Unapologetically Herself: The World of Dolly Parton Through Her Fashion
Dolly Parton, the country music icon, whose voice and presence has graced the American public and the world as well for nearly 70 years, passed away on Tuesday at 80 years old.
Parton was revered not only for her contributions to the country music genre but for her dedication to causes such as children’s literacy and uplifting her hometown of Sevierville, Tenn. after devastating wildfires and helping to reduce school drop out rates.
Outside of these remarkable contributions, for decades Parton has been seen as a style icon both on and off stage. Despite criticism early on in her career for her over the top outfits, she doubled down and continued to grace the world with her outfits full of rhinestones, sequins, animal print, and of course her signature sky-high blonde hair.
Rarely a trend follower, but always a trend setter, Parton’s outfits evolved with her as she went through different phases of her life yet every outfit always looked cohesive to her personal style.
Whether it was a full sequined getup designed by the likes of Bob Mackie and Tony Chase to simple jeans and a button down, they all exuded the self-proclaimed Tennessee Barbie essence.
Even in the instances where she wore iconic pieces in American fashion history such as a Playboy bunny costume while posing for the cover of the magazine’s October 1978 edition or the Dallas Cowboys cheerleading uniform, she always managed to add her own personal twist.
Parton’s fashion inspired individuals from all walks of life. From fellow country singers such Carrie Underwood and Kacey Musgraves to pop sensations Sabrina Carpenter and her goddaughter Miley Cyrus.
A strong ally for the LGBTQ+ community, Parton’s fashion and overall on-stage persona was adopted both directly and indirectly by drag queens for decades. Famously, Parton entered a look-a-like contest hosted by a gay bar in Los Angeles where she ended up losing.
While her best look of all time will forever be disputed as there are simply too many to choose from, in her 1971 hit “Coat of Many Colors”, Parton describes a coat made of fabric scraps that had been handmade by her mother that she would wear to school with pride despite facing ridicule from her classmates. The real coat now resides at Parton’s amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., lovingly named Dollywood.
While Parton may have passed on, her legacy on the world on fashion will continue to inspire for years to come.