Elvis and Liberace. Vegas. 1956.
Liberace’s unembarrassed flashiness inspired Elvis. Think of Elvis’ head to toe gold suit, designed from the legendary Nudie’s Rodeo – which came into his life a year later.
You can see the partial influence of Liberace in that choice. Elvis was already flashy, already unembarrassed about that aspect of himself. He dressed in pink suits in high school. But he was encouraged by Liberace’s example to push it further. Why not a shimmering gold suit? Who said shimmering gold was just for the gowns of women? Gender-bender.
And Liberace – unlike many of the other middle-aged Vegas performers who dismissed Elvis and resented his brief (and disastrous) tour there in 1956 – thought Elvis was great.
Gay men and teenage girls always get it.
