Dolly Parton is one of the most beloved music icons in history. Her no-nonsense attitude sparked the basis of a dozen songs and her trademark wit puts her on another level altogether. The Queen of Country also has a fashion sense that’s uniquely hers. But, there’s one wardrobe choice Parton’s had to defend time and time again.
Long sleeves are staples in Dolly Parton’s wardrobe
Whether you look at a photo of Parton 30 years ago or yesterday, one thing’s clear: she loves her long sleeves. The long sleeves have been both obvious and nude, depending on the look she’s going for. Fans of the country star might not know that while she might just love the look, these choices are also intentional.
In a 2017 interview with Vanity Fair, Parton explained the long sleeve situation, which includes why she decided to get inked.
“Most of the tattoos, when I first started, I was covering up some scars that I had, ‘cause I have a tendency to have keloid scar tissue, and I have a tendency where, if I have any kind of scars anywhere, then they kind of have a purple tinge that I can never get rid of,” she said. “So mine are all pastels, what few that I have, and they’re meant to cover some scars. I’m not trying to make some big, bold statement.”
Likewise, in a 2019 interview with Good Morning America, Parton reiterated saying that she even wrote a song about her love of butterflies.
“I wrote a song called ‘Love Is Like a Butterfly,’ and it became a big hit in my early years,” she said.
While that clarifies one reason her outfits are customized, there’s another trademark piece fans have wondered about.
Parton put fingerless gloves on everyone’s radar
We all have things we don’t love about ourselves and it seems Ms. Parton is no different. According to her creative director Steve Summers — who’s been her stylist for over 30 years — the gloves are a personal choice.
“She doesn’t like her elbows,” he told InStyle. “They ask ‘what’s wrong with her hands?’ She’s 73 (at the time), and she doesn’t like them!”
He also added that there’s a dress being made for Parton every day of the year — sometimes more.
The gloves have been a fan debate for years with multiple theories as to why she dons them. Parton has never spoken out about them. They could be due to the same scarring as her arms, or just preference.
She doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her fashion choices
Never one to back down, Parton once defended her fashion choices in a 1977 interview with Barbara Walters.
“I don’t like to be like everybody else,” she said. “I’ve often made the statement: ‘I would never stoop so low as to be fashionable, that’s the easiest thing in the world to do.’ Show business is a money-making joke and I’ve always liked telling jokes.”
She continued: “I know they make fun of me, but actually all these years people have thought the joke was on me, but it’s actually on the public. I am sure of myself as a person. I am sure of my talent. I’m sure of my love for life and that sort of thing. I am very content, I like the kind of person that I am. So, I can afford to piddle around and do-diddle around with makeup and clothes and stuff because I am secure with myself.”
This is why Parton is just as relevant today as she was when she first started: she knows who she is, what she likes, and what noise to cancel out (fashion critics included).
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