In a little quaint town in Louisiana, a group of women congregate regularly at Truvy Jones' (Parton) beauty parlor, to gossip and share their trials and tribulations of life. M'Lynn Eatenton's (Field) daughter Shelby (Roberts) is betrothed to handsome young lawyer Jackson Latcherie (Dylan McDermott). A newcomer Annelle (Hannah) is Truvy's latest assistant, who just happens to have a peculiar past. And then there's mean-spirited Ouiser Boudreaux (MacLaine), whose extreme wealth and bad temperament has alienated her from the community. Her friends however still love her very much.