Celebs Whose Outfits Were On The Worst-Dressed List But Didn't Belong There

There aren't many celebrities who have escaped appearing on a worst-dressed list at least once. Heck, even fashion icon Victoria Beckham has worn some outfits that totally missed the mark. But while the worst-dressed label is, unfortunately, often warranted, there have been a few occasions when an outfit didn't work at the time but got its flowers years later instead.

Sometimes, our favorite stars try (unsuccessfully) to get out of the fashion khia asylum. Like when Sarah Jessica Parker defended her 2016 Met Gala look, which consisted of cropped white pants, a white tank top, a white jacket with ruffled, tulle sleeve edges, and mismatched shoes, after an Instagram fashion critic claimed it didn't fit the Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology theme. "Always welcome thoughts but I'm a stickler for the theme and pay close attention to what it means. Every year with great consideration, research and conviction. Perhaps you weren't aware of the technology used in the details and embellishments of the design," she hit back in an Instagram comment.

But the actor's defense of the questionable look that landed on E! News' worst-dressed roundup wasn't enough to change public opinion. "SJP can explain till the fashion cows come home, but that outfit looked basic at best and needed the explanation pinned to it," one Instagram user wrote in response to the star's retort. However, there are some outfits that have graced worst-dressed lists over the years that, explanation from the wearer or otherwise, just didn't deserve to be there.

Kate Hudson is well aware of the negative backlash to her silver 2001 Oscars dress with a high neck and fringe over her chest. "I got trashed for this dress. I got worst on every worst-dressed list," she recalled on TikTok in 2023. Hudson explained that she initially planned to embrace the decades-long negativity over the gown, but realized it wasn't a misstep, just ahead of its time. "This dress is awesome. I love it. I feel like we need to take this narrative back," she said. And it's hard to argue. The mix of grey and neutral tones was so 2025 coded, and ditching a bra also felt more in tune with attitudes three decades later.

Many of the "Running Point" actor's followers agreed the gown didn't hold a candle to the worst outfits in Oscars history, nor Hudson's outfits that truly missed the mark. "There was an elegance about this dress that people didn't understand. You looked like a French movie star," gossip outlet Deux Moi commented. "You were ahead of the time. If you wore it now it would be on best dressed," another lamented.

When Jennifer Lopez strutted her stuff on the 2009 Golden Globes red carpet, she got plenty of attention. But not all of it was positive. Female First labeled the "On The Floor" hitmaker as one of the worst-dressed stars at the annual movie awards that year, claiming her metallic gold, long gown was too open in the front. The outlet even claimed the material looked cheap.

However, looking back at the fierce choice that made Lopez appear every inch the A-Lister, it's hard to believe it made any worst-dressed list. The dress was far from the star's most revealing (JLo's leggy looks prove that), and attitudes toward showing skin have changed a lot. Considering sheer dresses, with and without undergarments, have become commonplace at the Golden Globes, JLo's fit wouldn't be anywhere near as divisive if she wore it at the time of writing. Case in point, in 2023, Time included it among JLo's best red carpet looks ever.

The New York Post wasn't complimentary of Rihanna's long-sleeve crop top and high-waisted, maxi skirt pairing at the 2014 Met Gala. She added a rigid, silver necklace that contributed sparkle without being distracting and wore her dark locks wavy in an undone (but clearly styled) updo. The outlet claimed the dress looked like it was missing material in the middle and criticized the "We Found Love" hitmaker's voluminous updo for being messy. But that was far from fair.

The white co-ord was perfectly tailored to her fit figure, and the crisp, white shade was gorgeous against her warm skin tone. Although the exaggerated, squared-off shoulder pads limited the two-piece's timelessness, it was still chic and sophisticated with a creative shape that flattered her figure. While it exposed her middle in a way that was appropriate for the event, it still aligned with her penchant for taking fashion risks, as well as her flirty and confident style.

Shania Twain attended the 2024 pre-Grammy gala event in a matching, shiny gold two-piece with embossed detailing. While the fit may not have been its best ever, it didn't deserve a place on Business Insider's list of 2024's worst outfits from country stars. Co-ords were a huge trend, which proved the star still had her finger on the pulse, and that fashion has no age limit (she was 58 at the time!). The bougee material brought some much-needed fun to the red carpet, and Twain gained fashion points for staying true to her country roots, representing her genre at one of music's biggest events via her black cowboy hat.

Twain has been open about her passion for fashion multiple times, making a point that dressing should be fun. "For me fashion is a powerful tool that helps to convey my personality and express my creativity and other than getting to hang out with my friends for the night, it's one of my favourite things about attending award shows!" the "Still The One" singer wrote on Instagram in 2023. "Life is too short to wear boring clothes!!"

Chrissy Teigen landed on E! News' worst-dressed rundown for the 2014 Met Gala, but the label wasn't deserved. Her sparkly, silver halter-neck number had a large, layered frill at the top, and she paired the fashion-forward style with a cool-toned clutch in a zigzag pattern. The outlet criticized the former "Lip Sync Battle" star for showing what was then considered too much of the side of her chest and suggested the neckline was too busy.

But times have changed, and there's nothing wrong with being confident and showing skin on the red carpet. Teigen's long gown was hardly revealing enough to be considered inappropriate for an event where, a decade later, Emily Ratajkowski would go braless in a sheer gown and see-through dresses would be all over major red carpet events. The dress's flowy trim may have been considered too much by fashion critics at the time, but it ensured that the overall look fit the experimental Charles James: Beyond Fashion theme.

Jennifer Aniston notoriously tends to steer clear of prints, often gravitating toward classic pieces in understated shades (black is a particular favorite of the "Friends" star). But HuffPost didn't appreciate the actor stepping outside her comfort zone at the 2013 "We're The Millers" European premiere. She wore a dark blue, floral, halter-neck skater dress with a voluminous, white, floral-print exposed underskirt, marking a new fashion foray for the star. But even the flirty open back wasn't enough to stop the outlet comparing the A-Lister to a cupcake.

Of course, we've seen her in chicer, more sophisticated looks (like Aniston's many timeless outfits), but the floral number was far from a contender for the worst-dressed list. The star should have gotten props for stepping outside her comfort zone and ditching her staple monochromatic outfits. The dress was well-tailored to highlight her waist and show off her toned legs and arms, and it was appropriately formal yet summery for August in London. Even her hair was more exciting, as she wore it in waves with an experimental deep side part.

"Jersey Shore" star Snooki landed herself a worst-dressed spot on Radar Online's 2025 MTV Video Music Awards roundup. But it's unclear what the outlet was expecting from the reality star. The mini-dress assimilated with Snooki's infamously bold style, yet it was obvious she'd put some effort into her look. Snooki matched her black jacket to the black on the garment and was clearly paying attention to trends in her '90s-inspired platform heels (one of the hottest shoe styles of 2025). Equally, compared to some of the reality star's obnoxious past looks — like the pink leopard-slash-zebra print satin mini she wore to the 2010 NewNowNext Awards — this was positively elegant and far from a clashing catastrophe.

Snooki defended her getup amid the backlash. She explained she liked that the VMAs aren't about getting all gussied up in long gowns, which allowed her to dress more in line with her own style. "I wanted to just reintroduce myself to people that forget who I am ... I don't have a stylist and I dress for myself," she explained on TikTok. "I do me and I've always had my own style. That's it. I get it, people are always going to have opinions about your outfits. Been there done that. I'm going to dress how I want to dress and I'm sorry if you don't like it, but I dress for me, not you," she added. And that's a mantra we can totally get behind.

Granted, Taylor Swift has had some award show outfits that missed the mark, but her 2019 ruffled, light purple dress wasn't one of them. She attended the Billboard Music Awards in a delicate, high-necked number with sheer sleeves and nude, sparkly open-toe heels. But the Irish Mirror was quick to slam the "Wildest Dreams" hitmaker, suggesting the fit was too busy and tacky. In reality, though, the statement-making ruffles were a major 2019 trend, and the placement complemented the star's long, lean frame by adding flattering, strategic volume to her body.

Also worth defending? Her romantic makeup, including purple eyeshadow and a stunning pink lip that worked against her fair skin without distracting from the dress. The garment perfectly fit her "Lover" era aesthetic, which was all about feminine shades and romantic silhouettes. It also marked a somewhat rare fashion risk from the multiple Grammy winner, who doesn't experiment much with risky appliques. 

Social media agreed this romantic garment didn't deserve its spot on the worst-dressed roundup. One Instagram user wrote at the time, "I [heart] this dress." Another commented, "Very beautiful dress."

Former "Glee" star Lea Michele found herself on both E! News and People's 2014 Met Gala worst-dressed lists. The latter claimed the skirt's slit was too high and slammed the "Cannonball" singer for not sticking to the Charles James: Beyond Fashion theme. But her uber-glamorous gold, backless gown and matching shoes arguably did fit the night's aesthetic, as the fashion designer's looks were all about sculpted pieces that didn't rely on simplicity or clean lines. That appeared to be what the extra material around the middle of Michele's gown represented.

The shiny gold fabric also looked gorgeous against the singer and actor's warm, olive skin, and it's obvious she didn't phone in her look. The star (or more likely her stylist) clearly worked hard to find matching gold shoes and a clutch for a masterclass in monochrome dressing. Michele's elegant updo and long dangly earrings also confirmed she respected the glamorous spirit of the high-fashion event.

Katy Perry is known for her over-the-top, camp, and outrageous outfits (who could forget when she dressed up as a burger at the 2019 Met Gala?). But while a few of Perry's outlandish and more casual looks didn't work, it was She Knows that missed the mark in 2009. The outlet put her 2009 MTV Video Music Awards silver mini-dress on its list of the event's worst-ever outfits, criticizing the metallic number for being too skimpy.

However, the glitzy mini was perfect for the music event, which is all about having fun with fashion and taking edgy risks. The shiny silver fabric, chunky silver sequins, and studs did make the fit busy, but that's a major part of Perry's fashion aesthetic. Moreover, punk-inspired fashion was a big trend that year, and this dress gave us that in spades. The provocative number also fit her flirty fashion vibes, and the metallic fabric looked gorgeous against her tan skin and shimmered in photographers' flashbulbs.

In 2015, E! News compared Halle Berry's pink-and-black bedazzled crop top and floaty skirt pairing for the 1999 Emmys to a belly-dancing costume. The outlet was so critical of the deep, round neck, sheer number that it placed the "Die Another Day" star on its round-up of the worst-ever looks to hit the Emmys red carpet. Ironically, even though her fit was very of the time, it's hard to imagine it landing on a worst-dressed list three decades later.

Nineties trends have continued to surge back into popularity in the 2020s, making her crop top totally trendy again. Although Berry's style has become more sultry, the two-piece was well-tailored and made a statement, helping cement her place as a fashion risk taker. Crop tops still aren't synonymous with formal red carpets, but Berry's daring fit proved she wasn't afraid to go against the grain. It also brought fun to the red carpet without pushing the boundaries of appropriateness too far.

Julianne Hough attended the 2013 Emmys in an embellished, sheer, off-the-shoulder, light-green dress with a pleated skirt that got slammed by Time. The outlet put the bedazzled number on its worst-dressed stars of 2013 list, claiming the dress looked unkempt. But that was unjustified, considering how much trends have evolved and how well the dress has aged over a decade.

Sheer clothing became a massive trend in 2023 and showed staying power. See-through dresses, also known as naked dresses, were still everywhere in 2026 and were spotted on various red carpets (including the Emmys!) Equally, the ahead-of-its-time dress was glamorous and appropriate for the carpet. The pearls on her ring and clutch proved she (or her stylist) had their finger on the pulse, as pearls were one of the hottest jewelry trends that year.

Marie Claire U.K. put Paris Hilton's short, low-cut purple-and-green mini dress on its worst-dressed list shortly after the 2009 Grammys. The outlet compared the colorful garment to pajamas and a swimsuit and criticized the reality star for how short it was. Sure, it was a fashion risk as the colors aren't usually seen together, and the low-cut top and short hemline risked a wardrobe malfunction. But this dress has stood the test of time. It's come to represent a more fun, flirtier fashion era, and we can totally see trendsetter Zara Larsson wearing it in 2026 as part of her colorful, Y2K-inspired looks during her "Midnight Sun: Girls Trip" era.

Snaps of Hilton in the sassy mini resurfaced on Instagram in 2022, and, as expected, fans couldn't stop fawning over the design. "I love this dress!!!!" one Instagram user wrote while enquiring about the designer. "Wow what a dress do you know were we can find similar?" another asked alongside multiple heart eyes and red heart emojis.