Dolly Parton defended her over-the-top dress sense and shared that she didn’t want to be “fashionable” by other people’s standards.
Throughout her career, she has garnered attention with her signature style, a combination of over-the-top Las Vegas glitz and a bawdy take on country chic.
Her outfits complement her towering platinum hairstyle and impressive cleavage, which once prompted Joan Rivers to joke, “She used to have ten kids, but she breastfed them and they exploded.”
In a new interview with Apple Music, Dolly, 77, explained that she was encouraged to change her appearance early in her career, including by her boyfriend Chet Atkins.
However, she stuck to her guns and now thought, ‘I didn’t like wearing what someone else would wear who was supposed to have good taste.’ But I had no taste!’
Songbird: Dolly Parton defended her over-the-top clothing style, sharing that she didn’t want to be “fashionable” by other people’s standards; pictured in 1978
Distinctive: Throughout her career, she has garnered attention with her signature style, a combination of over-the-top Las Vegas glitz and a bawdy take on country chic. pictured 2014
Dolly clarified: “Not in that regard.” My taste was all about what I felt comfortable in, what I thought was fashionable anyway. “If you feel comfortable in your skin, in what you wear, or in your own clothes, there’s a lot to be said about that.”
Her view is, “When you’re comfortable with yourself, you can radiate a certain, you know, aura, a certain essence.”
She argued that people “know they’re comfortable with it. Even though it looks artificial, they sense there’s something else there that’s real.”
Dolly also advocated for artificiality, saying, “The more natural you try to look, the longer it seems to take.” So mine is easier because I know mine is fake. I just painted on this powder – you know, painted and powdered, put my blush on, put my eyelashes on, put on a wig and I was good to go.”
As for her appearance on stage, she shared that white is her “favorite color” and that “I love to glow, I love when the lights hit me.” “I wanted to be a star and look like one. “
Dolly is in favor of wearing “flashy” clothing as often as possible, enthusing: “For me, I’m at my best when I feel like I look good, and when I feel like I look good, then I’m in.” mine, you. ‘You know, all the charisma I can get.’
She explained, “When the headlights hit me, I want you to see it! I want you to do it, you know, it makes me feel good.”
Dolly also reflected on the evolution of her appearance over the years, starting with her tough childhood in rural Tennessee, when as a young girl she fell in love with the outfits of a local “loose woman.”
Use it or lose it: Her outfits also highlight her impressive cleavage, which once prompted Joan Rivers to joke, “She used to have ten kids, but she breastfed them and they exploded.”
Recap: In a new interview with Apple Music, Dolly, 77, explained that she was encouraged to tone down her look early in her career, including by her boyfriend Chet Atkins; pictured in 1977
She made the joke, but it’s the truth when people said, “Oh, she’s just trash,” and in my little head I thought, “Well, that’s what I’m going to be when I grow up, is trash.” !” “‘
The woman watching her “obviously didn’t care what anyone else thought, because her hair was piled on top of her head, she was wearing bright red lipstick, she was wearing eye makeup and tight skirts, tight skirts, a blouse with a low Excerpt.”
Dolly “kept that look” in mind and began developing her aesthetic further as she entered her teenage years and began high school.
“I started backcombing my own hair when it came out, and anyone else’s who wanted it, because I would have been a beautician if I hadn’t been in show business,” she recalls. “I did my hair, my family’s hair, because I had a knack for it.”
The Jolene singer recalled, “I wore too much makeup and a lot of moms at school thought I was a bad influence on some of their girls because they thought I was a little too cheap, a little too much.” that too.
“And her daughters were the ones who caused all the trouble, running around with the boys and so on, and I was actually, you know, pretty innocent in that regard.”
Dolly’s preacher grandfather “thought I was going to hell in a handbasket, you know, just because I looked like that.” He tried to preach it from me, and they tried to curse it from me, it from me to whip away, but no one could stop my desire to look and be myself.”
However, his daughter, Dolly’s mother Avie, was “a little more flexible” and eventually became her co-conspirator in developing her sassy wardrobe.
“But I had no taste!”: However, she stuck to her guns and reflected, “I didn’t like wearing what someone else who was assumed to have good taste wanted to wear.”
“I wanted to be a star and I want to look like one”: As for her looks on stage, she shared that white is her “favorite color” and that “I love to glow, I love when the lights shine on me meet”; pictured 2016
When Dolly asked Avie to help her sew her tops to lift her breasts, Avie agreed and said, “You better not tell your dad I did that.”
Dolly reflected, “And Mom trusted me too.” She knew I was a singer and creative and that I was different. So she tried to keep me in check as best she could, but she understood.’
As she began to make a name for herself on the Nashville scene, she faced more criticism for her style – including from the legendary Chet Atkins.
Dolly was just starting out, while Chet, who later became a good friend of hers, was already an established star and a top record producer.
Chet liked her when she was still an aspiring actress, but still warned her, “Dolly, I really don’t think people are going to take you seriously as a singer-songwriter if you don’t tone down your look.” You know, you know you’re a really pretty girl. You don’t need any of that.’
Remember When: She developed a greater appreciation for traditional standards of elegance while working with costume designer Ann Roth on the 1980 classic film 9 To 5
“That was really me!”: Two years after 9 To 5, she starred in “The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas,” for which clothing was designed by Theodora Van Runkle
Dolly politely promised to “take it to heart,” thanked him for the “advice,” and then only got “worse” with her extravagance.
She developed a greater appreciation for traditional standards of elegance while working with costume designer Ann Roth on the 1980 film classic 9 To 5.
“I think when I really started to have any taste or really feel – that it could be more, it could be different – was actually when I started making films, and then I started making real ones Designers to work together,” she explained.
She could tell from the designers’ garments that there was a difference in the way they were sewn, in the threads and in the way, you know, it was different. I could tell it was professional and that’s why I felt good about those things.”
Two years after 9 To 5, she starred in The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, for which the clothing was designed by Theodora Van Runkle.
In that film, “I thought I was really me!” she said, laughing. “You know, it was a great designer, but it was designing what I felt great at.”