11 Times Carrie Underwood's Killer Legs Failed To Save These Awful Outfits

Carrie Underwood has some of the most famous legs in country music and she's more than earned that reputation. Her trainer swears she never misses a workout — even on the road — and from what we have seen over the years, we believe it. Those legs show up ready to work (even when 'fits like this budget bridal gown look don't deliver).

It turns out that having enviable legs that project strength and health whenever they step onstage does not automatically translate to dressing them well. In fact, it seems to have created a sort of loophole for her stylists: the legs are already perfect, so let's just throw literally anything on them, shall we? Denim diapers, purple leopard tops, asymmetrical jumpsuits that belong in the '80s... the list goes on. So, if you're less interested in Underwood's questionable fashion choices and more focused on getting gams like our girl — totally achievable, by the way, at least according to the personal trainer who told us how to get Underwood's killer legs — we don't blame you one bit.

During her 20-year evolution from fresh-faced "American Idol" winner to one of the most celebrated singers on the planet, Underwood's style has been, for lack of a better word, adventurous. And while she's racked up two dozen CMT Music trophies and bagged eight Grammys, not every fashion choice has been award-worthy.

Animal print can be fierce. Purple can be regal. But put them together to make a purple leopard dress? That's just a cry for help. Carrie Underwood strutted the 2022 CMT red carpet in this purple fever dream that couldn't decide whether it wanted to be edgy, sexy, or tacky, so it failed spectacularly at everything. And the usual victim? Her toned legs. The halter straps and side slit would've been enough to make those show-stealers stand out, but the busy, jarring print constantly competed for attention.

Picture this: You're onstage celebrating your triumphant return to "American Idol" a day after making the announcement that you're joining as a judge, and instead of a moment of glory, people are talking about your shorts looking like a shoddy adult diaper. That's precisely what happened to Carrie Underwood when she hit the "Good Morning America" set on August 2, 2024. The tiny, light-wash denim shorts paired with knee-high, denim boots were enough to overshadow her pitch-perfect vocals and killer drumsticks, with some suggesting you could actually catch a glimpse of Underwood's undergarments from certain angles as she moved around the stage.

At this point, it seems Carrie Underwood's stylists have collectively decided that hot pants encrusted with enough crystals to blind a stadium are seemingly a signature style. At the 2023 CMT Awards, Underwood stepped out in a tailcoat paired with matching shorts and silver heels. While the combination of tailcoat and shorts is a delicate balancing act, one that teeters precariously between avant-garde fashion statement and confused magician's assistant, her stylists apparently decided that more sparkle was the way to make it work. The legs, out on display, looked phenomenal as always, but at what cost?

When Carrie Underwood took the stage at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for ATLive on October 21, 2023, she apparently decided to channel her inner safari guide. The country singer performed wearing a cheetah print outfit featuring high-waisted Daisy Dukes and a matching button-down top, complete with high-heeled booties and her hair styled straight with a side part. To be fair, Underwood could make a burlap sack look haute couture, but there is such a thing as less is more, even when you have the physique to pull off anything.

For the Pittsburgh stop of her Storyteller Tour in 2016, Carrie Underwood emerged in a black sequined minidress that dialed up the goth vibes to an eleven. The high-necked number featured sculptural shoulders that jutted out and a sheer black fringe that swayed with her every move. Paired with those indestructible legs, the overall effect was less "country sweetheart" and more "Bond villainess" — somewhere between the aggressive shoulders and the disco-ball-meets-dominatrix beading, the dress forgot it was supposed to be worn at a country concert.

At the 2017 CMT Awards, Carrie Underwood pulled up looking like she had just raided a dance studio's lost and found. Sometimes you have to be bold and go for a look that no one is quite expecting after more than 10 years and dozens and dozens of public appearances, but pushing it into pageant-kid territory might not be the wisest move. Those notorious legs definitely tried their best to class things up, yet there's only so much they can do when you're dressed like the tooth fairy got lost on the way and ended up at an award show. And that alone is a testament to how gorgeous Underwood really is, even without trying.

The Grand Ole Opry 2025 marked another instance where Carrie Underwood's choice of wardrobe ended up dividing fans, and that's putting it mildly. Yes, the soft pink hue was more than appropriate for a breast cancer awareness event, but the asymmetrical hemline didn't do the look any favors. The Opry stage has seen a lot of iconic fashion moments over the years but this particular appearance might be remembered more for the polarizing wardrobe choices Underwood is always willing to make than for the performance itself. Say what you will about her fashion sense, but the woman commits.

For her "Hate My Heart" performance at the 2022 CMA Awards, Carrie Underwood ditched the elegant blue gown she'd worn on the red carpet and emerged in what could only be described as a fringe explosion. The ensemble included a gold and silver sequined corset top designed to match the stage, but the result was a chaotic overlapping of layers and indistinguishable textures. Yes, her physique looked incredible — it always does — but even the best legs in country music cannot distract from an outfit that seems to be having an identity crisis.

Speaking of chaos, why does it feel like Carrie Underwood intentionally goes for looks that are destined to divide the room? Sometimes it's clashing colors. Other times it's competing textures or measurements that are disproportionate compared to the rest of the ensemble. And sometimes, like her appearance at the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame, the dress seems to create an absurdist juxtaposition that's straight out of a Wes Anderson movie. Again, Underwood herself is stunning, but even she can't pull off the "crumpled tinfoil" aesthetic no matter how hard she tries.

Nothing says country music festival like wrapping yourself in the American flag and glittery silver hot pants that look like they were borrowed from a Fourth of July parade float. This 'fit from Carrie Underwood's performance at the CMA Music Festival gives early 2010s vibes in the best way possible, but it doesn't exactly scream timeless, nor does it do the singer's track record of questionable styling choices any favors. The lace-up boots, the tangled mess of layered necklaces, the arm full of bracelets — it's a lot. Then again, so is Underwood, and that's kind of the point.

Leave it to Carrie Underwood to walk a red carpet looking like a tinsel factory got into a fight with a Christmas tree. When your gown features a spiked, asymmetrical shoulder and layers of gold and silver metallic fringe cascading down your entire body, you know you're not dressing for subtlety. The thigh-high slit did its job, and those legs were very much on display, but that still did not save the rest of the outfit from looking like it was trying way too hard to compete with the woman wearing it. Unfortunately, that's a sentiment that's evidently on repeat when it comes to the country singer's closet.