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Dolly Parton’s flamboyant, fun style: ‘I’m not a fashion icon; I’m an eyesore’
With her gaudy rhinestones and ever mushrooming hair, the country star pioneered a new vision of femininity
TL;DR
- Dolly Parton's iconic style, including her voluminous hair and rhinestone-covered outfits, was a deliberate and carefully constructed image.
- She often used self-deprecating humor to discuss her appearance, with famous quotes like 'It costs a lot of money to look this cheap.'
- Parton's look was inspired by a woman in her hometown whom others called the 'town tramp,' but who held a glamorous appeal for a young Dolly.
- Despite pressure from record executives to change her style early in her career, Parton insisted on maintaining her unique aesthetic.
- Her flamboyant appearance sometimes led to people not taking her seriously, but she found that this allowed her to gain business advantages by the time others realized her capabilities.
- Dolly Parton's signature style, including her wigs and love for glitter, was a way for her to 'fill her space' as a 5-foot-tall woman and became an unmistakable part of her brand.