The Worst-Dressed Moments From Hallmark's Leading Ladies

In Hollywood, some actors work with the same directors over and over again, like how Bill Murray has been in nine of Wes Anderson's movies as of writing. There's a similar sphere of familiarity around the Hallmark Network movies, as the same actors appear on the channel frequently. Any avid, or even casual, Hallmark watcher likely recognizes the queen of Hallmark Christmas movies Lacey Chabert, who has appeared in films such as "Haul Out the Holly" and the "Crossword Mysteries" series. Another mainstay on the network is Alison Sweeney, known for projects like the "A Hannah Swensen Mystery" series and "A Magical Christmas Village." Both Chabert and Sweeney collaborated with Autumn Reeser for "The Wedding Veil" movie series, and the trio are friends in real life too. Reeser is also known for "Junebug," "A Glenbrooke Christmas," and more.

Erin Krakow, the star and executive producer of Hallmark's long-running TV series "When Calls the Heart," could be considered Hallmark royalty as well. She's worked on films for the network too, such as "It Was Always You" and "Marrying Father Christmas." Rachael Leigh Cook of "She's All That" fame began working with Hallmark in 2016 with "Summer Love," and she's racked up quite the Hallmark filmography as well.

All these talented actors shine as leading ladies on Hallmark, especially when it comes to their carefully chosen wardrobes that are perfect for a snowy winter evening or a cozy snuggle session by the fire. However, the actors' outfits for red carpets and other appearances occasionally leave something to be desired.

The Christmas Con event is one that many Hallmark actors have attended over the years, including the iconic Lacey Chabert. At one of the conventions in August 2022, Chabert wore a strapless dress in a buttery yellow shade. The bodice had a twist in the fabric, which would have been just fine on its own. However, extra fabric fanned out from the top and bottom of the twist, giving the bodice of the dress the vibes of a candy wrapper. If seeing Chabert in that dress made you want to treat yourself to a bag of Donty-Tonty Butterscotch Hard Candy, you're not the only one.

One thing that would have made a difference for Chabert's outfit was if she had put her hair up in a bun or high ponytail instead of leaving it down. The vibrancy of an updo would have matched well with the busy bodice on her dress and given the look a new life.

For the "Christopher Robin" movie premiere in 2018, Alison Sweeney wore a button-up shirtdress with black and dark gray stripes. She paired the look with a tan belt, tan heels, and a thin silver necklace with small studs. The look seemed a little casual for a movie premiere. However, it was a premiere for a family movie. The real detriment of the outfit was that the striped shirtdress looked like an old-timey prisoner's jumpsuit (or the costume version a Halloween store would sell). Maybe the striped look would have been a hit for the premiere of "Paddington 2," but unlike Paddington Bear, Winnie the Pooh has not served jail time.

Sweeney should have opted for a pattern or color that felt lighter and more whimsical for the "Christopher Robin" premiere. Also, Winnie the Pooh's favorite food is honey, meaning gold jewelry and accents would have been a nice addition.

At the Burbank International Film Festival in 2022, Autumn Reeser walked the red carpet wearing a cream-colored pair of pants, which seemed to be silk or satin. She had a matching cream purse and pointy heels, but the top half of her outfit seemed a lot more casual: a white, see-through tank top with a black bra made of lace visible underneath and peeking above the neckline. Overall, Reeser's look was not cohesive. The fabrics of the top and pants clashed, with one seeming very high-end and the other seeming very much like a laundry day choice. Also, the light hues of the top and pants were too similar and made for a dull color combination. The pop of black lace was a nice touch, but it also seemed out of place.

Something that would have turned this look around would have been a different-colored top that looked a little fancier, and/or a matching silk or satin blazer in the same cream color to tie the pieces all together. However, Reeser would have really rocked the carpet if she had gone for brighter shades overall.

In February 2020, Erin Krakow sat down with the Hallmark Channel's talk show "Home & Family" to discuss "When Calls the Heart." For that appearance, she wore a dark blue dress with a white floral pattern, mostly comprised of small printed daisies. The sleeves were long but didn't quite reach her wrists, and the skirt reached past her knees. Krakow's dress from that interview makes the worst dressed list because the pattern was far too dizzying. It looked like the fabric someone's great-grandmother would use in a quilt.

Perhaps that was the intention — "When Calls the Heart" takes place in the 20th century, after all. However, Krakow's look could have been elevated by a simpler pattern, or perhaps no pattern at all. It also would have been very nice if an accessory, like a simple bracelet or a cute belt that matched her white high-heeled shoes, was added to the outfit.

Another Hallmark leading lady whose worst-dressed moment was at a movie premiere is Rachael Leigh Cook. At the 2016 premiere of "Passengers," she wore a rather odd outfit: a black bra and white miniskirt under a sheer, floral-patterned dress or skirt and top set. The dress or set had flowy sleeves and ruching on the bodice and neck. The look was pulled together with black heels, a black belt, and a black purse.

Whereas Erin Krakow's dress looked like grandma's quilting fabric, Cook's outfit looked like one of grandma's doilies gone wild. The floral pattern on the sheer fabric is nice, but the look is visually very odd due to the visible undergarments not seeming to match the vibe. Perhaps if the bra and skirt were either both white or black instead of mixing and matching, it wouldn't feel so disjointed. However, kudos to Cook's hairstylist for the sleek, slicked-back hair look, which seemed particularly fitting for a futuristic sci-fi project such as "Passengers."