The music world has lost one of its greats: Dolly Parton, the legendary country singer, has died at age 80.
Along with her musical discography and impressive philanthropic work, Parton was renowned for her impressive wardrobe. Over the years, the iconic star cultivated a glamorously tacky look that was built around her bleach-blonde wigs, skin-tight clothes, and sky-high heels. “I always laugh when I get called a fashion icon,” Parton told Vogue back in 2023. “I’m more of an eyesore! Only because I overdo it.”
Whether you think it’s an eyesore or iconic, Parton’s signature aesthetic was the focus of her 2023 book titled Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones—exploring Parton’s fascinating life through style, tracing her journey from Tennessee to Hollywood. “If somebody thinks I’ve done something that they can draw from, then I’m happy with that!” Parton told Vogue at the time. “I had a lot of laughs looking at those pictures, thinking, ‘Oh my Lord, was I serious about that?’”
In honor of her incredible legacy, Vogue is revisiting some of the stories behind Parton’s inimitable wardrobe. Based on our 2023 interview with her, Parton shared the main fashion rules that she lives by below.
Be unapologetic
“I was always a little bit flamboyant, even before I could afford to buy clothes. When I got to where I could actually pick and choose , I was drawn to color and tight clothes—anything just a little bit different than everybody else. I always the line, and sometimes I was willing to cross it in order to look like I wanted to look.”
Find style inspiration in the unexpected
“When I was little, I patterned the way I looked after the town tramp in our hometown…I thought she was the prettiest thing I’d ever seen. She had the peroxide blonde hair piled up on top, with red lips and fingernails, the high heel shoes, the tight skirt. I thought she was amazingly beautiful. I was a creative child, so I would find ways to make those things possible—using a burned matchstick for eyebrows or eyeliner, or mashed-up honeysuckle for perfume.”
Photo: Courtesy of Dolly Parton Archive
Don’t follow trends
“I never cared what other people did, and I never cared what other people said about what I wore. It was more important that I be comfortable in my own clothes and in my own self. I couldn’t afford to be fashionable, and I wasn’t smart enough to follow those trends—nor did I have the time to do it. I was more interested in my music and in my work.”