"More is More" A Look into Dolly Parton's Most Iconic Accessories
Dolly Parton was a woman who knew what she liked. She held space for no one’s opinions but her own. She was successful because she believed in herself. She believed in her talent and in her style. She beautified herself with rhinestones, big hair, and even bigger boobs - and we LOVE her for that.
“It costs a lot of money to look this cheap.”
- Dolly Parton
Source: Instagram
Dolly is known for her iconic fashion sense that builds a globally recognizable persona. When I talk specifically about accessories, I’m not just referring to physical objects she wore— I’m also including all of the different symbols, colors, and patterns that make us immediately think, “That’s Dolly.”
That being said, here are my top 5 personal favorites.
Butterfly Motif
Dolly’s love of butterflies started well before her first hit album, Love Is Like a Butterfly, ever blessed our ears. Growing up in the Smokey Mountains, Dolly spent her time chasing and admiring beautiful insects. “I used to get in trouble with my mom, ’cause they’d have to come find me and I’d be chasing a butterfly from one bush to another,” Dolly stated in a 2021 W Magazine interview, “…I just kind of related to them with my own personality. I claimed them as my little symbol.”
Source: Instagram / Instagram / Instagram / Instagram / Instagram
Headscarves
Who says you have to choose between voluminous hair or striking headpieces? Not Dolly. As someone who struggles greatly with styling my own hair, I’ve always found headscarves to be so chic and fun. And of course, we all know Dolly for her larger-than-life wigs, but the accessories she used to accompany them have continued to stand out to me. Using such a delicate accessory to style such gorgeous, voluminous hair.
Source: Instagram / Instagram / Instagram / Instagram / Instagram
Hoop Earrings
It’s genuinely hard to find a photo of Dolly without her iconic hoop earrings. She makes them work every single time. Whether it was a casual outfit or a glamorous premiere look, Dolly kept her big earrings on. Even after being told, “Dolly, you need to dress down. Nobody’s ever going to take you seriously as a songwriter or a singer if you look like that, because you look more like a hooker than you do a singer,” her response was nothing more than, “Well, tough. This is who I am. They’ll get used to it!”
Bold Nails
As an acrylic nail enthusiast myself, Dolly has never failed to please me with her nails. Inspired by her local town “tramp” growing up, she knew from a very young age she had an eye for a more flamboyant style. “I thought she was the prettiest thing I’d ever seen,” Dolly said in her W Magazine interview, “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.”
Source: Instagram / Instagram / Instagram / Instagram / Instagram
everything bedazzled
When we think of Dolly, what do we think of? Exactly - rhinestones, sparkle, shimmer, and everything in between. From her shoes and blouses to her guitars and sunglasses, Dolly always had a dazzling piece on her. “I was always a little bit flamboyant, even before I could afford to buy clothes," Dolly shared with W Magazine. “When I got to where I could actually pick and choose [what I wore], I was drawn to color and tight clothes—anything just a little bit different than everybody else. I always [toed] the line, and sometimes I was willing to cross it to look like I wanted to look.”
Source: Instagram / Instagram / YouTube / Instagram / Instagram
Dolly Parton will always be remembered for her iconic style, but also for her immense kind nature and amazing talent. Between the creation of the Dollywood Foundation and donating 325 million books for children to help fund early COVID-19 research, it was no secret that Dolly Parton used her fame and success for good intentions. She proved to everyone she wasn’t just a dumb blonde. She will forever be kept in our hearts, both for her beautiful deeds and more-than-memorable style.
What’s your favorite iconic Dolly Parton accessory? Leave a comment below!