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Offered is an ornately crafted macrame belt made of bright turquoise heavy, rope-like yarn and adorned with dozens of wooden beads that was owned by Elvis Presley. Elvis gifted the belt to his longtime hairdresser Homer M. Gilleland. Known to his friends as "Gill," Gilleland was the recipient of a large number of items from Elvis over the years, including a large number of shirts, jackets and other clothing, and also a 1972 Lincoln, the famous "Flame" jumpsuit, and several of these belts. The accompanying copy of the August 19, 1985, signed bill of sale from Gill lists six pieces of clothing including "1 Macremae [sic] stage costume belt." The letter reads in part: "I H.M Gilleland, know as Gill, Elvis' hairstylist for twenty years, certify that the following personal belongings of Elvis Presley (clothing) were given tome by him." Gill's claim that belt was stage worn was based on his knowledge of Elvis' clothing and most-likely buttressed by what he was told when Elvis gave him the item. The clothing that Gill was given over the years ran the gamut, to be sure, and certainly included some of the most pedestrian shirts and jackets from Elvis' personal wardrobe, but it also included some of the most important stage-worn items Elvis ever donned, such as several other stage-worn belts and the aforementioned Flame jumpsuit. If Gill indicated it was stage-worn, he thought that Elvis wore it on stage.
All that said, while the belt's construction and style indicate it was produced for concert use, photo evidence has not yet been discovered showing Elvis on stage with this particular example of the macrame belts he wore extensively in 1970. There are literally dozens of shows from that year for which there are no photos known, especially in Las Vegas. The belt was originally offered publicly in the 1995 Butterfield & Butterfield Elvis Presley Memorabilia Auction. Also included with the belt is "H M GILLELAND's" "Air Travel Card International" credit card given to him by Elvis, whose name also appears on the card. These cards were issued to Elvis' most needed confidants, of which his hairstylist was certainly one, and it allowed Gill to go to the airport at a moment's notice and take a flight to wherever he was needed. The card measures 3 3/8 by 2 1/8 inches and presents in unused, Near Mint condition. The belt measures 4 inches wide and 93 inches long--it was meant to be worn tied as pictured here with the long beaded loose ends dangling low to be in constant motion while Elvis moved on stage. Near Mint condition.