5 Carrie Underwood Outfits That Just Didn't Work

Carrie Underwood's style has come a long way since she made waves on "American Idol" as the shy girl from Oklahoma back in 2005. She wore a white lace top under a pink off-shoulder shirt with blue jeans for her audition — a far cry from the glitz and glamor that's become her signature. You're more likely to find the "Good Girl" hitmaker in a sparkly designer gown or a "Denim & Rhinestones"-inspired shorts and boots number now she's a country music icon. "I like to be fun, flirty and sparkly when I'm on stage or at an event," she told Express of her style in 2015. But, as with most stars, Underwood's journey to become a fashion icon has included a few outfits that just didn't work. And even she knows it.

The superstar isn't afraid to poke fun at her wardrobe, including in 2023 when she filmed herself wearing skin-tight, leather-look, black leggings. "[I] thought they'd be cute or something. There's just one problem when you walk," she told fans in the Instagram video, stepping forward to confirm the shiny pants made a loud crunching noise when she moved. "I'm sorry, I can't hear you...my pants are too loud!!!" she quipped in the caption. But despite some jaw-dropping looks, like her 2016 CMA Awards red carpet blush ballgown, Underwood has unfortunately had a few fashion fails beyond her loud bottoms.

Carrie Underwood made a fashion faux pas in 2006 when she attended a Nicole Miller fall New York Fashion week show in a maxi dress that made no sense for the season. The patterned, halter neck, breezy and flirty sundress was colorful and showed Underwood was moving on from her frumpier "American Idol" days. But this was New York City. In February. The summer garment was better suited for a tropical vacation, not the chilly Big Apple streets where it likely got dirty fast. The garment also needed more tailoring, as it was far too long for the singer's 5-foot-3-inch frame.

Underwood's accessorizing could also have used some work. The "Blown Away" singer stacked five dark wood and green bangles on her left wrist and wore another wooden piece on her right, also layering brown and silver necklaces. We give her props for knowing long, layered necklaces were hot at the time, but her multi-colored clothing was so eye-catching it didn't need all the distracting accessories.

When it was announced that Carrie Underwood would perform at the 2013 Primetime Emmy Awards, we were excited to see her make a statement on the red carpet. But her usually gorgeous, sparkly, and slinky aesthetic was replaced with a simplistic, deep purple, prom-esque Romona Keveza gown featuring a black sash around her waist. Though there was nothing majorly wrong with the floor-length piece, it felt like a missed opportunity for Underwood to show her bold style to an audience outside of country music. The garment was underwhelming and got lost amongst the other celebs' more daring gowns (like Heidi Klum's dark red sequin Atelier Versace number), making her fade into the background.

If we were styling the multiple CMA Award winner for the night, we'd have put her in something similar to her 2016 Grammys red carpet dress. The strapless, all-black, satin number by Nicholas Jebran featured a thigh-high slit and gave us Old Hollywood glam with a sexy, modern twist that would've had all eyes on her without being too over the top (seeing as she wasn't nominated).

Carrie Underwood attended the late Muhammad Ali's Celebrity Fight Night in 2016 after making a stunning leap from long to short hair in an LBD that had us doing a double take. Just, not for the right reasons. This dress was anything but boring, as Underwood could easily have won a fight of her own thanks to all the pieces hanging off the surely heavy garment. It featured a sheer top over a round neck slip with strings of large jewel embellishments. The garment could have worked if it stuck to that aesthetic, but the bottom was covered in sequins and had large pieces of shiny plastic hanging off it and over the hem. The clashing add-ons made the piece look like a confused vision board.

Underwood didn't help by adding further pattern with her shoes and more shine via her jewels. She wore laser-cut, open-toe, black boot heels when barely there, nude footwear would have worked better, as her clothing was so loud. The "American Idol" judge also added several cocktails rings and drop earrings, when all she really needed were understated studs and a simple ring.

Underwood should've stuck to her simplicity theory. "I swear [I've tried] dresses and it's like this enclosure goes over here, and this zip is over there. It's too complicated, I can't wear it. The easier the better," she told Glamour the year prior.

Carrie Underwood wore another dress that was just too much at the 2017 CMT Awards. She slipped into several winning outfits on the night (including a sparkly, red carpet dress and a black-and-white, high-low, performance top and pants), which only made this odd choice more out of place. The plunging garment had nude lining at the top under strips of iridescent tape, black material, and large, silver stars arranged like a sash. But the bottom wasn't lined, exposing Underwood's black hot pants under a mishmash of the shiny and sheer fabrics. She added peep-toe, black, cut-out boots and introduced even more color via her blue, drop earrings, also adding an extra sparkle via her bedazzled clutch.

Though we appreciate her thinking outside the box while staying true to her sparkly style, the clothing appeared unfinished and lacked a cohesive vision. The appliques didn't compliment one another, and the asymmetric hem looked messy.

Carrie Underwood Las Vegas "Reflection" residency had clearly gone to her head when she attended the 2022 CMT Awards in a dress that was oh so Sin City — only this was a Nashville red carpet. The Grammy winner had a fashion misstep in a shiny, purple, leopard print mini with a thigh-high slit, halter straps, and black lace trim across her chest. 

We love that Underwood maintained her sparkly niche, but her clothing didn't give us the elegant vibes we're used to seeing from her on the red carpet and was more fit for a nightclub. We're sure the Dolce & Gabbana piece wasn't cheap, but it looked that way as the skirt was sheer so the backdrop became visible through her legs. We give the star props for her black, pointed toe heels and matching clutch, which brought some cohesion, but considering the champagne Dolce & Gabbana mini dress she wore to the ACM Awards that year was one of her best looks ever, this bordering tacky choice left us confused.

It also wasn't something we could imagine either of Underwood's style icons, Charlize Theron and black dress queen Reese Witherspoon, wearing. "They are beautiful, but in a natural way. They look like they take care of themselves but don't do anything too crazy. They always look and act classy," Underwood told NFocus in 2012 (via Taste of Country), but this aesthetic wasn't her classiest.