• Dolly Parton spoke at a VIP reception prior to the opening of her new exhibit at Lipscomb University
• “Dolly Parton & The Makers: My Life In Rhinestones” opens Oct. 31 and runs through Dec. 9

Dolly Parton treated the crowd gathered at a private reception Friday night prior to the opening of her Dolly Parton & The Makers: My Life In Rhinestones fashion exhibition, to some personal insight into her life, her music — and her wardrobe.

The exhibition goes along with Parton’s new book, “Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones,” which just hit he New York Times Bestseller list. The exhibition features 25 of her fashions spanning her career. But it’s not just sparkly dresses. It’s a look into the makers behind the sparkle that has helped define Parton’s trademark look and who better to introduce it than Parton herself.

Here are our top five moments with Parton from Friday’s event at Lipscomb University.

She wore the same dress twice

As unique as each of Parton’s dresses are, it seems she wouldn’t really be able to wear each outfit more than once. Nor would she need to, right? Many were designed for certain appearances or events. But in typical Dolly fashion, she sidesteps the stereotype and showed up to her fashion event wearing the same black, spikey dress made for her “Rockstar” album.

She bragged on her longtime head seamstress Iisha Lemming for making the dress, and then poked a little fun at it.

“Iisha made this and these things are dangerous,” she said laughing as she poked herself on some of the spikes. “I asked her if she made this out of revenge. This was made just for photos, but I wanted to wear it and I was sitting in the car and I am one of those people when I get tickled about something I want to slap my leg, but in this dress you don’t want to do that.”

Rhinestones:Decades of Dolly Parton’s fashions are on display at Lipscomb University. Here’s why.

She didn’t listen to Chet Atkins who once told her to ‘tone it down’

Parton told the crowd she started out wearing what she liked and felt comfortable in, saying she thinks there’s much to be said for being comfortable in your own clothes — or even your own skin. Even when people tell you you are making a mistake.

“Chet Atkins, one of the greatest guitarists in the world, called me over to the side when I first came to Nashville and he said ‘Dolly, you need to calm it down. You look a little trashy and nobody’s gonna take you seriously as a songwriter or a singer.’ I said ‘Well they will if I’m good enough.’ Years later, when I didn’t tone it down — it got worse — once I became a big star, he came over and said ‘Aint you glad you took my advice?’

Rockstar:Dolly Parton’s ‘Rockstar’ coming to theaters near you in worldwide first-listen event

Parton added that when she looked through her book, she laughed out loud at some of the clothes and the hairdos throughout the years.

“I thought oh my Lord, was I serious? I was serious at the time, I’m sure.”

She prefers rhinestones over diamonds

Parton has become synonymous with rhinestones and said it stems from early childhood when she would walk behind her daddy when he would plow and pick up shiny rocks to take home and put in jars because she thought they were so pretty and shiny.

“I always like to shine on stage,” she said. ” I had a line in a song years ago called ‘Tennessee Homesick Blues’ and it says it’s hard to be a diamond in a rhinestone world. So I figured I’d make the most of the rhinestones. I’ve always been one of those entertainers who likes to shine on stage. It makes me feel lighter and more exciting. When I was little, I thought everything shiny was a diamond. I did make enough money to buy some diamonds, but I still like rhinestones better.”

Parton was amazed at the exhibition

After walking through the exhibition, Parton said she thought It looked really good and she was “very proud.”

“I’m amazed at how much I’ve done,” she said, laughing. “I really am. Somebody said ‘how do you feel to see all that’ and I’m just like ‘whew! That’s a lotta livin’ in those clothes.’ I have memories from almost every outfit I’ve worn. That’s why the book is something to celebrate the people behind the scenes. It takes a team.”

She added that when she looks at all the clothes, she thinks, ” Wow, that’s a lotta love, lotta time, lot of energy, lot of creativity from a lot of people. So I can’t take credit for all of that. Just the living.”

The exhibition is open to the public Oct. 31-Dec. 9 in the John C. Hutcheson Gallery in Lipscomb University’s Beaman Library. 

Melonee Hurt covers music and music business at The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee. Reach Melonee at [email protected] or on X @HurtMelonee.