Her solution was characteristically her own. Rather than simply covering her arms with clothing and leaving it at that, she began getting tattoos specifically designed to disguise the scars. In an interview with Vanity Fair, she explained: “Most of the tattoos, when I first started, I was covering up some scars that I had.”
The tattoos themselves were in keeping with her aesthetic, described as small and pastel in tone, featuring designs including butterflies, flowers and an angel. The butterfly carried particular significance throughout her life and work, appearing as a recurring motif in her music and in the imagery of her Dollywood Foundation.
Speculation over the years had suggested she was covered in tattoos, something Parton consistently played down. The truth was more modest, a collection of delicate designs chosen not for decoration but for a practical and personal reason, worn quietly beneath the long sleeves that became as much a part of her signature look as anything else.
