Black Spanish Flowers (1973-1974)

[vulcandude]

The book he's reading is one of the first pressings of an auto
biography written by John O' Grady who was a narcotics agent in the fifties and became a private investigator in the sixties. He and Elvis became good friends after John helped him in the Pat Parker case in 1970.

Is the book available still?

[iamhekev]

My fav suit...1st saw this in the 1st book by sean shaver,1978.

[bripet56]

As Sabbath's photos above shows Elvis wore different belts to the Blue and Brown stoned Black Spanish Flower suit.
You can also see that the inserts in the legs are blue and Elvis wears a blue scarf when he comes on stage in the blue stoned suit while using a white scarf when coming on stage in the brown stoned one.
You can also see that Elvis uses a microphone with a blue "band" at the top when wearing the blue stoned suit.
This is definitely two different suits and I doubt very much that the stones were changed from blue to brown overnight so Elvis could use the blue stoned one on August 31 and the brown stoned one on September 1.

Sincerely
Brian
http://www.brian56.dk

[goodelvisgirl]

the jumpsute is lovely and fits elvis well

[Leroy]

You made a little mistake here Bripet56. The pictures of August 31th are form 1973 and the pictures from September 1st are from 1974. So if the stones were changed it didn't happen "overnight".

But it didn't happen at all. They're indeed two different suits.
Designer Gene Doucette told me that the "White Spanish Flower" was meant to desing and both black versions were to keep the people at the shop at work and busy.

[bripet56]

Of course Leroy, thanks for pointing it out to me. I even had the photos dated 1973 and 1974 but I blame it on the heat yesterdy


Sincerely
Brian
http://www.brian56.dk

[Burning_Love]

What a beautiful suit !

[Diane Lynn]

too cool ,wish there was more , or any concert footage of elvis in this suit

[EChristan]

You made a little mistake here Bripet56. The pictures of August 31th are form 1973 and the pictures from September 1st are from 1974. So if the stones were changed it didn't happen "overnight".

But it didn't happen at all. They're indeed two different suits.
Designer Gene Doucette told me that the "White Spanish Flower" was meant to desing and both black versions were to keep the people at the shop at work and busy.

Thanks Leroy, yes these are two different suits. The photos from 9/74 were taken by Judy Palmer. I see in some of these posts the stones in the suit in her photos are referred to as brown. I think that is just how they appeared once the photos were printed. I have seen Judy's slides and the stones are actually red. So there is a red stone version and a blue stone version. Although the pattern colors have always seemed different to me too. The blue stone version seems to show up in photos as a very light, almost white pattern, around the stones, while in the red stone version the pattern seems darker and made up of more colors.

[Leroy]

Actually the "Black Spanish Flower" with blue stones has also green stones in it. Just like the "White Spanish Flower". The fact some of the stones seem to have a different color, almost white, as you put it, is because two different types of stones are used. Normal Rhinestones and Aurora Borealis. The last type has a titanium glow and when the light hits it it changes color. The red one has the same.

Below you will find an example of some Aurora Borealis stones as they appear on the 1973 "Arabian". You can see that some of the stones light up in multiple colours.

[rmk101]

A very cool jumpsuit!!!!

[nabelt24]

Here's pictures of a black spanish flower with red stones and one with green stones.

[Brad Stalnaker]

from Memphis October '08

[Brad Stalnaker]

ok let's recap (I'm getting confused)

White Spanish Flower (everyone agrees - blue & green stones)

Black Spanish Flower RED STONES

No such thing as the Brown version

Black Spanish Flower with Green (and Blue) stones.

....is there a Black version with just LIGHT BLUE STONES?

I remember having this photo in a 2 page spread in a book....and it looked ALL LIGHT blue to me....but I guess it could be the lighting.

[easyrider]

very good jumpsuit

[beckelvis]

Cool Suit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Wonder Of You]

August 31, 1973 Dinner Show.

[beckelvis]

BEAUTIFUL JUMPSUIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LOVELY

[KEVIN WILDE]

GREAT JUMPSUIT

[kingkelo74]

A Great Looking Jumpsuit.