10 Gorgeous Throwback Pics Of Dolly Parton That Prove She's Always Been An Icon

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If we think about what makes someone a style icon, words like "originality," "signature look," and "revolutionary" come to mind. But so does authenticity. And few have embraced authenticity like country legend Dolly Parton has through her six decades in show business. Where other celebs might fall prey to trends that don't work for them, Parton has stayed true to herself and we have the receipts to prove it. Where others might be cagey about their cosmetic work, Parton has admitted that if she wants to look a different way, she does. So her look may not be 100% authentic in that it's not genetically all her, but she owns the changes she has made. (You can dive deeper if you're curious to see how Dolly Parton's face has changed over the years according to a plastic surgeon.)

When it comes to embracing trends, Parton told Allure in 2020 that "Dolly-izing" means the final look is "gaudy, flamboyant, fun, comfortable and, noticeable." These are all words that we would add to qualities of an icon. The word comfortable is especially relevant, because someone who isn't comfortable in their clothes, let alone their own skin, will never reach the heights of Dolly Parton or any other style icon.

For decades, Dolly Parton has shown that she knows how to wear denim beyond jeans. For example, back in the '70s, she wore a short-sleeve denim top as a shacket while performing, and in 2006, she wore her spin on a Canadian tuxedo with a bedazzled bolero and denim capris for a pre-Oscars party. Good American, co-founded by Khloé Kardashian, noticed that Parton and denim were a perfect pairing; the brand tapped her to front a capsule jeans collection in 2025.

When many celebrity women of the 1970s, like Jane Fonda and Pam Grier, were embracing the shift in feminism that meant they could ditch the housewife-core and lean into more masculine silhouettes, Dolly Parton kept the course of her hyper-dramatized feminine elements. That included delicate dresses, like the frilly purple one she wore on-stage around 1970, her big blond hair, and piled-on makeup, especially blush. She has never veered away from a full face of makeup; she even famously wears it to bed.

Look at any throwback pic of Dolly Parton and chances are this icon is owning the look in high heels, including in 1974 in platform strappy sandals. As she told Vogue in 2023, "I feel pretty in a heel. I've loved high heels before I even knew I was going to be short. I wear heels every day." She revealed that hers are custom-made to suit her foot's arch. Perhaps that's the secret to being able to wear heels every day. Also, at only 5 feet tall, she loves "the extra height [because] they make you look powerful."

Long before jeans finally entered the business-casual conversation, Dolly Parton was giving them her dressed-up Dolly-ized treatment. Before she wore hers with a polka-dot red blouse and platform heels in 1977 for her "Here You Come Again" album promo, most jeans fell into casual territory; women wore them with dressed-down tops and low-key footwear. Between Parton, Daisy's cutoffs on "The Dukes of Hazard," and the ladies from "Charlie's Angels," jeans took a turn for the sexy at the end of the decade.

From early on in her career, icon Dolly Parton has let her figure guide her signature style. "I try to accent my positive things — and try to stay away from the negative ones," she told Vogue. "I have big boobs and a tiny little waist ... I look for silhouettes that play up my best features." You can see how she used a nipped-in white suit to her advantage in the '80s. She shared more of her tips and throwback pics in her 2023 book, "Behind the Seams: My life in Rhinestones."

One of the elements that's made Dolly Parton an icon is her hair. She told Vogue in 2023 that she styled her look after the "tramp" in her childhood hometown, including her big peroxide-blond hair. But after years of bleaching her tresses, she knew she wouldn't have any left if she continued dyeing and teasing it, so she turned to wigs and never looked back. From her whipped-cream curls of the '70s to the wolfish wig she wore during a 1986 concert, Dolly Parton's hair transformation over the years has had many variations of big and blond, all thanks to wigs.

When you think ice cream sundae, you think whipped cream and sprinkles. When you think Dolly Parton, you think blond hair and sparkles (both are iconic). Yes, there are the rhinestones on her outfits, but let's not fail to mention her signature statement earrings. While there are earrings to suit every face shape, we strongly suspect that Dolly's motto has been the bigger, the better when it comes to her ear bling, which was on display in photos taken in the early '90s.

When fashion toned down in the 1990s, ushering in an era of minimalism, did Dolly Parton follow suit? Slightly. Looking at pics from the era, we can see that the "I Will Always Love You" singer chose less-voluminous wigs, and for the 1996 Country Music Awards, she wore a white satin and lace number that was noticeably toned down from her usual performing outfits. But she never lost her signature look; the hair, nails, makeup, accessories, and clothing were all still larger than life.

Dolly Parton arrived at the 1980 premiere afterparty for "9 to 5" with co-stars Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. Parton, in her acting debut, wore a pink Ann Roth gown, a curly pinned-up hairstyle, draped blush, and long nails that coordinated with her lipstick. Parton explained to Allure in 2020 that she couldn't play guitar with long nails, so when acrylic nails came out, she was immediately on board. "I've got little short, stubby hands, so of course I'm going to have long nails," she explained.

Before anyone was aware that 2016 would be a year we'd collectively look back at, Dolly Parton was making it one of her most memorable: She celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary, went on a huge North American tour, and she received a lifetime achievement award at the CMAs. She also continued to show the world that at age 70, she wasn't slowing down with her iconic looks. For the Academy of Country Music awards, she wore a colorful sparkly jacket that was undoubtedly a tribute to her hit from 45 years prior, "Coat of Many Colors."