Fans wait all year to see what Kristy wears at Elvis time

From rhinestone jumpsuits, curled and slick-backed hair to scarves and poodle and pencil skirts: The Parkes Elvis Festival isn't just about the music and celebrating the King of Rock and Roll. It's about the fashion too and immersing yourself in a bygone era. It's a rockabilly's dream, and every year us festival faithfuls have but one question. What will Parkes business owner Kristy Berry and her troupe be wearing this year? A big rockabilly fan, Kristy has been dressing up for the festival for 25 years, since her first appearance in the festival's street parade in 2001. But for about the last 10, she's gone one step further and started designing and making her outfits. From Hawaiian skirts to sailor hats and neckerchiefs to the famous black and white prison stripes - and even Elvis' iconic embellished white Aloha from Hawaii jumpsuit, but as a dress - Kristy and a few friends come together a few weeks out from the festival to create them from scratch. "I've never really been into Elvis but it's the era I love," Kristy said. It's caught the attention of festival fans who look forward to seeing what the girls at Colouby Creations, the boutique gift and homewares store are wearing at each festival. "I love that the visitors love it," Kristy said. "We quite often get comments and messages saying they can't wait to see what we have come-up with for the following year. "I love that we've come up with a design and idea that is unique to us." Of course the festival theme dictates the outfit every year - the style, the colours, the accessories. "Once we know the theme (announced at the end of the previous festival), we start thinking about outfits," Kristy said. Like many others who take part in the tradition, Kristy starts looking online for inspiration and watches the movie if there's one attached to the theme. Such as the theme for 2026, Love Me Tender, a 1956 Western in which Elvis makes his acting debut. It's not just the outfit she designs, but the fabric too. "This year I co-designed the fabric with Sue from 50s Vintage Dame for one of the outfits," Kristy said. "We're going with a western theme, as well as love." Kristy makes seven to eight outfits from three designs. "We need seven different outfits for the week - usually it's three new ones and we recycle previous outfits for the rest," she said. Some days Kristy spends between eight and12 hours a day making the outfits - that's while she's also running her shop in town and during the Christmas shopping period. "I'm naughty, I cram it in just before the festival - I work better under pressure," she laughed. It sounds like a king-size effort but she said it's worth it. "People love that we make them too," Kristy said. "It's my way to give back to the community and we do it because the visitors love it. "It's about doing our part for the festival and being part of it." Kristy's favourite outfit is her Aloha jumpsuit dress they made for the 2018 festival which was Elvis' '68 Comeback Special theme, complete with specially designed belts made in the UK. "So much work went into it, and because it stands out and people love it," she said. It was also her most challenging dress. "It was quite a different style. It has an image on the back which was individually pressed on and the gems were individually glued on," Kristy said. "I wasn't sewing them! They held up well." Without question Kristy and her group take part in the street parade ever year - how could they not when they look so fab. A few days after Christmas Kristy does her changeover in the shop from Christmas products to Elvis. "I couldn't do it all without my family and friends Keily and Molly, who take a week off work to help out during the festival," she said. "I'm already thinking about next year - since my supplier isn't doing Elvis jumpsuits anymore I'm going to make them myself."