Dolly Parton may have said “it costs a lot of money to look this cheap,” but we think she looks rather fabulous. Here, a peek through her style archive.
Dolly Parton, 2020.
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All we want for Christmas is Dolly. This fairy godmother white sparkly treat is the feel-good moment everyone needs right now.
Richard Farnsworth and Dolly Parton, 1984.
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Never too far from her country music roots, this Western-inspired dress has enough of prairie and enough of stage presence to capture our hearts. We are living for her Eighties perm.
Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton, 1980.
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In her acting debut, Parton stood for female empowerment — and she didn’t dress in a pantsuit to do so. This knit long-sleeve dress with crochet details serves as the perfect bridge between Seventies and Eighties fashion.
Dolly Parton, 2016.
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Paying homage to one of her more legendary songs and her origins (“Coat of Many Colors”), this fitted full-shouldered patchwork blazer is not only extremely flattering on her, it’s also a big fashion statement. The white pant and the shorter hair help balance the effort.
Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis, Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Daryl Hannah, and Dolly Parton, 1989.
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In this cult classic, in which Dolly runs a beauty salon, her fashion and glam are so part of the character that it makes this movie epic. The big hair, bow-embroidered sweater and skinny white jeans are Southern perfection. In our fantasy world, we would frequent Dolly’s beauty parlor.
Dolly Parton, 2005.
JULIE JACOBSON/AP Photo
This is the magic of Dolly Parton. This Renaissance-fair-meets-Sgt. Pepper (with a hint of Prince) is the pure definition of a fashion car crash, but Dolly has created a universe in which anything is possible. This is another day at the office for her.
Dolly Parton, 1993.
Mark Humphrey/AP Photo
Paging Linda Evans in “Dynasty.” This bridal-inspired cocktail dress with matching blazer and chandelier earrings is when Parton started to really hone her signature style: big shoulders, fitted waist, knee-length crop, big hair, endless positive energy.
Dolly Parton, 2006.
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When Dolly does the Oscar red carpet. She’s always consistent — even when doing a Hollywood red carpet, she stays true to her feel-good Southern style. This baby pink flowy gown just makes you smile — and it’s timeless.
