The Worst-Dressed Celebs At The White House Correspondents' Dinner

The annual White House Correspondents' Dinner brings together noted journalists and celebs for some light-hearted political ribbing, often at the president's expense. This year was no exception, with host Colin Jost leading the way in taking jabs at both President Biden and rival Donald Trump. Biden joined in on the fun, making a sly "stormy weather" joke and proudly saying, "My vice president actually endorses me!" (per CNN) But the event has also become famous for the fashion as much as the roasting. Once considered a "nerd prom," as The New York Times put it, the dinner is an opportunity for guests to show off their best designer wear.

Almost everyone came through. Scarlett Johansson was dazzling in a white Armani column gown with scarf, and Fran Drescher's white brocade suit was equally stunning. Basic black perfectly suited celebs like Rosario Dawson, Rachel Brosnahan, and Keri Russell, while Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Molly Ringwald, Abby Philip, and Joely Fisher chose bold and beautiful colors. They can't all be winners, however, and a few attendees arrived in outfits that were too daring, too dull, or just too bad. Here are the ones who stood out from the rest.

John Fetterman is best known for two things: trouncing controversy-laden Dr. Oz in the 2022 Pennsylvania Senate race, and his preference for wearing shorts, sneakers, and hoodies to work. He's caught plenty of heat for it from his fellow members of Congress, but Fetterman has said his casual dress has helped in his recovery from a stroke and clinical depression. We definitely applaud his courage, and we'll even give him credit for donning a "formal" top with a bow tie and corsage embellishment. But the senator still doesn't win any fashion awards on an evening calling for designer duds.

MTV veejay-turned-Fox News correspondent Kennedy overdid it on the plaid for the big event. The gown itself has that whole Christmas taffeta aura about it, and the tartan is a bit dark for a springtime formal dinner. Still, she might have pulled it off if not for the matching opera-length gloves, which create a camouflage effect. Kennedy's mismatched jewelry — a chunky cuff, a delicate pearl choker, drop earrings, and an overlong beaded necklace — doesn't do her any favors, either.

Models are typically fashion-forward, and Coco Rocha was no exception. She appeared on the red carpet in a tulle Christian Soriano confection, featuring an exaggerated peplum and capelet. The eye-catching style may have been more appropriate for the Met Gala than the WHCA, but the real drawback is the color. The gown's pale pink washes out Rocha's complexion, pulling attention even further away from her face. A dark gray or sage would really have made the dress pop.

Then again, hot pink can be just as unflattering as pale pink, especially when it's paired with a gown like the one NBC News correspondent Kristen Welker wore. The drapey dress with bishop sleeves was a Barbie color minus the Barbie cuteness. Shorter sleeves and a V or square neckline would have helped the "Meet the Press" moderator, along with a few contrasting accents — say, a gold belt instead of the loose tie, or some metal detailing around the cuffs.

Kelly O'Donnell is the current president of the WHCA as well as being an NBC senior White House correspondent, so she was under extra pressure to look her best for the occasion. But her effort to go glam with a silver floor-length gown fell short. Not that she didn't look beautiful, but the dress style veered a little too much into mother-of-the-bride territory, especially with the spangled capelet accent. O'Donnell's pulled-back hairstyle added to her matronly air. 

Former "Bachelor" finalist Madison Prewett ended up splitting from Peter Weber and finally finding happiness with new husband Grant Troutt. But seeing Prewett Troutt at the White House Correspondents' Dinner brought back all those memories of her time at the famous mansion. Her navy gown could have come straight from one of the rose ceremonies — not necessarily a bad thing, but nothing spectacular, either. Thankfully, Prewett Troutt didn't butcher the rosette trend as badly as Kimberly Guilfoyle did a few weeks back, but the oversized detail of her one sleeve just didn't do it for us.

CNN's Kate Bolduan also hosts StreamOnMax's "5 Things," which summarizes the top stories of the day. So we'll follow her lead and list the 5 Things Wrong with Her WHCA Outfit. 1. The barely-there corset bodice is better suited to a Grammy nominee than a news journalist. 2. The oversized mid-arm sleeves are way awkward — hope she doesn't have to reach across the table for the butter plate. 3. The skirt's bunchy elastic waistline looks like something out of a preschool dress-up chest. 4. Its lack of a side slit; Bolduan looks uncomfortable even standing still. 5. Everything, okay? Everything is wrong with it.