Dolly Parton's Cheeky Reason For Not Wearing Flats Even When She's Relaxing At Home

Dolly Parton won't get caught wearing flats ever. At home, the country singer says there's a version of her that's very much the same doll she is on stage, and that includes wearing her signature heels. "I always wear my high heels," she told Marie Claire in a 2020 exclusive. "I actually do wear high heels most of the time. They're not always as high as the ones I wear for show[s].

Explaining her reason, the 5-foot-tall music legend said she's simply too short to reach high places in her home. "I'm little. I'm short. And I have to wear heels in order to reach my cabinets," she said, adding, "But I always enjoy wearing the shoes too, and I just feel more like me." Speaking with BBC's The One Show in 2023, Parton also said her affinity for high heels went beyond her height as they were simply part of who she is and have always been. "I loved high heels before I knew I was even going to be short," she joked. "We all have our comfort zones. Everybody's comfort zone is different, but I do wear the shoes. I'm so used to wearing them."

They're not the only thing that makes her feel comfortable when she's relaxing at home. The "Jolene" singer also maintains a dolled-up look so that she's always prepared for the unexpected. "I have to always stay ready – street ready. I have to keep my makeup on and keep my hair done," she said, explaining that whether there's an "earthquake" or "if I get sick or something ... I have to be ambulance-ready at all times."

While it's now hard to imagine the leading lady of country music in comfy bed slippers and pajamas at home, Dolly Parton did paint a picture of her pared-back self when she's spending time with family or doing some of her favorite things, like cooking and reading. "I like to put on a little makeup. I don't always wear the wigs, but I like to pull my hair up a little bit," the singer told People. "Because I never know who's going to come by or if somebody has to come fix my refrigerator or whatever."

Even though she loves her iconic heels and her signature Dolly Parton outfits that are as over-the-top as her raucous personality, the singer says she is by no means insecure about herself; she simply enjoys getting dressed up. "I can come down, though," she said of her wardrobe to Marie Claire. "I'm comfortable in my own skin; I'm comfortable with my image. I dress for myself more than I do for somebody else."

As for her favorite kind of shoe, the "Head Over High Heels" singer will continue wearing them because they make her feel more confident. As mentioned in one of her famous quotes: "When I'm feeling a little low, I put on my favorite high heels to stand a little taller" – Dolly Parton.