The Absolute Worst Dressed Stars At The 2024 CMT Awards
The 2024 CMT Music Awards have arrived. As the television and movie award season is winding down, award season in the world of country music is just ramping up. And this isn't just an exciting time for country fans; it's also exciting for those of us who love out-there and over-the-top red carpet looks. In the country world, fashion is all over the map. There are folks who pay homage to their music roots with denim-on-denim and their favorite pair of cowboy boots, while others who love to test the boundaries of fashion. Getting stars with a penchant for experimenting with their looks all together in one place is the perfect recipe for major fashion hits and plenty of big misses.
This year's CMT Awards brought us what we've come to expect from a country music red carpet: a lot of fashion surprises. And consequently, we've got a stacked list of worst dressed stars. Plenty of folks left little to the imagination with their outfits, and others piled on way too much. Get ready for one exciting assortment of unusual outfits from one amazing night of country music.
Harper Grace looked like she raided a fabric store
Harper Grace wore a black and silver mini dress with black and silver accessories. That may sound simple enough, but in the case of this getup, it is anything but simple. Between the silver chains at the top of her dress, the hanging black fabric, and the chunky necklace that is reminiscent of a silver bow on top of a gift, this whole ensemble looks like Grace simply made her look out of leftover scraps from wrapping presents.
Carter Faith wore her underwear out in the open
Despite being notoriously difficult to pull off, underwear as outerwear has been a trend as of late. The see-through lace dress that Carter Faith wore on the red carpet put a twist on this that we actually liked. The super high-waisted underwear and strapless bra actually created a silhouette that made her visible underwear work. Unfortunately, the rest of the dress made the look fall flat. The lace, glittery finish, and oversized shoulder bows made this dress look more fit for a dance recital than the red carpet.
Roberta Lea took the rhinestone cowboy look too far
Roberta Lea wore two of country music's all-time favorite fashion trends: a cowboy hat and tons of rhinestones. Yet, while those elements may be the epitome of country music, this look just ever-so-slightly missed the mark. The silhouette and cut of this two-piece ensemble looks beautiful on Lea. The rhinestones, however, make it look over-the-top, and the hat and oversized earrings take the style in too many directions. Without the accessories and glitz, this look would've been the epitome of red carpet class.
Cody Belew tried too many trends
Going bare under one's suit jacket has been a trend throughout this awards season. Cody Belew put a twist on it by layering a mesh shirt under his suit. This may have actually been an interesting twist on this look, but unfortunately, he paired it with way too many other elements. We've been seeing men rocking corsets with suits more and more as of late, but this glittery one just looks like too much when paired with other eye-catching elements like the mesh shirt and a uniquely shaped, shiny suit.
Macie Banks looked ready for her school's semiformal dance
The one-shoulder blue mini dress that Macie Banks wore on the red carpet was utterly perplexing. So much about this look felt dated, but how she styled it also felt very juvenile. All in all, it looks like Banks may have recycled a school dance look she wore in her youth, and that just didn't work for this red carpet. To pull off this dress for this occasion, Banks needed some edgier accessories, a more sophisticated hairstyle, and maybe even some statement makeup.
Sam Williams looked like popped bubble gum
Sam Williams certainly took a few fashion risks with this outfit; we're just not sure why he chose to take them all at once. While the bubblegum pink flared pants are the most eye-catching part of this 'fit, these actually could have been fun if styled differently. After all, there's something very "I'm Just Ken" about them. Yet, the suit jacket with lace-y sleeves just didn't fit the vibe of the pants, and choosing to go shirtless underneath with a chunky pendant necklace took the outfit in more random directions.
Derek and Brandon Campbell's coordinating 'fits fell flat
Derek and Brandon Campbell boldly wore black and blue on the red carpet, but they ended up looking like they were getting ready for bed in fancy matching pajamas, rather than suits. We love their commitment to coordination, but the shiny blue fabric and lace jacket looked less elevated and more like sleepwear. This duo once again proved that the shirtless suit trend is a look that's far from easy to pull off.
Stephanie Quayle sported shameless self promotion
You shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but we're making an exception here. Stephanie Quayle's outfit loudly paid homage to her forthcoming book, "Why Do We Stay?: How My Toxic Relationship Can Help You Find Freedom," which comes out on April 30. Quayle is understandably excited, but this dress took things a bit too far. Does her book cover important topics? Yes. Was this actually a good way to promote her book? Also, yes. Yet, carrying the bag with an otherwise understated ensemble may have achieved subtlety while still getting her point across.
Erin Enderlin was underdressed
Different award shows have various levels of formality, and the CMT Awards are certainly a bit more open to casual attire than others. Yet, Erin Enderlin officially took that dress code too far. A few stars successfully rocked jeans on this red carpet; after all, denim and country go hand-in-hand. Yet, Enderlin's jeans felt ill-fitting and out-of-date, and there wasn't enough interest in the rest of the look to balance them out. While, this look isn't our cup of tea, perhaps it is, to quote her song, "somebody's shot of whiskey."
Jane Seymour's attempt at country style bombed
We have to give Jane Seymour credit: She doesn't come from the world of country music, but she still wanted to dress the part for the CMT Awards. We can, therefore, appreciate her cowboy boots, but what the heck is going on with the rest of this look? The dress' silhouette is strange thanks to its dropped waist, sequins, and asymmetrical skirt, and the tights underneath make it clash even more with the boots. Furthermore, her hair, makeup, and jewelry are too pared down to balance out the rest of the look.
Meghan Patrick wore a bad denim dress
We've said it before, and we'll say it again: denim just screams country. So, dressing denim up a bit for the CMT Awards feels like a perfect choice. Yet, Meghan Patrick's outfit did this in all the wrong ways. The grey, acid wash look of this denim doesn't do Patrick's coloring justice, and accessorizing it with chunky turquoise and a cowboy hat almost feels costume-y. The worst offense here, though, is the matching denim trench coat with black fringe. There's just way too much going on here, and it overwhelms the star.
Leah Turner wore an even worse denim dress
If you thought that Meghan Patrick sported the worst denim dress on this year's red carpet, think again. Leah Turner somehow managed to outdo her even without a coordinating floor-length jacket. There's no way around it: this strapless mini dress with a giant denim flower just isn't cute. We're not sure that any accessories could salvage this, but Turner's beige cowboy hat, fringe-y sandals, and fishtail braid certainly weren't able to do it.
Priscilla Block wore see-through pants
Amidst a sea of confusing outfits, Priscilla Block may have had one of the most confusing. This is particularly impressive, since Block took home the same title on our 2023 CMA Awards Worst Dressed List. This year, Block wore a black corset and see-through black pants with a floral design. This outfit, in itself, was risky, but it may have worked with different accessories. Yet, the strappy necklaces and thick choker just added too many confusing details to an already distracting ensemble.
Blanco Brown stopped by on his way to the airport
We can all relate to needing to bring our extra roomy bag along to certain occasions. After all, sometimes you want to have all your stuff with you. But, why is it that Blanco Brown had so much to carry at the CMT Awards that he had to bring that bag? That aside, he's dressed a bit too casually for the event. And while his self-promotion wasn't quite as egregious as Stephanie Quayle's book ad, his Blanco Brown baseball cap did feel just a little over-the-top.
Lily Rose wore a boring brown look
We love when a star has a signature look, and that's certainly true of Lily Rose. The "Villain" singer is often seen sporting a baseball cap and some iteration of denim-on-denim. Yet, Rose can do formalwear very well, as she proved last year when she sported a black and white tuxedo at her wedding. The black and brown ensemble she wore on this year's CMT Awards red carpet is utterly blah, and we'd love to see her find a way to elevate her go-to look at the next awards show.
Melissa Etheridge wore way too many textures
It's not easy to make an entirely black ensemble feel like too much, but Melissa Etheridge managed to do just that. While she may have opted for just one color, she overloaded her look when it came to texture. The shiny finish of the jacket paired with the satin-y shirt and leather, beaded pants made for way too many elements going on at once — and that was before piling on multiple eye-catching accessories. The hat, chunky necklaces, and big belt buckle just made the whole outfit feel distracting.
Angie K was a monochrome mess
Angie K dressed in head-to-toe shiny beige, and let's just say — there's a reason why people don't typically do that. The color and fabric of these cargo pants are both difficult to pull off, and for cargo pants to be made in this type of fabric, at all, is strange. Pairing them with this overly detailed top just didn't work, either. Furthermore, the pared-down vibe of the shoes plus her hair and makeup just didn't jive well with the monochromatic top and pants.
Keith Urban looked plain old boring
It must be true that opposites attract, since Nicole Kidman always styles herself perfectly on the red carpet, and her husband, Keith Urban, wore this. There's nothing wrong with Urban's outfit, per se, but it's really only appropriate if you're heading to the grocery store. This flannel paired with black jeans and casual black and white shoes just doesn't feel elevated enough for the occasion. Not only would we love to see Urban sporting something more formal, but it would also be great to see him taking a bit of a fashion risk.