculture, which also encompassed the conventional low GI crew cut—a shave given to all recruits as a cultural induction into the barracks. Pictures materializing Elvis indicate that he appears a bit gloomy but compliant with the fact that his well-known quills are gone.
A Style Emerges
At Fort Hood in Texas during basic training, Elvis managed to grow hair long enough so that he could make it more pronounced. He kept the back and sides closely shaven with the hair on top longer and thicker, worn sleek, and often with a wave on the frontal area.
It was still a somewhat slender type, although the new compact style suited the regulations. But Elvis finds a way to put it into his style as he usually likes to do, for instance, the wave at the frontal part and slanting sideburns. It ended up just neat and respectable but was still a bachelor pad cool at its base.
Elvis Serves in Germany
To the 1st Medium Tank Battalion, 32 Armored, in Friedberg, Germany Elvis shipped out in August 1958. It is here that he established the look he sported throughout his time at boot camp, which he would wear for the rest of his time overseas.
During the repeated official meetings with the representatives of the press and during the private time with another soldier, Elvis had an army crop. Narrative pictures prove that he kept up with the same approximate general build. But at times, he tweaked minor features such as switching from a flattened crown yet a fuller loft on top.
Impact on Pop Culture
Elvis may not have had his famous quasi-mullet yet when, at the recognizable height of his first post-Marine military buzz cut, he was introduced to a teenage Priscilla Beaulieu at a party in early 1959. In addition to boring loads of fans, he succeeded in impressing her with the look. While much shorter and much more subdued in comparison with the civilian pompadour, it looked by no means unnatural on a man, contributing to the rock and roll star’s superstardom even in his military uniform.
Still, Elvis was able to make the boring GI haircut look popular. Following Elvis, that style was adopted by other rockabilly artists and ordinary men who occasionally needed to steal some of the rebellious aura of this groundbreaking musician. Still, it is familiar and is considered a traditional men’s hairstyle even up to the present times.
Check Out: The Regulation Cut: A Timeless Standard in Army Grooming.
Continuing the Legacy
Elvis kept his army-style cropped haircut until he left the army in March 1960. Well, then he proceeded to grow out the pompadour hairstyle that he was famous for all over again. But the cube as a form symbolizing the army-era has become an indispensable part of him and his image.
The Elvis cut can therefore be classified as among the most popular and outstanding traditional military-inspired male haircuts in this last century in others include the buzz cut, crew cut, as well as flat top. His imprint on that legacy only means that he will continue to influence pop culture and fashion even in the future.
Today, fans cross-dressing as in the 1970s and 1980s Elvis maintained the neat and gelled-back army style. Some normal fellas continue to shave their hair in the style that King’s ‘50s-era cut represents to this very day as a trend-frame for its rather chic military look. While appropriate for a king of rock and roll, it has an everyman’s boasting rights from its beginnings as a GI haircut.
Whether it was born out of a desire to emulate Marlon Brando or out of the musician’s own fashion conscious, Elvis certainly did a lot with the style when he was in uniform. Some of the most memorable iconic looks included Elvis army haircut that combine military service with Rock n Roll.
Conclusion
Many hairstyles changed Elvis through his years of performing but one haircut made an impression: a cropped cut during army service. The hairstyle of wavefront, short sides, and slicked-back crest coiffed successively the image of an undefined mixture of mass popular music and military service. Rather than leak out boring standard issue induction cut it gave the world a cool rebellious style that was copied forever. Complementing the civilian’s pompadour hairstyle is the Elvis army hairstyle; still popular among men as evidence of the timeless music icon’s influence.
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FAQs
How did Elvis Presley’s hair appear in the army?
Elvis was in the army from 1958-1960 and during this time he had his first haircut and shaved off his pompadour and sideburns and got the regular army buzz cut. But he was soon able to let it grow longer on top and use a fringe at the front, conventional hair length at the back and sides with sharp angular sideburns, and the hair combed to the back. This is the military haircut he adopted during his service.
Did Elvis for example propagate army haircuts as indicated by Daily Mirror?
Yes – although it stemmed from standard military short back and side cuts and crew cuts and buzz cuts Elvis’s version was imitated by fans, rock and roll artists, and young men throughout the 1950s – 1960s. There was the hint of machismo and coming from the wrong side of the tracks, The Appalachian State Mountaineers logo imploded ‘attitude.’ The Elvis military cut is still one of the most sought-after ‘retro’ looks of today.
How long did it take before Elvis returned to the 50s short hairstyle after the army?
Yes. The 1950s pompadour style was back again in a larger, even more ostentatious form as before the army stint Elvis had begun to cut his hair but after he was discharged from the army he grew his hair again combined with mutton chop sideburns. However, the army cut he donned remains as one of his key signatures and a momentary legendary characteristic that was an integral part of his phases.
