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Dolly Parton owns enough wigs to wear a different one each day of the year - at least 365 of them. Many fans wonder why did Dolly Parton wear wigs, and the answer lies in a smart choice she made when her career began.
Parton started performing at age 10 and soon found that her Dolly Parton real hair couldn't handle daily bleaching and teasing. Dolly Parton wigs became her perfect solution, and her inspiration came from an unexpected source - the "town tramp" who turned heads with her peroxide blonde hair. These wigs grew into something bigger than just hair protection. They became a huge part of her famous look, and she even gave some fun nicknames to her favorites like "Dragzilla" and "Chunky Monkey."
This piece takes you through Parton's amazing experience with wigs. You'll learn about her early hair problems and how she manages her huge collection, plus the clever thinking behind her famous look.
The Early Years: Dolly Parton's Natural Hair Journey
Dolly Rebecca Parton's story began in January 1946 in a simple one-room cabin in Locust Ridge, Tennessee. She was the fourth of twelve children growing up in one of Tennessee's poorest areas - a stark contrast to her future stardom. Dolly Parton's real hair story started in these simple surroundings that shaped her beauty philosophy.
Childhood influences on her beauty ideals
Dolly's creativity thrived despite her family's money troubles. She showed amazing imagination by turning tin cans on sticks into makeshift microphones and performed for farm animals on her front porch. Her mother created the famous "Coat of Many Colors" from fabric scraps, which became a treasured possession and inspired one of her most popular songs.
Dolly's unique look came from an unexpected source. "Her esthetic was improbably inspired by a 'tramp' who lived in her town when Parton was growing up," she once revealed. "I thought she was absolutely beautiful. She had those piles of bleached hair, red lipstick, nails, and cheeks and high-heel shoes". This early attraction to bold feminine beauty later became her signature style.
Her natural hair before fame
Dolly Parton's real hair looked quite different before she adopted her famous blonde wigs. Childhood photos show her with short cropped hair at age nine. She describes her natural hair color as "sandy blond" that didn't have the brightness she wanted—"it wasn't yellow and white and bright".
"I was born blond and couldn't wait to get it blonder. I started buying peroxide as soon as I could afford it!" Dolly said about her early hair color dreams. She tried various styles through her youth, from a pixie cut as a little girl to different bob haircuts in her teenage years.
First experiments with hair styling
The teenage Dolly took charge of her appearance. "I always wanted to be prettier," she admitted about her teenage self. She found her solution: "I got to fixin' myself up. I wanted my clothes tight, my makeup bright, my nails long, my lips red. I got into it".
Professional performances started at age ten on Cas Walker's Farm and Home Hour, where Dolly developed her stage presence. Banjo player Bud Brewster remembered, "She was always hep on wigs. She wore wigs — I mean, she loved 'em. Especially after she got about twelve or thirteen years old".
Young Dolly styled her natural hair carefully even without wigs. "With her real hair, it was always teased into a bouffant, after she got about twelve or thirteen," Brewster noted. Why did Dolly Parton wear wigs so early? She explained that her natural hair "would never do exactly what I wanted it to do".
The late 1960s saw Dolly joining Porter Wagoner's show and experimenting more with hair teasing and bleaching. "I always wore my hair all teased up. Whenever that style started, I was the first to get my hair all poofy". These early styling experiments led to her famous wig collection.
Why Did Dolly Parton Start Wearing Wigs?
By transitioning to wigs Dolly Parton made a strategic decision which transformed her existence.. Back in the late 1960s, when she joined The Porter Wagoner Show, she took a step that became part of her legendary image. Why did Dolly Parton wear wigs? Her story shows both street smarts and showbiz intelligence.
The damage from daily bleaching and styling
Her wig journey started with her first hairstylist, Colleen Owens, who showed her "falls" - hairpieces that added volume to natural hair. "It was through her that we found wigs," Parton explained. "She was so creative. The wigs were wearing me—I wasn't wearing the wig! But I loved all the intricate little things that Colleen used to do. It was always the bigger, the better."
She switched to wigs to protect her hair. "I started wearing wigs because I quickly realized that bleaching and teasing my hair every day would cause breakage and not look good," Parton said in a 2023 interview about her book Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones. Her famous high-volume, platinum blonde style needed harsh daily styling that damaged her Dolly Parton real hair.
She had pushed her hair to the limits early in her career. "I always wore my hair all teased up. Whenever that style started, I was the first to get my hair all poofy," she remembered. This regular styling took its toll and worried the smart performer.
Practical considerations for a busy performer
Wigs gave Dolly many advantages that fit perfectly with her busy career:
· Time efficiency: "It's so handy, and I'm always so busy," she told Jimmy Fallon in 2014, explaining how wigs saved her precious time.
· Consistent appearance: "It was handy to have several looks that I could just choose from, and never have a bad hair day," she said.
· Styling limitations: "My hair would never do exactly what I wanted it to do," Parton admitted about her fine natural hair.
These benefits proved invaluable for someone who lived life on stage, in recording studios, and public appearances. What started as a solution became her signature look.
Creating a memorable stage presence
Dolly soon realized wigs offered more than convenience - they became her visual trademark. "So the wigs became kind of my trademark," she wrote in her memoir Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics.
Her consistent look mattered because fans expected to see a certain "Dolly." Parton explained to the Associated Press in 2003 that maintaining a youthful appearance remained crucial to her because she wanted to avoid causing dismay to others. This showed her sharp business sense and showmanship.
"It got to be fun for me, a conversational piece," she added. "But this is how I think I look the best. I'm not a natural beauty, and this is just the look I chose." Her honesty about her appearance has made fans love her more throughout her career.
Wigs let her keep the bright, colorful look that matched her personality. She declared in an interview that she continues seeking flashy and bright possessions which match her preference when she was younger. At any time when I wear my full colors I feel like a beautiful butterfly. This bold embrace of glamor through her wigs created her unforgettable presence in country music and beyond.
The Evolution of Dolly's Iconic Wig Collection
Dolly Parton's wigs have grown from simple hairpieces into legendary fashion statements over five decades. Her collection expanded with her career and created a visual signature that matches her voice perfectly.
From modest hairpieces to statement wigs
Dolly's experience with hairpieces started simply. She adopted what she called "whipped cream wigs" and frosty makeup while performing with Porter Wagoner in the late 1960s. Her wigs back then were nowhere near as bold as the towering creations that became her trademark later.
The style of wigs she wore became progressively more complex following her rising popularity. According to her she always wore her high heels and styled her hair to its fullest extent possible. These wigs transformed from practical solutions to iconic fashion pieces naturally. Dolly Parton's wig would sometimes reach as high as her torso, which matched her larger-than-life personality.
Her collaboration with hairstylists
Several talented hairstylists helped shape Dolly's iconic image. Sarah Necia Wood joined "Team Dolly" after designing a wig for a performer on The Graham Norton Show in 2020. The brunette vintage setting caught Parton's eye, which led to their work together.
Hairstylist David Blair shaped Dolly's transformation significantly. One source noted, "David Blair took her style from Nashville to Hollywood. Dolly has stayed with that style for decades, and probably always will."
Cheryl Riddle, another vital collaborator, became skilled at creating styles that "pay homage to traditional country, while still staying current with today's trends." This approach kept Dolly's look fresh yet distinctly hers. Wood now creates period-accurate archival wigs to display at Dollywood theme park. She uses synthetic hair for display pieces, while Parton wears mostly human hair wigs.
How her wig styles changed through the decades
Dolly Parton's wigs tell a story of fashion history. She started with 1960s bouffants and moved to 1970s styles with feathering and teasing. Her late '70s and early '80s looks stand out as fan favorites, especially the style from the Midnight Special television show.
Her collection grew to include countless styles: "bouffant, curly hair, bob cut wigs, long hair wigs, wigs with bangs," and many more. Unlike other celebrities who change their look drastically, Dolly managed to keep her signature style while trying new wig designs.
Dolly's wig collection keeps growing today. Wood's recent "punk-country" piece for the "Rockstar" album promotion shows her style's ongoing evolution. Notwithstanding that, her big, blonde, and voluminous esthetic remains instantly recognizable, making why did Dolly Parton wear wigs a proof of brilliant personal branding.
Behind the Scenes: Managing 365+ Wigs
Dolly Parton's collection of 365+ wigs needs a management system as unique as she is. The legendary performer owns at least one wig for every day of the year, as shown in her Netflix series Dolly Parton's Heartstrings. She started wearing wigs after why did Dolly Parton wear wigs became relevant due to hair damage.
How Dolly organizes her massive collection
The star keeps her vast wig collection at home, giving each piece its own space. Her wig caps come with a clever design feature - a hidden pocket that holds her microphone pack during shows. She explained during a "CMT Hot 20 Countdown" interview: "My wig cap has a little pocket on it in the back because my clothes are so tight, my mic pack don't fit nowhere." This smart design lets her hide the technology completely in her hair while performing.
Dolly's long-term hairstylist Cheryl Riddle helps maintain the collection. British stylist Sarah Necia became part of "Team Dolly" after creating an impressive wig. Their partnership has grown stronger, and Parton even FaceTimes Sarah to show off her work.
The naming system for her favorite pieces
The star created a unique naming system to track her massive Dolly Parton wigs collection. "How else will she keep track of all those hairstyles?" one source noted. Each Dolly Parton wig gets its own special name that matches its character or look.
Parton shared a laugh on The Late Late Show with James Corden when shown a particularly big hairpiece: "Oh lordy. That's Dragzilla." Another favorite piece goes by "Chunky Monkey." These names help Dolly and her stylists quickly identify specific wigs when planning her appearances.
What happens to her old wigs
A Dolly Parton wig doesn't just retire after its stage life ends. The singer has two main ways to handle her beloved hairpieces. She sells many at charity auctions, raising money for good causes while letting fans own a piece of country music history.
Many iconic Dolly Parton wigs end up at her Tennessee museum, displayed among other career memorabilia. These pieces tell the story of her style evolution, while her Dolly Parton real hair stays protected underneath.
Dolly Parton's Real Hair: What Lies Beneath the Wigs
Dolly Parton’s real hair stands as an undisclosed secret while she displays her famous towering glamorous wigs each day. The mystery surrounding the real appearance of Dolly Parton's hair remains one of country music's most Secrets since her legendary wigs designed her image through the years.
Rare glimpses of her natural hair
Parton has given her fans occasional peeks at her natural tresses. She included a rare photograph from a 1965 Monument Records recording session in her book "Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics." The image presents her wearing shoulder-length hair along with gentle top teasing. The text next to the image states that her usual hair is appearing in this photo. The post carried the caption "Where the magic happens" as she shared this picture on Instagram.
Fans delighted when Parton showed a picture of her natural hair on her 75th birthday photos taken during the time of quarantine, which thrilled her fans. Her natural hair has a light sandy blonde color with gentle curls around her face. She admits she's not sure about the texture now after wearing wigs for so many years.
How she cares for her hair at home
"I don't always wear [wigs] in my daily life," Parton told Elle magazine. She keeps some elements of her signature style at home. "I still like to have that flashy hair. When I'm around home, I wear my little scrunchies, but I always put on some makeup and fix my own hair as cute as I can fix it."
Parton sleeps with her makeup on, which might seem strange. She explained this unusual habit to The New York Times: "I clean my face in the mornings." She does this to stay prepared for unexpected emergencies.
The balance between public image and private life
Why did Dolly Parton wear wigs becomes clear when you look at how she separates her public and private personas. "They don't want to see me in faded jeans, braless, with no makeup and my hair combed straight back," she explained. "It'd be a letdown to 'em, although I often look that way at home. That's not the character they've come to know."
This understanding of what her audience expects has shaped how she manages her image. "See, that's my gimmick," she said in Alanna Nash's book "Dolly". "Me without my wig would be like Liberace in overalls."
Parton stays true to herself where it matters most. She puts it perfectly: "I might be artificial, but I'm real where it counts — right here in my heart."
Conclusion
Dolly Parton's experience with wigs means much more than a beauty choice. Why did Dolly Parton wear wigs began as a practical way to shield her Dolly Parton real hair from styling damage each day, and ended up becoming a vital part of her legendary image. Her massive collection of 365+ wigs, each with its unique character and role, shows her sharp business sense and artistic flair.
Her wigs grew beyond simple accessories during her decades of country music stardom. These became powerful tools that helped her keep her iconic presence while protecting her natural beauty. She speaks openly about wearing wigs and has helped many people welcome practical hair solutions without settling for less.
You might want to think over hair protection options or learn about wigs. Professional guidance makes a real difference. Expert hair care counseling awaits at https://topuniquehair.com/ or just call to find the best solutions that work for you. Dolly's words ring true: "Find what works for you and stick with it" - whether you choose wigs or other ways to protect and improve your natural beauty.
