We love anything to do with Elvis. From blue suede shoes to peanut butter sandwiches, if it’s good enough for the King, it’s good enough for us. So when we heard there was a new book about Mr Presley’s style, well needless to say we were all shook up with excitement (sorry).
We met the book’s author, the very stylish fashion journalist, Zoey Goto, to talk Elvis, style and of course, shoes!
What made you want to write a book about Elvis?
My day job is as a fashion writer and I’m also a huge Elvis Presley fan, so the idea of a style book on The King seemed a natural fit. I was amazed that no one had done a serious book on Elvis and image previously.
Although the title of my book Elvis Style: From Zoot Suits to Jumpsuits suggests that it is solely about the clothing, the book also explores other aspects that made Elvis such an intriguing icon. These include his iconic hairstyles, his diet, his vast fleet of luxury cars and his beloved Graceland home, where Elvis had a huge influence over the interior design decisions.
Besides The King who are your style icons?
I love anyone who is quite extreme in their style, so Dolly Parton and Prince are favourites. I also like the all time greats of the silver screen such as Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn and James Dean and designers including Edith Head, who crafted many of their outfits. I’m turning Elvis Style into a series of style books, looking at individuals and genres that have left an impact on the way we style ourselves. Elvis was a great starting point!
What was the most surprising thing you found out while researching the book?
I was really surprised to discover just how far Elvis’ style influence reached. I had already clocked the rockabilly revival look on the streets of London, which can be traced directly back to Elvis’ 1950s image. When I started to research Elvis Style however, I soon realised that his impact on fashion has gone far beyond this – David Bowie, the Glam Rockers and even contemporary pop stars such as Rihanna and Justin Bieber have all used aspects of Elvis’ ground-breaking style.
How many shoes do you own? What are you shoe-buying habits?
I have about 30 pairs of skyscraper heels, which I used to wear when I worked in fashion PR. Back then, it was fine to wear ridiculously high heels as I hardly walked anywhere! They are now in shoe retirement in the bottom of my closet as my daily routine as a writer is quite active, so I generally stick to flats.
I tend to buy new shoes if I have a special occasion coming up. The next pair I’m planning on buying is a pair of genuine leather cowboy boots. I’m visiting Nashville soon on a research trip and apparently it is the place to get cowboy boots, so I’ll be stocking up.
You travel a lot. How many pairs of shoes do you usually take with you?
I travel very light so I usually just take two pairs, or maybe three pairs max. This was one of the things that appealed about the Morena Morena shoes – I like the sound of shoes that can be rolled up to save space, so hopefully I can cram even more pairs in to my travel bag now!
What pair of Morena Morenas did you choose and why?
I’ve just ordered a pair of the Red Rubra ballerinas as they’ve got a 1950s vibe and will look great teamed with some peddle pushers in the summer. I’ve also got a book signing coming up in April in Memphis, so will be wearing them with an Elvis print dress for the occasion.
