Carrie Underwood certainly lost some fans when it was announced that she would be performing at Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20. In the past, the “American Idol” winner has made comments about how she prefers to avoid politics. Yet, when she came under fire for agreeing to sing at the upcoming inauguration, she was quick to preach about unity in a moment when she seemed to be taking a clear political side. “I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event,” she explained in a January 13 statement to People. She added, “I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”
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This explanation is sure to fall flat for many of her fans. Suffice it to say, her choice to perform at the inauguration and her defense of the decision may not have been her best judgment. So, if she continues this trend of questionable decisions, we think Underwood is sure to have a major fashion fail at Trump’s inauguration. After all, she’s no stranger to fashion fails. While she has certainly sported some fabulous ‘fits over the years, she has also made some major style mistakes. Of all the outfits Underwood has ever sported that should have landed her on the worst-dressed list, here are the worst of the worst.
When she dressed like a dust bunny on its way to prom
At the 2010 Country Music Awards, a gray Talbot Runhof gown solidified itself as one of Carrie Underwood’s worst red carpet looks ever. The evening gown’s unexpected shade of gray was certainly unusual and definitely a bit “blah.” If done right, this color probably could have worked for her. Instead, though, the color was on stiff, wrinkled tulle in tons of ruffles and layers. The combination of color and shape left Underwood looking like a puff of smoke or the cloud of dust that follows Pigpen around in “Peanuts.”
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Despite being wrong in just about every way, the worst offense this dress committed was its silhouette. The tiered flared skirts stacked on top of each other looked simply bizarre. Opting for a sleeker shape and far fewer ruffles may have saved this dress, but the easiest way to save it probably would have been to swap it out for something totally different.
When she looked like a muscle skeleton starring in a production of Xanadu
We may have hated Carrie Underwood’s seemingly dust-inspired 2010 Country Music Awards look, but it definitely wasn’t her worst-ever award show ensemble. That award — no pun intended — probably has to go to her 2022 American Music Awards outfit. For that, we simply have no words. In Underwood’s defense, she was taking the stage in a particularly gravity-defying way to perform her song “Crazy Angels.” Underwood entered the venue suspended from the ceiling, only to be lowered down to the stage. For this reason, the country singer clearly couldn’t sport just any old outfit for this particular performance. But, that doesn’t mean this was her only option. And, as far as we’re concerned, the only good reason to wear this outfit is if it was, in fact, the only option.
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There’s nothing wrong with a skintight jumpsuit that makes doing aerial acrobatics easier. The problem with this one was the bold, abstract print and the ’80s-inspired color scheme. The look was just so vibrant and eye-catching that it ended up being a distraction, and it was simultaneously totally unclear what fashion statement the look was attempting to make.
When her hemline brought her dangerously close to a serious wardrobe malfunction
Fans were thrilled by Carrie Underwood’s surprise performance at the 2024 Country Music Awards. Yet, when Underwood’s killer legs couldn’t be contained in a near-wardrobe malfunction while she performed alongside Cody Johnson, things almost went downhill fast. Underwood wore an overall strange outfit as she sang “I’m Gonna Love You” with Johnson. Her lace dress had long, billowing sleeves and a very, very high slit. She paired it with a leather corset, big belt, excessive turquoise jewelry, and some over-the-top hair extensions. Overall, this ensemble had a costume-y feel and simply wasn’t fashion-forward or fit for a superstar. Even so, this fashion offense likely wouldn’t have been enough to land among her worst-ever outfits if it wasn’t for what happened at the end of the performance.
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What a gorgeous performance of ‘I’m Gonna Love You #CMAawards #CarrieUnderwood #CodyJohnson#StunningVocals pic.twitter.com/tjPujg6zma
— Hilary ~ MollyVegas ミ☆ (@MollyVegas) November 21, 2024
As the audience applauded the stars, Underwood turned to the crowd, and it quickly became clear that her dress’ slit was so high that it almost revealed her underwear when it was spread open. Had she moved just slightly differently, this would have been one of the most inappropriate outfits Underwood has ever worn. So, for obvious reasons, a precarious ensemble like that is definitely a no-no — especially for a huge, widely publicized event like the CMAs.
When she dressed like the ballerina who pops up out of a music box
When you’re a star at award show after award show every year like Carrie Underwood is, you simply must switch things up with your fashion now and again to keep things interesting. For this reason, we totally get why she went with a unique look at the 2017 Country Music Television Awards. Unfortunately, in both life and fashion, not every big risk pays off. And, this odd ballerina look was one of such occasions. This dress just had too many elements: the rhinestones, the ruffles, the super-short hemline. Overall, she kind of looked like a child who dressed up like a ballerina to go trick-or-treating.
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The styling didn’t help, either. Underwood looks stunning in an easy breezy updo like this one, but with this outfit, the hair just helped this look lean further into what someone dressing up as a ballerina might do. She then proceeded to pair it with a clutch and silver strappy sandals that would have been the perfect accessories for the homecoming dance. This whole look was just a flop, and it would have worked much better if Underwood swapped it out for something sleeker and simpler.
When her dress totally clashed with itself
At the CMA Awards in 2013, Carrie Underwood sported many different looks over the course of the star-studded evening. The singer had several great ensembles, but that doesn’t change the fact that this night also involved one of the worst dresses we’ve ever seen her wear. After walking the red carpet in a stunning gown, Underwood spoke onstage wearing this completely unhinged minidress. The dress had an A-line skirt with a combination of short hemline and volume that totally threw off her proportions. Furthermore, the dress had a bizarre graphic print that included three big cutouts in utterly strange places.
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All of these details were enough to make this look a fashion fail, but the color palette made it even worse. The dress was mostly black with one patch of bubblegum pink and one patch of orange. Not only do these to colors clash, but they didn’t make much sense as the only colors on the whole dress. As the cherry on top, the dress had a thick, black, sequin-covered waist band. Overall, this was one of Underwood’s most confusing looks to date. So, if you’re a big Underwood fan, here’s hoping she doesn’t wear anything like this on Inauguration Day. And, if her choice to use her voice to help bring Donald Trump back into office caused you to change your mind about her, who knows — maybe she’ll bring this dress out of retirement for the special occasion.
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