Carrie Underwood's Most Inappropriate Outfits Yet

Carrie Underwood has been belting country bangers for over two decades now, and her career doesn't seem to be slowing down. In 2024, Underwood scored a spot on the "American Idol" judges panel, replacing "Woman's World" singer Katy Perry and becoming the first alum to return as a full-time panelist. Underwood is also making headlines for accepting the opportunity to perform at Donald Trump's second presidential inauguration in January 2025. In short, she's keeping busy, and this jam-packed schedule is sure to be equally stacked with stunning fashions as the "Before He Cheats" singer plays to the cameras.

Only time will tell, however, how many of Underwood's ensembles will be successes. While she's been known to rock some incredible looks — Carrie Underwood's sequined separates at the 2023 CMT Music Awards live rent-free in our brains — she's also shown some dramatic sartorial failures. From outfits that didn't fit their events to borderline scandalous tailoring disasters, Underwood has sported a few looks over the years that were outright inappropriate.

In August 2024, Carrie Underwood appeared on "Good Morning America" in an ensemble that blended classic country styles like denim and cowboy boots with modern trends. Most notably, she styled 2024's pervasive hot pants trend with a pair of skin-tight, high-cut, and high-waisted jorts. While the teeny-weeny micro shorts probably weren't to everyone's taste, you might wonder: What's so inappropriate about jumping on a fad? Celebrities do it all the time, and we certainly can't fault Underwood for wanting to show off her gorgeous legs.

The biggest problem with Underwood's shorts wasn't with their style but their execution. Underwood is an energetic performer, and these shorts weren't made with movement in mind — when they weren't awkwardly restricting her high kicks, they were unintentionally gaping at the crotch in a way that was hard to look away from, offering fans invasive peeks of what lay underneath. This surely wasn't what the "Blown Away" singer had in mind, not to mention that it didn't gel with the vibe of a morning talk show.

This wardrobe malfunction was distracting, to say the least, and fans quickly pointed out the scandalous shorts on posts from the "Good Morning America" Instagram account. "Yikes, the shorts kind of look like a diaper," wrote one commenter, while another added, "How dare her stylist let her wear those ill-fitted shorts! They have one job!" Unfortunately, this look wasn't the only time that Underwood's stylists sent her out in an outfit that got attention for all the wrong reasons.

Carrie Underwood's style has come a long way from the understated jeans and T-shirts she favored during her days as an "American Idol" contestant. As her fame has grown, so has her flair for the sparkly and dramatic, which can come in handy when performing regular shows in Las Vegas. However, some long-time fans felt that the over-the-top wardrobe for her "REFLECTION" residency in Sin City clashed with Underwood's established image and values. One promotional outfit, shared by Underwood on Instagram in 2021, raised a particular hue and cry. In the photo, Carrie Underwood bared a lot of skin in a sheer, black bodysuit with tasseled sleeves, sequined overlays, and a plunging neckline.

Underwood's post immediately became a hotbed of conflicting opinions as followers argued over the appropriateness of the ensemble. "This is not the Carrie I know. This getup does not do anything for you," wrote one, while another added, "She doesn't need that image — Vegas or not!" Other critics called the look hypocritical and even un-Christian. As one argued, "You don't need clothes this revealing Carrie, it's your talent people want to see and hear."

Fair enough, this shift in style may seem like a departure from the same singer who told Glamour in 2017, "I definitely don't [show] stomach, because nobody wants to see that. ... That's not me. And cleavage can be done in a tasteful manner — you can be intelligent, sexy, and not have boobs everywhere." However, one fan offered a rebuttal to Underwood's outfit haters, commenting on the original post, "Guys, stop being rude. She can wear what she wants. Just because you wear something doesn't mean you're not a Christian. That comes from your heart, not what you wear."

Carrie Underwood wore some stunning and timeless pieces at the 2013 Country Music Association Awards. Since the "If I Didn't Love You" singer was co-hosting the event with Brad Paisley, she had several costume changes and plenty of opportunities to strut her stuff in front of the audience. However, there was one big head-scratcher of a miss among her fashion hits that night: Underwood's bizarre color-blocked Georges Chakra minidress, which embodied none of the glitz, glamor, or country charm of the CMAs. Instead, the geometric panels and random cutouts gave the dress a distinctly retro-futuristic feel, like Underwood was appearing in a live-action adaptation of "The Jetsons."

The dress' chaotic color palette didn't help matters. The stage lighting made the black panels look almost blue, and while navy and marigold can certainly be complementary partners, the introduction of powder pink made the combination feel eye-searing instead. The shiny belt just added another layer of tackiness to the confused design, and ultimately, this look just didn't feel natural in the setting of the CMAs. Maybe Underwood would have had better luck debuting it at a "Star Trek" convention.

Not to harp on about one single night in the span of Carrie Underwood's long and successful career, but another of her 10 — count 'em, 10 — outfits at the 2013 CMAs failed to embody the show's larger-than-life spirit. In a curiously demure turn, Underwood came out in a plain, black long-sleeved top and a pair of riotous blue-and-yellow floral trousers. While the pants' sharp, wide-legged cut made some kind of attempt at fashion, the whole outfit made no sense on stage — it wasn't a showstopper, it wasn't a statement, and it had absolutely nothing to do with country music.

Now, we can think of a few places where this ensemble would have fit right in: while having tea with British royalty, perhaps, or grabbing brunch with a former first lady. (Michelle Obama's stunning style transformation suggests that she loves an interesting trouser or pantsuit.) Nevertheless, it was a dreadful choice for the CMAs — and especially for one of the co-hosts, managing to be both boring and irrelevant by the show's standards.

Sometimes, Carrie Underwood's fashion seems too basic, and other times, it's too flamboyant. But at the 2017 Country Music Television Awards, it somehow managed to be both. Underwood donned several outfits throughout the night, but two had common flaws: Her arrival outfit and her award acceptance dress looked more like figure-skating costumes than haute couture.

Underwood's first look was perfectly cute and feminine, with its bedazzled mesh top and skirt made of iridescent fringe. However, this Elie Madi 'fit practically screamed "Winter Olympics," from its ethereal materials to its frosty color scheme. We almost wouldn't have been surprised if the camera panned down to reveal chunky, white ice skates rather than the strappy heels Underwood actually paired with the ensemble. Pretty? Yes. But not the vibe for the CMT Awards.

Underwood struck a similar note later that night while accepting the female video of the year award for her song "Church Bells." Worn over a visible bodysuit, her dress once again featured sheer, shimmery layers — this time in silver and black, and with the vaguely artsy addition of star-shaped appliqués. It's an interesting design, but it's also one we could easily picture on a figure skater delivering an emotional routine if it simply had a shorter hemline. While we applaud Underwood for stepping outside of the fashion box, sometimes more traditional styles are classics for a reason. At least Underwood isn't the only A-lister who's made this mistake — rink-ready red-carpet looks also feature among Scarlett Johansson's most inappropriate outfits.

Now that we've gone over the "Two Black Cadillacs" singer's most inappropriate outfits, check out the outdated outfits Carrie Underwood has been caught wearing.