Part 1
The Wig, the Ribbons, and the Daisies: Dolly Parton on Why Big Hair Is a State of Mind
You know that moment when you’re flipping through old photos and you just have to laugh? Dolly Parton did exactly that while putting together her new book. She said, “I would just laugh out loud. I’d think, ‘Oh my lord, was I serious?’” And honestly, we’re all grateful she was. Because those photos—the wigs with ribbons and bows, the fresh daisies she wore to the Academy Awards—they’re not just fashion choices. They’re a whole philosophy. And Dolly’s here to remind us that being yourself never gets old.
Let’s talk about the hair. Dolly once said, “The higher the hair, the closer to God.” And in a way, she means it. “I think all country girls used to—you couldn’t be a country singer if you didn’t have big hair. You couldn’t be a gospel singer if you didn’t have big hair. Your hair is your glory. There’s a scripture in the Bible, but I think we might have overdone it.” That’s Dolly in a nutshell: reverence and excess, all in one breath. She’s not making fun of it; she’s celebrating it. Because for Dolly, hair isn’t just hair. It’s a crown.
And she’s had some legendary collaborators in that crown-building business. “My Colleen, who was doing my hair at the time, she was very creative and very artistic. And my hair was always bigger than me. I’m not very big, but my hair is really big.” Then there’s her current stylist, Cheryl Riddle, who apparently has to keep Dolly’s ego in check. “Cheryl Riddle, who is my hairdresser now, always says, ‘Now, don’t get to believing my publicity. Don’t get to making this bigger than me.’” Too late, Cheryl. The hair is already bigger than all of us.
But here’s the thing: Dolly’s hair isn’t just a look. It’s a statement. She once wore four wigs stacked on top of each other to get the volume she wanted. Four. Wigs. On top of each other. That’s not vanity; that’s commitment. And it’s the same energy she brought to the Oscars when she wore fresh daisies in her hair. Not diamonds. Not pearls. Daisies. Because Dolly knows that the best accessory is a little bit of joy.
So when people ask her how she’s managed to stay so authentically herself for decades without alienating anyone, she doesn’t hesitate: “Being myself is why I’m still around.” That’s it. That’s the secret. She doesn’t chase trends; she sets them. She doesn’t tone it down; she turns it up. And somehow, that makes everyone love her more. Because when you’re unapologetically you, you give other people permission to be unapologetically themselves.
Now, let’s talk about those shoes. Dolly’s style isn’t just about hair; it’s head-to-toe. She wore custom-made heels by D’Fabrizio in the 2000 film *Charlie’s Angels*—the one with Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu. “I wore all his shoes in the movie so I could do stunts. They were made to my feet, and they were the tallest shoes you’d ever see.” She molded her foot so she could run, kick, and fight in sky-high heels. That’s not just fashion; that’s athleticism. And yes, she’s probably a little damaged from all those high heels. But she’s not going to stop wearing them. “I’m not going to stop,” she says. “I’m going to be like Mae West.”
Ah, Mae West. Dolly’s idol. “She was someone I identified with because she was little and she loved being gaudy and big and showing her stuff.” Dolly even put a dress of Mae West’s in her book—a lacy gown with coverage only in a triangular area. “I thought, ‘Now, that’s fashion.’” And for the era? Woo! Mae West was a trailblazer, and Dolly picked up that torch and ran with it. She even dressed as Mae West for a photo in the book. That’s the kind of deep-cut homage that makes you love Dolly even more.
But let’s get back to the hair, because it’s the throughline. Dolly’s hair has been everything from a country bumpkin’s pride to a gospel singer’s glory to a pop culture icon’s trademark. She’s worn it big, bigger, and biggest. And she’s never apologized for it. Why? Because it’s her. “I don’t know where it’s just like that,” she says. “Your hair is your glory.” And she’s not wrong. In the Bible, a woman’s hair is her glory. But Dolly took that and ran with it—straight to the bank, straight to the stage, straight to our hearts.
So what does all this tell us? It tells us that Dolly Parton’s style isn’t a gimmick. It’s an extension of her soul. She’s not hiding behind the wigs and the heels; she’s amplifying who she already is. And that’s why she’s still here, still relevant, still beloved. Because she never tried to be anyone else. She just kept being Dolly. And that’s a lesson for all of us.
Now, if you think the hair is wild, wait until you hear about the heels. We’re talking about doing her own stunts in *Charlie’s Angels*, channeling Mae West, and why she’ll never give up her high heels. That’s next.
From Mae West to Charlie's Angels: Dolly Parton on Heels, Heroes, and Doing Your Own Stunts
You know those boots. The ones that look like they were carved from pure attitude and a little bit of danger. Dolly Parton wore them in Charlie's Angels — the 2000 movie, not the TV show — and they weren't just any boots. They were D'Fabrizio. Custom-made. Molded to her actual feet so she could run, kick, and flip in heels that would make a lesser mortal weep. "I wore all his shoes in the movie so I could do stunts," she says, and you can hear the pride in her voice. "They were the tallest shoes you'd ever see."
