10 Kelly Clarkson Outfit Fails That Remind Us Of Why It's Important To Dress For Your Figure

Since winning the very first season of "American Idol" in 2002, Kelly Clarkson has been a household name. Because she was only 20 when she shot to fame, Clarkson has grown up in the public eye, which of course means that everything about her has been scrutinized, including her body and weight.

"My doctor chased me for like two years, and I was like, 'No I'm afraid of it, I already have thyroid problems,'" Clarkson revealed in a May 2025 episode of "The Kelly Clarkson Show" when talking to Whoopi Goldberg about weight-loss drugs, via Today. "It's funny because people assume, 'Oh she must've been miserable, depressed, whatever,' and I was like, 'No I was not ... I was never insecure about it, I was happy,"

Clarkson has lost a considerable amount of weight over the past few years, and she sometimes encounters outfit fails because she hasn't learned how to dress for her figure just yet. While she's worn a whole slew of outfits that put her killer legs on full display, that doesn't mean those outfits were always hits. In fact, Clarkson has become the perfect example of how important it is to dress for your body type, especially after losing weight.

Kelly Clarkson has said a lot about her weight loss through the years, always being candid about her journey. But as much as she's confronted the topic head-on, where she seems to lack understanding is in her new frame. When she took to the stage of her eponymous show to sing in the summer of 2025, Clarkson wore a striped button-down shirt that looked like it was swallowing her whole. While bigger shirts are trendy right now, the singer's shirt didn't look like it was supposed to be that baggy. Instead, it looks like Clarkson could really use a tailor.

When Kelly Clarkson hosted legendary actor Mark Hamill of "Star Wars" fame on her show, he dressed like a typical dad in his early 70s, which he is, while Clarkson wore black platform heels and an ill-fitting black dress. While it certainly delivered some witchy vibes that were reminiscent of Stevie Nicks, especially with its uneven hem, it's a dress that needed some major cinching all over. Granted, Clarkson seems to have a thing for big sleeves and wide pants, but the look almost swallowed her whole.

While a shirt dress is an absolute classic and should be part of every curated closet of anti-trend staples, it's important that it fits correctly. When Kelly Clarkson wore a khaki shirt dress that she complemented with colorful heels, it looked too boxy on her figure, meaning it was probably a size or two too big. Although a dress like Clarkson's isn't meant to be skintight, it should hug the body a bit more, giving shape to both the design and the person wearing it.

Although a large double-breasted green blazer is a reliable fashion choice and would have looked good on Kelly Clarkson before her weight loss, when she wore one on her show, it looked like she was swimming in it. Sure, oversized blazers can offer an edgy take on traditional men's attire, but here, not so much. In fact, it's giving flashbacks to Karoline Leavitt's attempt at playing with proportions that led to a stunning fashion fail. If there's any place Clarkson doesn't want to be, it's in the same category as Leavitt — someone who really struggles to pull a look together.

No matter how much you might love Kelly Clarkson and her sweet girl-next-door demeanor, you have to admit that her pinstriped dress should be eliminated from her wardrobe. Clarkson may be smaller than she was before, but that doesn't mean she needs to load up on extra fabric along her waistline. Once you throw a belt into the mix, that may or may not be functional, it creates even more mayhem. Clarkson is only five-foot-three, and while the length of her dress was flattering, the dress itself needed to be taken in a few inches or, as mentioned above, totally ditched.

Although this article isn't about outfit fails regarding color choices, it should be stated that with Kelly Clarkson's light complexion, the tan and creamy shades in her sequined long-sleeve dress really washed her out, which was her first mistake. Secondly, the wrap dress appeared to be for a bigger person, or at least someone who prefers a looser look with a belt. While it makes sense that Clarkson may have wanted to keep outfits on the baggier side as she got used to her new body, when it comes to a cut like this one, the dress would look better if it were pulled in at the waist. After all, it's a wrap dress, so it should be wrapping!

Between bell-bottom jeans and bell sleeves, it's clear that Kelly Clarkson has an affinity for bell shapes. But when you take into account her frame and height, bell-anything can be too much on her. When she wore a brown and blue bell-sleeved top tucked into a long denim skirt, at least that tuck gave her a bit of shape. However, it still didn't work for someone so small. As much as it might pain Clarkson to do so, saving bell styles for taller and larger people might be in her best interest.

Another shirt dress that needs a tailor? You better believe it! Although Kelly Clarkson's white shirt dress appeared to have been tightened around her waist, it doesn't change the fact that the A-line skirt was too wide and the upper part, through the bust, was too baggy. Again, instead of creating a svelte silhouette, things look really boxy and oversized, especially next to Rachel Brosnahan, who was wearing a more elongating outfit. Shirt dresses are versatile and can be casual just as easily as they can be chic. But they need to fit right. 

Upon looking at Kelly Clarkson in her denim jeans and paisley mesh top, it's easy to see that the jeans were too big. While a wide-leg jean can work on someone of Clarkson's height if there's a heel to provide some length, these jeans didn't fit correctly in the waist. In fact, because they appeared to be a size or two too big, it looked like they might just fall down if Clarkson were to move her hands. Although a belt could have helped provide more shape, it might've been best had she just gone for jeans that were smaller so they'd fit better.

Even though a monochromatic look can be a winning outfit on your laziest days, bringing this trend public means making sure everything fits properly. But that didn't happen for Kelly Clarkson. Although the bright red color complemented her skin tone and gave her a nice glow, the suit was too wide throughout the waist and bust. Because wearing pants that don't fit her new body seems to be an ongoing thing for Clarkson, it might be time for her to embrace belts or, even better, have a heart-to-heart with her stylist about dressing for her figure.