Paula Deen Outfits That Completely Missed The Mark

Paula Deen's career has been defined by her Southern cuisine and racist scandals, with the former Food Network star being nearly unrecognizable over a decade after her controversy. However, a lesser-known part of the Georgia native's career is her foray into fashion, as Deen launched her very own clothing line in 2016. "I've been trying to do this for years," she told People. "It was a little hard for me to break out of the kitchen because that's how people think of me. But if you notice, I never cooked naked. I was always wearing clothes!"

The fashion line, called Paula Deen's Closet, was geared toward older women and prioritized comfort and affordability. "I tried to design these clothes for any kind of body shape, whether you're the pear, the banana or the apple," Deen told Fox News, with the former "Paula's Home Cooking" star being one of the celebrity chefs sharing tips for managing weight. Regardless of her entry into the fashion world, Deen herself hasn't been immune to fashion flops over the years. While these misses haven't reached the epic portion of some of the worst-dressed celebrities, they've still managed to miss the mark.

Back in 2007, Paula Deen won two daytime Emmys for her Food Network show "Paula's Home Cooking," earning the awards for Outstanding Lifestyle Program and Outstanding Lifestyle Host. While the series was recognized for its greatness at the time, we wish we could say the same for Deen's award-show outfit. The on-screen chef attended the untelevised event with her husband Michael Groover, donning a floor-length gray gown that featured a baby blue leaf pattern with a stain-like shine. Over her dress, Deen wore a similarly shiny, silver cardigan with a structured collar. While she seemingly arrived at the event with some pointed-toed heels, she was later pictured barefoot onstage and on the red carpet. 

Though this isn't Deen's worst outfit ever, it fails to reach the level of glamour she's shooting for. Not only is the jacket too long, falling awkwardly past the waist, but it also appears to be ill-fitted, tightening where it's fastened in the middle and puckering in other places. As a result, we also see lots of creases in the satin-like fabric, dampening the effect of the luxurious shine. We appreciate that Deen wanted to look fancy for the event, but we think keeping her shoes on probably would've helped.

As a celebrity chef, Paula Deen has made several guest appearances on competition shows, including "MasterChef" and "Iron Chef America." In 2011, she served as a guest judge on the Bravo series "Top Chef," appearing alongside John Besh, Tom Colicchio, and Padma Lakshmi. She might've been able to lend her kitchen expertise as a judge, but her initial outfit completely missed the mark.

Deen wore a black, button-up shirt, a pair of blue jeans, and silver flats. She accessorized with a silver watch, a chain necklace, and small hoop earrings. Unfortunately, the simple outfit isn't enough to make the Georgia native stand out from the crowd, as her top looks pretty similar to the chef uniforms worn by the show's contestants. Other than this, the ensemble completely misses the mark in its simplicity. Given that she was a special guest for the show, we think Deen should've worn something a bit more interesting.

Another odd outfit from Paula Deen came in 2012 when she appeared at "TimesTalk," an annual event hosted by The New York Times. Notably, while being interviewed by journalist Kim Severson, the celebrity chef commented on race relations in the South. "I feel like the South is almost less prejudiced because black folks played such an integral part in our lives," she said. "They were like our family." These controversial remarks came roughly a year before the media was overtaken with revelations of Deen's racism. In the deposition for an employee lawsuit, the "Paula's Home Cooking" host admitted to wanting Black employees to dress as slaves for a wedding and using racial slurs in the past. Deen's "TimesTalk" outfit isn't anywhere as extreme as her racism, but it certainly is an interesting look.

The former Food Network star wore a loose blouse and a knee-length leather skirt, with the latter being a surprising choice for a chef. Deen styled the outfit with tights, brown boots, gold jewelry, and a pair of glasses. It feels like she was probably going for a look more artsy and urbane than her typical ensembles, but she couldn't quite pull it off. Not only do the pairings feel overly boxy, with neither the skirt nor blouse being particularly fitted, but the bottom half of the outfit feels lost in its brown color scheme.

Paula Deen has made plenty of appearances at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival over the years, which is held annually in Miami, Florida. Months before her racism scandal erupted, the Southern chef hosted Moët Hennessy's "The Q," which brought together festival goers for spirits, barbeque, and live entertainment, at the 2013 event.

Deen sported a flowy dress with a blue and white pattern and silver, flower-adorned flip-flops. She wore bracelets on both arms and a pair of circular earrings. The gown itself featured a confusing silhouette, with the draping forming a symmetrical V-shape at the hem that vaguely mirrors the neckline. Maybe this was supposed to be an artistic choice, but it looks more awkward in practice than anything else. On top of the odd shape, the shiny, satin-like fabric paired with the flowy nature of the garment reminds us of a fancy robe. We're all for being comfortable in what you wear, but we think that Deen could've managed something that met the vibe a little better.

Back in 2015, Paula Deen competed on Season 21 of "Dancing with the Stars," pairing up with dancer Louis van Amstel. Throughout her six-episode run, the celebrity chef had some noteworthy outfits, with her French courtesan look inspired by Madonna's "Vogue" being a controversial standout. Still, not all of Deen's performance fits hit the mark, with her Week 3 outfit looking more like a discount Halloween costume than an eye-catching dance ensemble.

Deen and Amstel danced the samba to a rendition of the "Gilligan's Island" theme song, with the two dressing up as Lovey and Thurston Howell, the show's older millionaire couple. Deen donned a polka-dotted, loose-fitting blouse and a slitted blue skirt. Pearl necklaces, teardrop earrings, and a blue flower accessorized the outfit. While we can definitely see the inspiration behind the look, the fabric and construction are cheap-looking. Not only does this miss the mark of millionaire wife glamour, but it also pales in comparison to the striking outfits that contestants typically wear.