Carrie Underwood's Best & Worst Red Carpet Looks

Sometimes red carpet 'fits are a hit, and sometimes they're a miss. Carrie Underwood, country star and 2005 "American Idol" winner, continues to surprise and delight fans on the red carpet. After all, she's stunning and loves to go full-glam. Plus, she often wears outfits that show off her killer legs. Over her many years as a star, Carrie Underwood has undergone an incredible transformation, from her big win in 2005 to singing at President Donald Trump's 2025 Inauguration — a choice that was met with considerable backlash. Despite this, Underwood continues to show up. Sometimes, she absolutely stuns in her sartorial choices. In other moments, she's shown up in outfits that were the worst, and for myriad reasons, these looks just didn't work on Carrie Underwood. 

Typically, the "Before He Cheats" singer looks quite glamorous on the red carpet. Underwood opts for metallic gowns or bright tones, and chooses floor-length dresses that flow and move with her. Other times, Underwood has been known to get daring with her red carpet 'fits; this is where things get trickier. Sometimes, there's a big payoff. Other times, it lands her on the worst-dressed list. But we've got to laud the courage it takes to step out of a comfort zone — something Underwood seems okay with doing. Above all, we love to see the courage, whether an outfit lands or not. 

Carrie Underwood absolutely stole the red carpet at the 52nd Academy of Country Music Awards on April 2, 2017. Underwood arrived in a gown made of blush tulle, with glitzy silver embellishment, including a silver neckline. The gown, designed by Labourjoisie, was sheer in many parts, adding to the drama, as did the sweeping train. Underwood kept accessories tonal and coordinated; she wore sparkly, silver earrings that mirrored the seaweed-like design of the embellishments on her gown. She also wore silver heels, which remained largely hidden thanks to the sweeping length of her frock. 

What made Underwood's red carpet look so successful is that the glitter and excess of the gown was totally appropriate for the occasion. The event was in Las Vegas, the city of sparkle and extravagance, and she was at an award show. The event called for something showy and deserving of attention, which is exactly what Underwood delivered. The gown was also very flattering on the singer. All in all, perfection. 

"A Space Odyssey" meets the LegMaster. Carrie Underwood arrived at the 2023 CMT Music Awards in Austin, Texas, on April 2, 2023, in a silver getup. She wore sparkling short-shorts and a coordinating silver jacket in what looked to be glittering chain mail. The shorts and jacket were made by Dolce & Gabbana and the two pieces were coated in Swarovski crystals. Always one to keep things matching, Underwood paired the look with silver platform heels and a boxy silver clutch. 

While her face and hair were perfection — we love a middle part with a voluminous ponytail — Underwood's outfit was a miss. The boxy jacket dwarfed the "Church Bells" singer's athletic upper body, while the shorts cut off at an odd length for how muscular and defined her legs are. It's tough to make Underwood look bad, but this space suit managed to do the job. 

At the 2017 CMA Awards, Carrie Underwood walked the red carpet in a dramatic royal-blue gown. It featured an off-the-shoulder top with a plunging neckline and long sleeves. The body of the gown was form-fitting before ending with an expansive mermaid-style finish. Because the gown was so dramatic, Underwood kept things simple by wearing her hair long in a smooth side part with silver earrings and a statement ring. The "American Idol" alum opted for such a dramatic red-carpet outfit because she was hosting the CMA Awards that year, so she was a key face of the event and set the bar for evening attire. 

What made Underwood's blue gown such a win was that the gown was flattering on her. It hugged her curves and she absolutely dazzled in the jewel-tone hue. The whole look also carried the tone of formality that an award show requires, particularly from its host. The dress also served substantial sex appeal, despite the fact that it was floor length, so it really checked all the boxes. 

While it's certainly fun, Carrie Underwood's red carpet outfit choice at the 2022 iHeartCountry Festival on May 7, 2022, in Austin, Texas, was a no-go. To be fair, she was promoting her album "Denim & Rhinestones," so her choice of showing up in acid-wash denim cut-offs, a bedazzled vest, and denim boots that looked like pant legs might have been related to her album title. She wore the ensemble with a high-neck purple shirt underneath that didn't help the situation. 

Underwood is gorgeous, so she never really looks that bad. It's just that certain outfits don't accentuate her incredible features, and this denim getup misses the mark. The whole ensemble is busy and hectic, and the boxy vest gives her the appearance of a squat torso. While we're giving her credit for stepping outside of the box, Underwood's denim-and-rhinestones red carpet outfit is one we hope to never see again. 

At the 2019 American Music Awards on November 24, 2019, Carrie Underwood arrived in a purple, sequin gown that stole the show and took everyone's breath away. The glittering masterpiece was a Stello by Stephanie Stello creation, complete with a deep slit to showcase Underwood's incredible legs. It also featured one sleeveless shoulder and one covered shoulder that featured a cape that trailed along the red carpet like a starry night sky. 

Because Underwood had such a big thing going on with her dress, she kept her hair very simple. Going for a side part, the "Blown Away" singer opted for slick, shoulder-length hair with a small flick of curl at the ends. She wore statement gold platform sandals by Giuseppe Zanotti to finish off the look. The ensemble was perfection because Underwood looked glamorous and fresh. Thanks to the asymmetrical design of the dress, the star wasn't smothered in fabric. She looked ravishing, and the long sequin train brought the drama.  

At the Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala in 2024, Carrie Underwood wore a silver multi-textured frock by Rafik Zaki with silver sandals and a delicately layered necklace. Rocking into the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan, Underwood showed up looking more of a mess than a marvel on the red carpet. The crinkled metallic corset top looked like crunched aluminum foil, while the skirt, pulled up haphazardly at the front, looked like something gathered from a shipwreck. However, we have to give credit where it's due; her hair and makeup was fabulous. 

Nonetheless, the gown added excess material around Underwood's silhouette. All of the folds and excess volume seemed to bunch most heavily around her midsection, giving her an unflattering, expanded torso. The nonsensically gathered skirt did nothing to help the situation. In theory, this dress was a great idea. It's full of texture and metallic charm; however, the actual experience of it on the red carpet is unfortunate.