Dolly Parton Rewrote Fashion Rules For Older Women & Didn't Apologize For A Single Sequin

Dolly Parton was certainly someone that didn't stay in line and follow the rules. In fact, every step of her career saw the "Jolene" hitmaker stand out, from the iconic Dolly Parton outfits that solidified her status as a style icon to the fact that Parton wore the best wigs for a genuinely relatable reason. The 10-time Grammy winner never did things by halves, nor did she let age get in the way of having fun with fashion. She rocked every sequin-studded outfit she owned and undoubtedly set a worthy example for older women to follow.

Parton had publicly spoken about how she goes about dressing herself, and her mindset around fashion is something truly admirable. "I think more is more and whoever made up that 'less is more' is full of it," the "I Will Always Love You" singer said during a segment of Vogue's "Life in Looks" series, as she rifled through a lifetime of exaggerated hairstyles, glitzy sequins, and bedazzled suits. 

And this unapologetic stance is one to look up to for all women, reframing fashion rules to show that you shouldn't constrain yourself according to what society dictates. Fashion is truly what you make of it, an artistic expression of self that doesn't fade with time. There's no such thing as an appropriate moment to ditch colorful patterns and revealing cuts from your wardrobe. Wear what makes you feel good, and if Dolly Parton could do it, then there's no reason why you can't either.

Dolly Parton wore what she wanted, whenever she wanted and never once apologized for it. Yet it does make you wonder who inspired the 55-time Grammy nominee to live life to the fullest and don ostentatious, outrageously stylish outfits. You may think it's a close female relative, but an exclusive interview with The Guardian in 2023 revealed it was a random woman who caught her eye. "She was flamboyant. She had bright red lipstick, long red fingernails," the six-time Golden Globe nominee recounted fondly to the publication, "She had high-heeled shoes, little floating plastic goldfish in the heels of them, short skirts, low-cut tops, and I just thought she was beautiful." 

The way Parton dressed really defied the times she grew up in and that's definitely relatable in some parts of the world today. This shows that you really don't have to confine yourself into a box as you age, and that older women are just as entitled to express themselves how they please as younger women are. So toss out your drab grays for vibrant yellows and eye-catching pinks as Dolly Parton did, stick to what you like and don't look back.