6 Times Big Bang Theory Star Melissa Rauch's Outfits Missed The Mark

It all started with a big bang, but there were times it ended in a fizzle. Fans of "The Big Bang Theory" will forever remember Bernadette's squeaky voice, rectangular glasses, and tiny cardigan sweaters. In real life, the actor who portrayed the microbiologist, Melissa Rauch, speaks in deeper tones, is rarely seen in spectacles, and has made some wardrobe choices far odder than her on-screen persona. The married mom of two has had some fabulous style transformations and some not-so-fabulous ones.

After "The Big Bang Theory," Rauch embarked on several projects and followed up her sitcom success with the new version of "Night Court," playing judge Abby Stone. She's been walking red carpets since her first series hit the top of the ratings charts. "TBBT" pulled in a total of 10 primetime Emmy Awards, and Rauch wore glamorous gowns to several of the award ceremonies. She's also had her fair share of fashion fails throughout the years.

When she made an appearance on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" in January 2023, she wore sweatpants and an oversized hoodie sweatshirt. "I've been in sweatpants for three weeks," she explained. "To be honest, I've been in sweatpants for three years." While her wardrobe was beyond casual, her makeup and hair were done, and Rauch admitted that's as far as she could get. "I tried to take the next step, and I couldn't do it." She has yet to pop up on the red carpet wearing baggy athletic gear, but there were a few times she might have been better off if she had.

Doubling up on tops started popping up in the '90s, with someone casually wearing a shirt under a bustier. Over time, though, it became a trend, with designers intentionally combining what looked like two separate pieces into one. The trend has been thriving for years, sometimes working and sometimes not. In the case of the gown Melissa Rauch wore in March 2023 to the "Carol Burnett: 90 Years Of Laugher + Love" birthday special, we're going to put it firmly in the "didn't work" category.

Her ensemble for the evening appeared to be a strapless gown over a long-sleeve velvet shirt. The gown portion of the dress was chic and elegant, sewn from a rich, lightly textured fabric that appeared to be taffeta or shantung. The silhouette was perfect for the "Night Court" star, with a nipped-in waist and a full skirt that didn't dwarf her small frame. The top of it ended in a slightly angled, strapless finish that provided both coverage and shape to enhance Rauch's curves. The second part of the gown was also elegant, with slightly puffed sleeves and a rounded collar that was made from a velvet material. 

Alone, each of the two parts of the actor's dress would have made a fashionable and sophisticated choice. But combined? The effect simply looks like someone couldn't decide between two pretty dresses and Frankenstein-ed them together. 

The red carpet can be an uncomfortable place, with foundation garments constricting and poking, itchy stitching, and heavy fabrics. However, there are comfortable solutions other than wearing a bathrobe — something someone on Melissa Rauch's team should have whispered to her before she went to the NBC Fall Comedy Celebration in October 2024. 

Pretty in pink was not the first phrase that came to mind when spying the star's pastel confection of an outfit. The very shiny wardrobe choice came in the form of a wrap dress tied together at the waist, just like a robe. It also had a V-neck collar, just like a robe, and was made from satin, just like a robe. Leading us to believe the gown was, indeed, a robe, perhaps one that Rauch had slipped on while she did her hair and makeup.

Making it look even more like something that should never leave the comfort of the bathroom or bedroom was the fit. The sleeves were inches too long, bunching above the wrist, while the skirt portion of the dress was boxy with an unflattering drape and uneven hem. The pale pink hue wasn't a great match for her complexion, either — but it was a pretty good match for Bernadette Maryann Rostenkowski's gown in the Miss California Quiznos 1999 beauty pageant.

The sun was shining, the birds may have been singing, and Melissa Rauch was all smiles for the Creative Coalition's Television Humanitarian Awards Gala in September 2022. After 209 episodes of "The Big Bang Theory," we got used to seeing the star in cute little dresses with matching cardigans, and this was one time we wished Bernadette had been put in charge of the actor's wardrobe. 

Rauch's dress for the event was little, but it definitely lacked the cute factor. Giant puffy sleeves were only the tip of the green iceberg. The dress featured chest-to-hem buttons and a giant collar, which awkwardly overlapped with what we guessed was a hidden pin to keep the neckline from dipping too low. The shirring along the sides was perhaps meant to add flair and follow Rauch's shape, but it hurt more than it helped. The pleating failed in its fashion statement and instead made it seem like the dress didn't fit properly. 

If Bernadette couldn't help by providing a cardigan to cover up at least part of this mess of a dress, maybe Abby Stone could have offered up a judge's robe from "Night Court" to cover the whole thing.

Standing under 5 feet tall, there's no denying Melissa Rauch is a petite woman. So, it comes as a shock that she would choose a dress that absolutely dwarfs her in both volume and length. While we don't expect her to avoid all fashion just because it doesn't come in her size, it seems that a few alterations would have been welcome. 

When the actor made an appearance on "Today Show" in January 2023, she was captured on the sidewalk in New York City wearing a floral-print dress. The top half of the gown fit her snugly, showing off her curves and slim waist, and she pushed the sleeves up to fit above her wrists. The bottom, however, was a bit of a hot mess. Layers of ruffles landed in a high-low hem, meant to be shorter in the front and longer in the back. But even with the tall heels Rauch wore, the front still landed firmly in the shin area at its highest point. 

The worst of it all was the dragging back. NYC isn't always the cleanest place, and when you're about to go on national TV, the last thing you need is a dress that was dragged through chewed-up gum, dirt, January weather, and any number of assorted fluids. A quick hem job by a seamstress could have raised the entire length of the dress a few inches, defining that high-low fashion detail and getting the back off the nasty ground.

In an event sponsored by actual critics, it seems like a bad idea to wear an outfit that might (and does) inspire a thorough examination. At first glance, Melissa Rauch's dress for the Critics Choice Awards in February 2025 looks pretty enough, especially its gorgeous royal-purple hue. But when the eye hones in, troubling things begin to appear — so very many things. 

It's tea-length and off the shoulder, showing skin at both ends. There's layers of gauzy organza pieced together, some of it left floating about for a sheer effect, and some grounded in multiple layers with pleating and shirring. There are ruffles, too, positioned around the neckline, and more that glide down the side of the skirt, and even more serving as flutter sleeves. And there are flowers, blooming bunches of a deeper purple fabric tucked here and there along the waist, the skirt, and even on top of one shoulder.

As if all the extra trimmings and embellishments weren't distracting enough, Rauch added a satin clutch purse in a fuchsia hue that wasn't quite purple enough to match and not quite pink enough to contrast as a fun pop of color. And we'd be remiss if we didn't call out the shoes, a clunky black pump that didn't even try to mimic any color she was wearing. It was all enough to earn her a spot on The List's Worst Dressed Stars at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards.