Kelly Clarkson Has Worn Some Spicy Outfits Over The Years

Kelly Clarkson has had a very interesting career. After her success in 2002 on "American Idol," Clarkson's music career really took off, garnering her many accolades and awards. Then she switched gears a bit to be a coach on "The Voice," where she occasionally revisits to perform, and in 2019, she was able to add talk show host to her list of accomplishments. And, unlike some celebrities who can't really navigate having their own talk show, leading it to be canceled after only a couple seasons, Clarkson proved she definitely has a knack for it. "The Kelly Clarkson Show" is currently in its sixth season.

But despite her professional successes, when it comes to style, Clarkson isn't someone who immediately comes to mind as being particularly fashionable. In many ways, Clarkson seems to prefer to embrace that girl-next-door energy and aesthetic, something that adds to her lovability, as well as her approachability. "I'm comfortable in my skin," Clarkson told Oprah Daily in 2020. "I don't want to dress, sing, or think like someone else... and at the end of the day, if you're not being your authentic self, one day you will wake up and you [won't be able to] even find that person anymore."

Although keeping things low key on the fashion front is definitely part of Clarkson's authenticity, every once in a while she rocks something that evokes a raised eyebrow — in a good way — that makes her fans realize that she has some spiciness in her. Something that has very much become obvious after Clarkson's recent weight loss journey and we're loving that for her.

When Kelly Clarkson performed during the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Festival in September of that year, she showed she wasn't afraid to pull off the topless blazer look. She wore what appeared to be a lace, semi see-through body suit with a matching blazer and leather thigh-high boots. Not only did the look prove that Clarkson can be equal parts sexy and spicy, it also had her rocking summer 2024's pantless trend a whole year in advance. Thigh-high boots aren't always an easy look to pull off, especially when you're on the shorter side like Clarkson, but she definitely nailed it by opting for a blazer that covered her enough to show just the right amount of thigh.

In June 2018, Kelly Clarkson performed on "Today" at the Rockefeller Plaza wearing a dress that served up some seriously sexy dominatrix type vibes. Although it's hard to tell if the dress was paneled in pleather, latex, or patent leather, it's undeniable that this was a fun and spicy look — especially if it was summer in Manhattan. Because this appearance revealed a slimmer Clarkson, her weight, of course, was addressed by Hoda Kotb who asked her what her secret was. "You know what? I don't work out. I mean, I should, because of your heart and stuff," Clarkson told Kotb via Billboard. "But I do wine instead!" In the same conversation, Clarkson mentioned that she'd been suffering with an autoimmune disease and a thyroid problem that had been affecting her weight and its fluctuations.

When Kelly Clarkson returned to "The Voice" in May 2025 to sing her new song, "Where Have You Been," she didn't just deliver an amazing, goosebump-inducing performance; she also served an outfit with whole new level of saucy that caused jaws to drop left and right. Appearing in head-to-toe sparkles thanks to a plunging v-neckline jumpsuit and dramatic feather-embellished sleeves, Clarkson was a boatload of gorgeous. If that weren't enough, the singer's confidence really came through during the performance. She also looked at ease when she was posing for photos before and afterward, proving that she's arrived in more ways than one.

Because it would be remiss to not take a dive into Kelly Clarkson's past spicy looks, here she is in 2005 at a Z100 Zootopia performance going full Y2K fashion mode with black lingerie as outerwear. The ultra-low-rise jeans with a lace body suit is such a perfect choice for the era. Although the outfit looks anything but comfortable — after all, those are clearly standing-only jeans — Clarkson is making it work. It also might be safe to say that Clarkson took a page from Britney Spears with this particular getup, with her upper thighs and hips completely visible. We all know that Spears, even to this day, really loves a low-rise waist.

If we're going to touch upon the early 2000s, then the wave of low-cut backs needs to be addressed. For several years, it seemed like celebrities were in competition with themselves to get their gown to plunge as deep as possible down their back without revealing too much. Although Gillian Anderson cornered the market on this type of dress, unforgettably exposing her thong at a 2001 Vanity Fair party, Clarkson flirted with the trend at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. But because it's not Clarkson's style to be overtly revealing, she was able to be spicy while keeping things on par with timeless sophistication and old Hollywood glamour.