Dolly Parton sparkled before the age of stylists
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Dolly Parton during the half-time show of the NFL game between the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Texas on Nov 23, 2023.
PHOTO: AFP
Vanessa Friedman
- Dolly Parton created a unique, sparkling public image with her rhinestone outfits, wigs, and style that challenged stereotypes and made her larger than life.
- She embraced and controlled her look from early in her career, using fashion to express character and defy critics who misunderstood her appearance.
- Parton's style inspired fans and artists alike, supported by longtime collaborators, and remained true to her personal comfort and vision throughout her life.
AI generated
UNITED STATES – Of all the aphorisms uttered by Dolly Parton, the “glittery country goddess from Tennessee” – as Interview magazine called her – who died on Aug 25 in Nashville, Tennessee, perhaps the most telling was a line she uttered as part of a David Letterman Top 10 list of pet peeves in 1995.
One of the things that most irritated her, Parton said, standing on a balcony in her Dollywood amusement park in a black and gold top with a keyhole neckline framing her cleavage, her hair teased into a platinum nimbus and a big grin on her face, was: “Accountants who don’t understand how much it costs to make me look this cheap.”

