Dolly Parton wears gloves and long sleeves to cover up tattoos on her hands and arms. These tattoos were originally meant to conceal scars caused by keloid scar tissue, which gives a distinctive purple color that doesn’t fade. In an interview, Dolly explained that she got the tattoos in pastel colors to hide the scars, not to make a bold statement.
Despite her straightforward explanation, there have been speculations over the years. A superfan suggested that she might be covering a scar from corrective hand surgery she had, but this information is third-hand and not directly confirmed by Dolly.
Dolly’s creative director, Steve Summers, also mentioned that she wears sleeves because, at 73 years old, she doesn’t like her elbows and wants to keep her hands covered—something he described as a normal preference for a woman of her age.
In summary, Dolly Parton’s choice to wear gloves and long sleeves is a personal decision to conceal scars and tattoos, contributing to her iconic style and maintaining an air of mystery.
