Without a doubt, Dolly Parton is one of the most iconic personalities of her generation. She has been the most admired and popular singer-songwriter in country music for several decades.
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But in addition to her stunning voice and remarkable guitar playing, people have also fallen in love with the various looks she showcased throughout the years. Parton has shared different fashions, hairstyles, and outfits in various appearances. Here are some of our favorites.
1965
Parton took to Instagram to share a throwback photo – shot in Nashville, Tennessee – which she captioned, “Big hair, don’t care!”
1976
In the 1970s, Parton got pretty obsessed with glittering costumes and towering hairstyles. The singer-songwriter once told Jimmy Fallon that as a child, she wanted nothing more than to look like “the town trollop.”
“I thought she was the most beautiful thing because she had all this makeup, hair, tight clothes, and everything I wanted,” she said.
1978
While Parton often donned revealing and sparkling outfits, the country icon wore a more refined, unembellished dress for the cover of her Heartbreaker album. She looked pretty sweet dressed in delicate, flowy sheer fabric – still, her thigh-high slit is something that you can’t miss!
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Meanwhile, her fluffy hairstyle was a change from her usual teased or “whipped cream curl” hair. Talking to Allure about her hairdresser in the 1970s, Parton said, “She thought that I was larger than life, so she tried to make my hair even bigger.”
1978
This was definitely one of the many unique outfits Parton slipped into throughout the decades. In 1978, the country star made a dramatic appearance at American Music Awards, where she fittingly channeled Mother Nature in a serene green pantsuit with a flowing cape adorned with flowers. Her wig was even dotted with delicate flowers to match the entire outfit.
Parton ended the night by taking home the Favorite Country Album award for New Harvest…First Gathering.
1978
Parton graced Playboy’s October 1978 cover when she was 32 years old – making her the first country singer to do so. For her photo shoot, Parton went for a form-fitting black bodysuit with matching gloves and a pink bowtie, bunny ears, and wrist cuffs that Playboy Bunny models and waitresses popularly wore.
She went on to recreate the daring look in a photo shoot for her husband’s birthday on July 20, 2021. “He still thinks I’m a hot chick after 57 years and I’m not gonna try to talk him out of that,” Parton said.
1980
Parton looked dazzling in a photo taken before she took center stage at Ceasar’s Palace in South Lake Tahoe, California.
1980
In 1980, Parton tried her hand at something different, making her theatrical film debut as Doralee Rhodes of the comedy movie 9 to 5. In the film, Parton showed off a curly-haired shorter do and looked confident in pencil skirts and silk blouses as she plotted revenge on her chauvinist boss.
RELATED: The Best Dolly Parton Movies
She also wrote the film’s theme song of the same name, which was a smash hit in 1980. In addition to reaching No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, it also earned Parton several nominations – winning her Grammy Awards for Best Country Song and Best Country Vocal Performance. For a time, it also became an anthem for office workers in the United States.
For You
1986
In 1986, the Dollywood theme park we know and love today opened its doors in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. She bought the theme park – despite financial advisors urging her not to – in an attempt to increase employment for her fellow East Tennessee natives.
Since then, it’s ceaselessly entertained guests and served as the backdrop to cherish family memories.
1989
Parton stretched her acting bone in the late 1980s when she took on the role of the beauty shop owner Truvy Jones in the tear jerking film Steel Magnolias. She appeared alongside Julia Roberts, Sally Field, and Shirley MacLaine, among others.
1990
In an episode of the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, the country star wore a cheerful red and gold combo with much looser hair waves, showing how her style continued to evolve.
1993
Parton glittered on her gold dress on another cover of the TV Guide.
2007
In 2007, Parton was recognized with the Johnny Mercer Award by the Songwriters Hall of Fame for her contribution of countless treasures to the world of music, including the more than 3,000 songs she wrote throughout her career.
She received the award in a sparkling yellow outfit from head to toe.
2008
The singer put a country spin on Barbie as she dressed in hot pink and leopard print while posing in the back of a pickup truck for the cover of her 40th studio album, Backwoods Barbie.
2016
Parton combined her love for fringes, sparkles, and the Holiday season for one festive look during the promotion of her movie Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love. She has indeed tailored Santa’s uniform into her own.
2019
The country star was a sight to see when she celebrated Dollywood’s 34th Grand Opening Season. She stood out the most in her pink outfit and butterfly accessories in her hair.
2022
Parton wore striking ensembles when she hosted the 57th Academy of Country Music, including this low-cut glass mosaic skin-tight bodysuit that put her ample cleavage, trimmed waist, and toned legs in full display.
2022
Parton never ceases to amaze! During her Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, the superstar joined the likes of AC/DC and Bon Jovi and fit into a head-to-toe black leather outfit – the uniform of classic rock.
“I’m a rock star now!” she jokingly said during her speech before explaining how grateful she was to accept the award.
Truly, there’s no one quite like Dolly Parton! She has never failed to amaze us throughout her years.
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