Some men don't like to dress up for Halloween, but you can often get even the most recalcitrant of them into Elvis costumes. Who wouldn't like a chance to be the King? And let's face it, there's a little bit of hambone in all of us. Few men can resist a chance to say, "Thank you. Thank you vurra much."

Early Elvis and Late Elvis costumes

Early Elvis is easy. If you've got enough hair to comb into a ducktail pompadour, do it. You can draw on the sideburns with eyeliner, eyebrow pencil or grease paint. If you don't have enough, or what you have is in a Mohawk, you can buy wigs and plastic headpieces that often include the sideburns. Put on your tightest jeans and roll up the cuffs. Blue suede shoes and a sneer add the finishing touches to early Elvis costumes.

Late Elvis costumes are generally what people go for, though. Who can resist the white jumpsuit, the cape, the aviator glasses and all those spangles? Maybe one reason we particularly like it is because a late Elvis costume was a costume in real life, and the man who wore it was an unforgettable icon. You could go to a party dressed as Buddy Holly or Bo Diddly, as Frank Sinatra or Johnny Mathis, but who would recognize you as such?

As an American cultural icon, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin are the Big Three, recognized all over the world. So don't worry about it if you're a little bit paunchy. Put on the jumpsuit, swivel your hips, flash that shy smile at your fans. It's good to be the King.