Dolly Parton's Most Over-The-Top Wigs Are Quintessentially Her

Country superstar Dolly Parton has captured attention for as long as she can remember, not only with her music, but with her vibrant appearance, too. "I was always a little bit flamboyant, even before I could afford to buy clothes," Parton told Vogue in 2023. "I overdo it," she added. The country singer, who has received more than 50 Grammy nominations, has been donning dramatic wigs since the very start of her career. Despite wearing some peculiarly shaped headpieces, the singer has become known as a fashion icon who has built her signature image on bleach-blond wigs, bell bottoms, and heels.

Parton ended up being covered in rhinestones, but her first fashion muse was the "town tramp in [her] hometown." About her, Parton told Vogue that she "had the peroxide blond hair piled up on top, with red lips and fingernails, the high heel shoes, the tight skirt. I thought she was amazingly beautiful." From then on, the singer wanted to stand out.

Parton discovered wigs at the perfect time, just when her hair was becoming increasingly damaged by bleach. "I started wearing wigs because I quickly realized that bleaching and teasing my hair every day would cause breakage and not look good," Parton explained. Not only did the country star admire the larger-than-life appearance that wigs offered, but she also reveled in the fact that she would never have a bad hair day. Yes, Dolly Parton may have had an iconic style evolution over the years, but it's her extensive wig collection that makes her outfits quintessentially her.

Dolly Parton's hair transformation started when she was young, and the budding country star made giant wigs part of her signature look long before she reached international fame. For example, in this 1965 portrait, Dolly Parton was on the cusp of turning 20. The country singer posed wearing a dramatic combover silhouette. As the wig protruded from her scalp in sweeping layers, her hair reached new heights, and her head practically doubled in size. With her mind set on standing out, there's no doubt that this ginormous wig was a perfect way to begin crafting her signature look.

When the world thinks of Dolly Parton, a voluminous bleach-blond blowout immediately comes to mind. About a decade on from her youthful portrait, the country star's hair had gotten even bigger. When Parton reached peak fame in the 1970s, she often stepped out on stage wearing one of her most glamorous wig styles. Clad in sparkles and a tight outfit that accentuated her tiny waist, during a performance in 1976, Parton's exaggerated hairstyle seamlessly completed her onstage image. Featuring soft ringlets and flicked Birkin bangs, her giant blond blowout looked almost natural. 

Dolly Parton doesn't limit her broad wig collection to the stage, and the country star has even completed some of her most casual ensembles with a ginormous blond hairdo. In 1977, Parton was photographed at Holiday Inn in Chicago. Despite wearing a relaxed navy blue, denim-style shirt and a cozy red turtleneck, Parton wore one of her signature bleach-blond blowout wigs. Parton's natural hair is gorgeous, but her reason for wearing wigs is so relatable, especially when considering how much heated styling and hair spray it would take to achieve this statement hair look.

Dolly Parton had been embracing larger-than-life hairdos long before teased hairstyles started trending in the 1980s, and her voluminous wig collection included a range of styles. In 1979, on the set of "9 to 5," the country singer wore her hair in a teased bouffant in which her platinum blond hair formed a rounded and soft silhouette. Considering she was making a film that would evolve into her hit single "9 to 5," Parton's fluffy crown made for a glamorous appearance that perfectly suited the occasion. Her voluminous bouffant and red lipstick also created an unbeatable Old Hollywood allure.

It only seems natural that Dolly Parton's statement hairstyles gathered even more personality in the 1980s. Now in competition with other big hair lovers, since volume was trending, the country star embraced curlier locks. During one of her 1983 performances in London, Parton stepped on stage wearing another rounded bouffant, but this time, it resembled a perm. Although she was wearing a vibrant gold jumpsuit featuring sequin adornments that shimmered under the spotlight, the singer's tight ringlets and sky-high crown were hard to ignore.

Dolly Parton didn't stop experimenting with wigs throughout the 1980s. During a 1986 performance in Illinois, the country star stepped out of her comfort zone and wore an updo. While her wig was characterized by bleach-blond locks and volume, of course, Parton's hairstyle was remarkably different from her signature image. She had not only adapted her hair texture, opting for straight hair with feathered layers, but her wig also featured a heavy fringe. By embracing the heavy fringe trend of the 1980s, Parton proved that if anyone can pull off a bold hairstyle, it's her.

By the 1990s, Dolly Parton had started to embrace shaggy mullet styles, occasionally spiking her top layers and bangs. The wig she donned during a 1990 Minnesota performance perfectly reflected her changing style, featuring a voluminous perm with a soft feathered fringe. Despite wearing a thicker fringe years prior, the country star sported a delicate fringe that nodded to the decade's layered hairstyle trends. Parton's tight, bouncy ringlets suggested that while she had adapted her appearance to suit modern aesthetics, she remained committed to maintaining her signature larger-than-life image.

As hairstyles moved toward unique shapes in the 2000s, Dolly Parton wore a shorter wig style that gave her a trendy edge. In 2001, the singer was photographed in London, where she visited an HMV store to celebrate her album "Little Sparrow." Parton attended the event wearing a Western-inspired waistcoat and a shimmering turtleneck. While her outfit was a clear nod to her Tennessee roots, her short bob wig highlighted her willingness to adapt to modern aesthetics. Featuring a voluminous crown that extended into glamorous flicks, Parton's new hairstyle stayed true to her unique aesthetic.

Dolly Parton's shorter wig marked her shift toward more refined hairpieces. In recent years, the country star has kept her hairstyles simpler, drawing more attention to her dramatic outfits instead. In true Parton style, she has continued to use her hair to complement her daring fashion. In 2023, during her halftime performance at an NFL game, the singer wore a bleach-blond wig that featured loose ringlets. Parton has admitted that she never attends public events without a wig, and this hairstyle was just another testament to her talent for making wigs look effortlessly real.