The Best Dressed Stars At The 2021 ACM Awards

On Sunday night, country music's most talented (and stylish) stars headed to Nashville for the 2021 Academy of Country Music Awards. Taking to the stage for presentations and performances at Ryman Auditorium, Bluebird Cafe, and Grand Ole Opry House, they took the opportunity to get dressed to the nines for the celebration — and the result was a series of numbers that left us wanting to play dress-up for just a few minutes.

Of course, some attendees made a more memorable splash in the style department than others. Kelsea Ballerini stunned in a colorful emerald gown with matching shoes and accessories, while Song of the Year winner Maren Morris dazzled in a champagne cowl neck gown.

There was no shortage of gowns fit for a princess (looking at you, Carrie Underwood), but other artists stood out by wearing more casual or edgy outfits. From Ballerini to Tenille Arts, here are the best-dressed musicians of the evening.

It's safe to say that emerald green is Kelsea Ballerini's color. According to Ballerini's Instagram post, her look was custom-designed by Dolce & Gabbana and she was (literally) dressed head to toe in emerald green. Wearing a sleeveless floor-length gown with a high slit on one side, she showed just the right amount of skin. Ballerini paired her emerald gown with emerald shoes and even an emerald green mask.

"[T]urning music city emerald," Ballerini captioned her Instagram post.

Maren Morris wore a stunning champagne cowl neck gown when she accepted her award for Song of the Year. It was elegant and had just the right amount of shimmer and sparkle.

Morris's onstage look when she performed "Chasing After You" with her husband Ryan Hurd was different but equally jaw-dropping. For the performance, Morris paired a long-sleeved, off-the-shoulder crop top with a pair of fitted sparkly bell-bottom pants. This outfit was decidedly more difficult to pull off than her gown, but Morris looked flawless as she and Hurd heated up the stage.

Gowns are often an awards show go-to and going the casual route can be risky — but it pays off when the styling is done right. Case in point: Gabby Barrett. Barrett managed to strike the perfect balance of casual and chic in a pair of high-waisted denim jeans paired with a sheer blouse embellished with leaves. The youthful look was perfect for Barrett, who is just 21 years old and will definitely be walking many more red carpets in the future.

Does Carrie Underwood ever disappoint? (That's a rhetorical question, of course). Underwood, 38, performed an incredible gospel medley including hymns like "Amazing Grace" and "How Great Thou Art" while dressed to the nines in a full-on ball gown dress. The dress itself was tulle and featured stunning silver embroidery.

Underwood's dress was fit for a queen, which seems appropriate considering she's basically country music royalty at this point — in September, Underwood made history when she became the first woman to win Entertainer of the Year three times at the ACM Awards.

It was Tenille Arts's first time attending the ACM Awards, and she certainly made a splash on the red carpet. While we love the classic gowns and princess-style dresses, Arts brought some variety to the red carpet by wearing an edgier dress.

According to her Instagram, Arts's off-the-shoulder beige gown with chain metal detailing was custom designed for her by Dolce & Gabbana. She paired the gown with strappy Stuart Weitzman sandals and David Yurman jewelry.