Priscilla Presley and her red hair journey
By now, I am sure that you have heard about the new A24 film Priscilla. It follows the life of Priscilla Presley – wife to the Rock ‘n’ Roll superstar Elvis Presley.
While movies usually follow the biography of Elvis and his journey and rise to fame, keeping Priscilla in the background, this new classic puts the redheaded wife at the front and centre!
Yes, Priscilla Presley is best known for her marriage to Elvis Presley, but he ruby red locks have also gained much attention over the years.
Priscilla’s involvement in the entertainment industry exposed her obsession with going through various hair transformations throughout her life. Her jet-black locks were memorable, but the period of her life when she experimented with red hair is one of the most iconic box-dye moments in history.
In the early years of her life, Priscilla Presley showed off her natural hair colour – brown.
When she first started dating Elvis Presley, at just 14 years old, Priscilla was known for having extremely big hair. Her locks were often styled in the popular fashion of the time, the 1960s, so you can imagine it was all about volume!
If your hair didn’t add at least five centimetres to the top of your head, then 1960s Hollywood wouldn’t want to know you.
As the couple emerged into the 1970s, Priscilla Presley experimented with, one of my personal favourites – auburn hair! The change in hair colour coincided with her desire to distance herself from her previous image and the dark locks, and establish her own identity outside of being just “Elvis’ wife”.
During this time of independence and carrot-topped choices, Priscilla Presley went one step further and was often seen with her hair dyed all different shades of red. The vibrant shades ranged from deep auburn to brighter red hues.
In numerous solo photoshoots, Priscilla Presley was dressed in full confidence as she rocked all shades of red.
For natural redheads, embracing our orange locks can help boost ginger confidence. Priscilla Presley also understood the assignment!
While the red hair phase was incredibly iconic, Priscilla eventually returned to her natural darker hair colour. The return to her signature style occurred in the years after her split with the ‘King of Rock and Roll’.
Cliona Furey, the Head of the Hair Department for A24’s ‘Priscilla’, said: “Her hair transitions from a youthful, natural pony tail to longer, bigger, richer colours and high glam, then returning back to more natural in 1972 when she leaves Elvis.”
“The hair helped show the passage in time and Priscilla’s life journey,” Furey added.
But then, BOOM, she was back and red again!
In recent years, Priscilla Presley has aged gracefully, maintaining her beaming red hair colour. While she has generally stayed true to her ruby red locks, the businesswoman has been seen experimenting with different hair styles and lengths.
So, why should Priscilla Presley be an icon for redheads – even if she does box-dye her hair!?
Here is why:
Throughout her life, Priscilla Presley’s hair transformations have not only reflected her evolving personal style, but her ruby locks have shown the world that while trends may change, red hair will never go out of style!
Thanks Priscilla, AKA the Queen of Rock and Roll!