mexican sundial suit

[elvis himselvis]

hello

2 weeks ago i was in graceland and i have a question about the mexican sundial suit that stands in the raquetball court.From wich concert is this suit?????
I hope anyone can help me...

Greets
Dave

[Jungleroom76]

Hi Dave!

The "Mexican Sundial Suit" (or simply "Sundial Suit", as most fans call it) was first debuted by Elvis on stage in 1974, although he only wore it for a few concerts during that year.

However, the "Sundial Suit" is probably most famous for being the jumpsuit that Elvis wore the most during his final concert tours in 1977, including his final television special on CBS in 1977 -- "Elvis In Concert". There are many theories out there amongst Elvis fans as to why Elvis chose to wear the "Sundial Suit" almost exclusively during the final tours of 1977...the one that I have heard most often is that the "Sundial Suit" was one of the only jumpsuits that Elvis was still able to fit into, considering the constant fluctuation of his weight during the final months of his life. Whether that is completely true or not, I don't know...

Hope this helps you out some Dave!!

TCB!
Mike

F.Y.I!! There are many FANTASTIC photos of Elvis wearing the "Sundial Suit" which are posted in the 1970's section of the PHOTO GALLERY here at TCB-World!! We hope you will take the time to check those out!!

[Unchained Melody]

Here's the dates from 1977 that the suite was worn.

February 17, 1977 (8:30 pm) Savannah, GA.
February 20, 1977 (8:30 pm) Charlotte, NC.
March 23, 1977. (8:30 pm) Tempe, AZ.
March 25, 1977 (8:30 pm) Norman, OK.
March 27, 1977 (8:30 pm) Abilene, TX.
March 29, 1977 (8:30 pm) Alexandria, LA.
April 21, 1977. (8:30 pm) Greensboro, NC.
April 22, 1977. (8:30 pm) Detroit, MI.
April 23, 1977. (8:30 pm) Toledo, OH.
April 25, 1977. (8:30 pm) Saginaw, MI.
April 26, 1977. (8:30 pm) Kalamazoo, MI.
April 27, 1977. (8:30 pm) Milwaukee, WI.
April 28, 1977. (8:30 pm) Green Bay, WI.
April 30, 1977. (8:30 pm) St. Paul, MN.
May 2, 1977. (8:30 pm) Chicago, IL.
May 3, 1977. (8:30 pm) Saginaw, MI.
May 20, 1977. (8:30 pm) Knoxville, TN.
May 21, 1977. (8:30 pm) Louisville, KY.
May 22, 1977. (8:30 pm) Largo, MD.
May 23, 1977. (8:30 pm) Providence, RI.
May 24, 1977. (8:30 pm) Augusta, ME.
May 25, 1977. (8:30 pm) Rochester, NY.
May 26, 1977. (8:30 pm) Binghamton, NY.
May 27, 1977. (8:30 pm) Binghamton. NY.
May 28, 1977. (8:30 pm) Philadelphia, PA.
May 29, 1977. (8:30 pm) Baltimore, MD.
May 30, 1977. (8:30 pm) Jacksonville, FL.
May 31, 1977 (8:30 pm) Baton Rouge, LA.
June 1, 1977 (8:30 pm) Macon, GA
June 2, 1977 (8:30 pm) Mobile, AL.
June 17, 1977 (8:30 pm) Springfield, MO.
June 19, 1977 (8:30 pm) Omaha, NE.
June 20, 1977 (8:30 pm) Lincoln, NE.
June 21, 1977 (8:30 pm) Rapid City, SD.
June 22, 1977 (8:30 pm) Sioux Falls, SD.
June 23, 1977 (8:30 pm) Des Moines, IA.
June 24, 1977 (8:30 pm) Madison, WI.
June 25, 1977 (8:30 pm) Cincinnati, OH.
June 26, 1977 (8:30 pm) Indianapolis, IN

It's also believed that Elvis first wore the suite in Lake Tahoe, October of 1974!

[elvis himselvis]

guys many thanks for your information
i really apriciate that but i don't think you have understand my question
i know very much about the sundial suit but thanks for the extra information,but my question was about the suit that is in graceland
there stands a mexican sundial suit and my question was from wich concerts that suit was....i don't think he did all those concerts that he wore the mexican sundial suit wit 1 suit...
i hope you can help me...

greets Dave

[Tony Trout]

guys many thanks for your information
i really apriciate that but i don't think you have understand my question
i know very much about the sundial suit but thanks for the extra information,but my question was about the suit that is in graceland
there stands a mexican sundial suit and my question was from wich concerts that suit was....i don't think he did all those concerts that he wore the mexican sundial suit wit 1 suit...
i hope you can help me...

greets Dave

There was only one (1) version of the "Sundial" suit...the suit in Graceland is the actual suit that Elvis wore in Lake Tahoe in 1974 and during the last tours in 1977 and during his last television special, "Elvis In Concert" on October 3, 1977. I'm sure the dry-cleaners were kept pretty busy cleaning the suit during the final tours of 1977.....

It's also believed that Elvis first wore the suite in Lake Tahoe, October of 1974!

Yes, he did...although I've only seen very few photographs of this particular show....

[elvis himselvis]

ok thanx for the information now i know when that suit was worn.
i didn't know he wore just one suit in that last tour...i always thougt he had every concert an another suit so he had more than one mexican sundial suit in that last tour
many thanks
Dave

[Jungleroom76]

There was only one (1) version of the "Sundial" suit...the suit in Graceland is the actual suit that Elvis wore in Lake Tahoe in 1974 and during the last tours in 1977 and during his last television special, "Elvis In Concert" on October 3, 1977. I'm sure the dry-cleaners were kept pretty busy cleaning the suit during the final tours of 1977.....

Actually....Elvis had 2 "Sundial Suits" in his wardrobe....they were IDENTICAL except that one of the suits had 2 buttons on the cuffs, and the other one had 3 buttons on the cuffs.

TCB!
Mike

[Jungleroom76]

It's also believed that Elvis first wore the suite in Lake Tahoe, October of 1974!

I'm not 100% sure of this, but I believe that I have seen photos of Elvis wearing the "Sundial Suit" from a show in Omaha on 7/1/74...

TCB!
Mike

[Tony Trout]

Actually....Elvis had 2 "Sundial Suits" in his wardrobe....they were IDENTICAL except that one of the suits had 2 buttons on the cuffs, and the other one had 3 buttons on the cuffs.

TCB!

Mike

Um...no. There was only one Sundial suit...ask Leroy....

[thehillbillycat]

Elvis had only one Mexican Sundial Suit. two cuffs fell off during a concert he performed in April of 1977. That suit like Leroy had said that some of the stones were falling off all the time.

Also, Elvis wore this suit for the first time in Lake Tahoe on October 11, 1974. July 1, 1974 in Omaha, Nebraska he wore the American Eagle jumpsuit. Or at least that is what I have in a book I have. Their is a few dates that can't be told what he wore so their is a chance that he wore the suit before Oct. 11.

[Jungleroom76]

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE CLARIFICATION!!

I honestly don't remember where I heard the story about there being 2 "Sundial Suits".

I always thought it was a little odd that Elvis would have 2 of the exact same suit, but never heard anything to contradict the 2 suit story that I had originally heard...but now I have from GREAT jumpsuit authority!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH for setting the record straight!!

TCB!
Mike

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

I always thought it was a little odd that Elvis would have 2 of the exact same suit, but never heard anything to contradict the 2 suit story that I had originally heard...but now I have from GREAT jumpsuit authority!!
TCB!
Mike

Hi Mike there were Multiple suits of the following:-

The Concha Jumpsuit (TTWII)
The Chain Jumpsuit
The Nail Swirl aka Apache

Also Elvis had Two almost identical Jumpsuits in the form of the Nail Studded and the Mirror Nail Studded from 1973/74, I think the main reason that there were not duplicates of the more elaborate costumes was probably due to the price factor...... As is common knowledge now, the latter jumpsuits were designed to be taken out taking in to account Elvis' fluctuating weight!

When you look at the amount of jumpsuits made in 1971-72-73 there was no reason to make as many duplicates as so many were being made.

Elvis had simply lost the desire for new jumpsuits by 1976/77 so it is highly unlikely that any duplicates of previous Jumpsuits from 1974 would have been made.

Matt

[thehillbillycat]

Hi Mike there were Multiple suits of the following:-

The Concha Jumpsuit (TTWII)
The Chain Jumpsuit
The Nail Swirl aka Apache

Also Elvis had Two almost identical Jumpsuits in the form of the Nail Studded and the Mirror Nail Studded from 1973/74, I think the main reason that there were not duplicates of the more elaborate costumes was probably due to the price factor...... As is common knowledge now, the latter jumpsuits were designed to be taken out taking in to account Elvis' fluctuating weight!

When you look at the amount of jumpsuits made in 1971-72-73 there was no reason to make as many duplicates as so many were being made.

Elvis had simply lost the desire for new jumpsuits by 1976/77 so it is highly unlikely that any duplicates of previous Jumpsuits from 1974 would have been made.

Matt

Elvis did have the ones that you listed two jumpsuits. But when people thinks he had two Mexican Sundial Suit just because a picture shows him with 6 cuffs then another has four. That only says that the cuffs got lost.

[Unchained Melody]

Hi Mike there were Multiple suits of the following:-

Elvis had simply lost the desire for new jumpsuits by 1976/77 so it is highly unlikely that any duplicates of previous Jumpsuits from 1974 would have been made.

Matt

Agreed Matt.

Which is why by 1974, Elvis should have had his designers design some different, new, stage apparel. The jumpsuites just went out of style just like everything does eventually. But he still looked great in them i think!!

[elvis himselvis]

so the suits that stands in graceland are really worn by elvis?

[Unchained Melody]

Here is an invoice from January 19th, 1970 which indicates another jumpsuit was doubled. You see five jumpsuits mentioned:

Two white ones with trim; they are the "White Broquade Suit" and the "Thin Green Leaf".

Another white jumpsuit of which the name is visible on the invoice.

And two black jumpsuits with trim. These are the twins. The "Black Broquade Suit" that for years have been a mystery because up until recently we had never seen pictures of Elvis wearing it. And all of a sudden we are dealing with two versions. This could indicate Elvis was planning to wear it more often during the January/February 1970 engagement.

Interesting stuff Leroy.

Quiet a difference in price from the jumpsuites from 1970 to the ones made in the later years. But one has to remember how much flashier the suites got in the later years compared to ones from '69, '70.

[Unchained Melody]

so the suits that stands in graceland are really worn by elvis?

Yeah, they are the real, original suites Elvis wore stand now in the Trophy Room.

[thehillbillycat]

so the suits that stands in graceland are really worn by elvis?

YES!!!!
They are the actual jumpsuits he wore. The only one that is not the original suit is the Aloha suit. That is NOT the one that he wore at the two Aloha shows. That is the second suit that he had made. That is the suit he wore on the other dates including the following dates:
March 6, 1974. (8:30 pm) Montgomery, AL.
March 12, 1974 (8:30 pm) Richmond, VA.
March 14, 1974 (8:30 pm) Murfreesboro, TN.
March 16, 1974 (2:30 pm) Memphis, TN.
As for the other dates I can't say on that.
The only thing that is original is the cape which was the actual cape he threw in the audience after Can't Help Falling In Love which that is the second cape he made for the suit. The original cape was full length cape. But the others are the original suits that I know of.
EPE, Graceland and the family wants us to think that is the suit he wore at the Aloha shows but we know better.

[Tony Trout]

Leroy,

Reckon if someone e-mailed EPE about their 'error' in regards to the third Aloha suit that they say is the actual Aloha suit that they would possibly stop claiming that the suit that they have on display is the actual one?

[Unchained Melody]

Unfortunately if you would send word to EPE they won't correct a thing, no matter if you can prove it. They stick to their info. I have multiple experiences with that in the past.

It's sad that they want listen to you, especially when you can prove it!
Guess they think they know it all, but in reality they don't.