17 Dolly Parton Beauty Moments That Will Go Down in History (2025)

There are beauty icons, and then there is Dolly Parton. For over six decades, the legendary country singer and songwriter has served up her singular brand of glamour: larger-than-life hair, vivid pageant makeup, and flawless acrylic nails. Today, at 79, she’s as captivating as ever.

What makes Parton’s look so timeless is that it’s unmistakably hers. “What might appear dated or cartoonish to others looks completely right on her because she owns the look. She’s incredibly smart and self-aware, and fully inhabiting this camp, ultra-considered appearance is as much a part of her on-stage persona as the music, outfits, and witty banter,” says Rachael Gibson, a journalist known as The Hair Historian. “She also understands that, as quite a diminutive person, having big hair, bold makeup, and flashy costuming ensures you don’t get lost on stage and that all eyes remain on you.”

Parton’s more-is-more philosophy has, quite literally, shaped the evolution of beauty standards in the industry. “Dolly is the standard for country music—come dolled up, be ready, be confident, and lean into your femininity if you like it,” says celebrity makeup artist and Bakeup Beauty founder Jo Baker. “She gave women permission and an invitation to be their most outrageous, girly selves, and we all love it.”

At the heart of Parton’s effervescent persona is her towering platinum-blonde hair, courtesy of her treasure trove of wigs. “It’s an old-school approach to styling with the romance and fantasy of ‘80s country music queens,” says Gibson. While the shape of her hair has shifted into different styles over the years, from a ‘60s-style bouffant to a feathery mullet, the high-to-the-heavens volume and peroxide blonde hue have remained constant. “It’s always big and blonde, whether it’s curls or a layered, backcombed, long shag. They’re the key features, and everything else just builds on it.”

Of course, Parton’s makeup—cut-crease blue eyeshadow, fluttery lashes, rosy cheeks, and glossy lips—is no less statement-making. “Dolly’s makeup is exactly like her name—think pageant primp and polish,” says Baker. “She’s a ‘more is more’ kind of gal, and her whole face is always ‘done.’ She’s a Southern belle who always seems ready for the stage or a Monday morning walk down the high street—consistently glamorous!”

And her signature talons? Her acrylics, often painted fire-engine red, aren’t just the cherry on top of her visual presentation but an instrument of hers as well. In fact, back in 2019, during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Parton revealed they were integral to the making of her 1980 hit “9 to 5.” She created the baseline by tapping her acrylic nails together to mimic the sound of a typewriter. The credits on her record even attribute their role: “Nails by Dolly.”

As vibrant as ever at 79 (she’s about to kick off her “Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony” tour), Parton is a national treasure and enduring beauty icon—one we should be celebrating every day. “She’s the one artist who fully turned her on-stage persona into a part of her brand, which has remained unchanged through her long and successful career,” says Gibson. “She’s a steadfast stalwart of glamour, unchanged with the decades and as committed to glamour today as in the ‘70s heyday.” Here, we’re looking back at 17 of Parton’s most unforgettable beauty moments.