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

Though most performers probably can't wait to swap their heels for flats the second they get off stage, that's not the case with Dolly Parton. Even when she's inside her home, the singer prefers to keep her feet several inches off the ground. "I actually do wear high heels most of the time. They're not always as high as the ones I wear for show[s],"she told Marie Claire in a 2020 exclusive. 

For the 5-foot-tall music legend, there's a practical reason for this choice. "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 said her affinity for high heels goes beyond the fact that they give her a height boost. "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."

For the "Jolene" singer, part of that comfort zone includes maintaining 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 told Marie Claire, explaining that whether there's an "earthquake" or "if I get sick or something ... I have to be ambulance-ready at all times."

Though you're unlikely to find Dolly Parton wearing flats in her home, she does take on a modified approach to her glam when she's off-duty. Speaking to People, the singer painted 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," she told the outlet. "Because I never know who's going to come by or if somebody has to come fix my refrigerator or whatever."

Even though she enjoys putting in the extra effort to her appearance, the singer says she is by no means insecure about herself. Rather, 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."