Stella Parton, the younger sister of country music legend Dolly Parton, stepped into the spotlight this week with a passionate defense of the icon’s iconic style, pushing back against online voices suggesting the 79-year-old should “age naturally.” In a candid interview on the Tamron Hall Show aired November 4, 2025, Stella emphasized that Dolly’s wigs, rhinestones, and radiant makeup aren’t vanity—they’re part of a carefully crafted persona that has brought joy to generations and built a business empire from humble beginnings. “It’s her job,” Stella declared. “She’s been doing this for over 60 years. That sparkle is her brand, her gift to the world.”

The exchange began when host Tamron Hall referenced a recent social media trend where users shared side-by-side photos of Dolly in the 1960s versus today, with captions urging her to “let the real face breathe.” Stella, 76, didn’t hesitate. “People don’t understand—she’s not hiding. She’s performing,” she said. “That look started when she was a little girl in the Smoky Mountains, wanting to be like the town lady with the big hair and bright lipstick. It’s who she is. And it’s worked pretty well, hasn’t it?”

Born in a one-room cabin in Sevierville, Tennessee, as the fourth of twelve children, Dolly Rebecca Parton grew up in poverty but with boundless ambition. By age 10, she was performing on local radio; by 13, she’d recorded her first single. Her signature style—towering wigs, dramatic eyeliner, and sequined gowns—emerged in the late 1960s as she broke into Nashville, a deliberate choice to stand out in a male-dominated industry. “I based my look on the town trollop,” Dolly famously joked in her 2020 book Songteller. “But I wanted to be the best one.”

Stella, herself a singer-songwriter with a decades-long career, knows the grind. She’s released over 30 albums and toured extensively, often in Dolly’s shadow but always in her corner. “People see the glamour and think it’s easy,” she told Hall. “They don’t see the 4 a.m. call times, the hours in makeup chairs, the fittings, the travel. Dolly works harder at 79 than most people do at 30.” She pointed to Dolly’s recent projects: co-hosting the 2025 ACM Awards, launching a Broadway musical Hello, I’m Dolly (set for a 2026 opening), and expanding her Imagination Library, which has distributed over 250 million free books to children worldwide since 1995.

The “age naturally” debate isn’t new. It flared in 2023 when Dolly appeared at a Dallas Cowboys halftime show in a cheerleader outfit, drawing both cheers and criticism. She responded on The View: “I’ll look as young as my plastic surgeons allow me to.” Her openness about cosmetic enhancements—rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, facial work—has made her a pioneer in destigmatizing such choices for women in entertainment. “I don’t do it to look young,” she told People in 2024. “I do it to look like me—the Dolly people expect.”

Stella echoed that sentiment, sharing a childhood memory: “When we were kids, Dolly would take flour sacks and make dresses, then glue on buttons from Coke bottles. She’d say, ‘If you’re gonna dream, dream big.’ That’s still her.” She revealed that Dolly personally designs many of her wigs—over 365 in her collection, one for each day—and works with a team of stylists who’ve been with her for decades. “It’s not vanity. It’s artistry. It’s consistency. It’s joy.”

The Parton brand is a masterclass in authenticity. Dollywood, the Tennessee theme park opened in 1986, now employs 4,000 people and draws 3 million visitors annually. Her production company, Sandollar, co-created Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Her fragrance line, Scent from Above, launched in 2021 and sold out in hours. Forbes estimates her net worth at $650 million, built not just on music—76 million records sold—but on theme parks, TV, film, and literacy. Yet, she remains grounded: the Dollywood Foundation donated $1 million to Hurricane Helene relief in September 2025, and her My People Fund aided wildfire victims in 2016.

Stella’s defense resonated online. The Tamron Hall clip garnered 2.1 million views in 24 hours, with #LetDollySparkle trending. Fans flooded X (formerly Twitter) with throwbacks: Dolly in 1967 with a beehive taller than her microphone, Dolly in 1980 accepting a Grammy in a crystal gown, Dolly in 2025 rocking a pink pantsuit at the CMAs. “She’s not aging—she’s icon-ing,” one user wrote. Another shared a photo of their child reading an Imagination Library book: “This is the real Dolly. The rest is just glitter.”

Even celebrities weighed in. Reba McEntire posted on Instagram: “Dolly taught me: own your look, own your story. Love you, sister.” Reese Witherspoon, who produced a Dolly documentary in 2020, commented: “She’s a national treasure—wigs and all.” Younger artists like Kelsea Ballerini cited Dolly’s fearlessness: “She showed us you can be feminine, fierce, and 79.”

Critics, though quieter, exist. Some argue the pressure to maintain youthfulness harms women. But Dolly counters with action: her 2023 rock album Rockstar debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Rock chart at age 77, proving relevance transcends appearance. She dueted with Miley Cyrus, her goddaughter, on “Wrecking Ball,” a full-circle moment from mentoring the young star decades ago.

Stella closed her interview with a message to the naysayers: “If you want to age naturally, go ahead. Dolly’s aging Dolly-ly. And the world’s better for it.” She revealed Dolly’s next project: a children’s album with animated characters based on her wigs, titled Wig Tales, set for 2026. “She’s still writing, still dreaming, still giving,” Stella said. “That’s the real magic.”

Dolly herself hasn’t directly addressed the latest round of comments—she’s busy rehearsing for a Christmas special with Pentatonix—but her actions speak volumes. On November 3, she surprised a group of Imagination Library kids in Nashville with a pop-up concert, full hair and makeup at 8 a.m. One little girl asked, “Are you a princess?” Dolly knelt down: “Honey, I’m a queen—and queens wear what makes them happy.”

The Parton sisters’ bond runs deep. Stella tours with her one-woman show Stella Parton: Simply Stella, often sharing Dolly anecdotes. They text daily, trade recipes (Dolly’s banana pudding is legendary), and support each other’s charities. Stella’s Dollywood season pass is well-used; she’s a fixture at the park’s Harvest Festival.

As 2025 draws to a close, Dolly shows no signs of slowing. She’s in talks for a biopic—insisting the actress “better love wigs”—and expanding her Doggy Parton pet line. Her literacy program now operates in six countries. And yes, she still changes wigs mid-show if the mood strikes.

Stella’s final words on Tamron Hall summed it up: “Dolly doesn’t owe anyone a bare face. She’s given us her heart, her music, her light. Let her shine.” The audience erupted in applause. Outside, fans waited with signs: We [heart] Dolly—Wigs & All.

In a world quick to judge, Dolly Parton remains unapologetically herself: a woman who turned a childhood dream into a legacy of joy, generosity, and yes—lots of glitter. As Stella says, “That’s not a costume. That’s a crown.”