The Worst-Dressed Stars At The 2026 Academy Of Country Music Awards

For country music artists, the Academy of Country Music Awards (ACMs) is one of the biggest nights of the year, and they take to the red carpet in eye-catching outfits — to mixed effect. This year's event was held on Sunday, May 17, at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena, and we saw artists like Shania Twain steal the show in glamorous looks. Twain, who hosted the ceremony, made headlines for her dramatic silver gown, which featured a black panther embellished on the skirt. "Dry Spell" singer Kacey Musgraves was another best-dressed attendee, going old-school with a pin-up style black velvet column dress. 

Despite the few style wins, the 2026 ACMs were home to quite a few fashion missteps; while the worst-dressed celebs at the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards either played it way too safe or went completely off-the-rails, this year was a bit tamer in comparison (though no less tacky). The worst-dressed attendees of the 2026 ACMs largely suffered from a lack of proper styling, and many seemed to struggle with the concept of time and place. From lace gowns worn with the wrong undergarments to costume-y 'fits that look straight out of a country music parody, we saw some rough ensembles on stars like Hannah Godwin and Ashley McBryde.

"Bachelor in Paradise" alum Hannah Godwin went for an ultra-daring look at the 2026 ACMs. While Godwin looked amazing in the sheer gown, the outfit was a bit too much for the event. The over-the-top dress was made of sheer mesh with silver beaded embellishments and a fur hem. Taking a closer look at the gown in a video from Godwin's TikTok page, we can see that the dress wasn't well-tailored; the top of the dress gapes near her chest and doesn't sit nearly as snugly as it should on her hips.

Alison Victoria went full Coachella at the ACM Awards. The interior designer and former HGTV host wore an overly simple look to the ceremony, opting for a black top with thin straps and a pair of wide-legged lace pants. Victoria paired the lackluster 'fit with turquoise jewelry, giving the entire outfit a full-tilt festival vibe. This ensemble may have worked at Coachella in 2017, but it wasn't the best choice for the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards.

In yet another look that ignored time-and-place expectations, Hannah Palmer wore a resort-ready paisley dress. The influencer's boho Retrofête dress is perfect for summertime, and its side-cutouts are a beachy trend fit for vacation. However, it wasn't appropriate for an awards show like the ACMs. Palmer kept the casual vibes going with her messy hair, which looked more like she'd just rolled out of bed than intentionally styled them. Her gown's description on Retrofête's website says it all: "comfortable and stylish for warm-weather events and vacations."

Avery Anna won the award for new female artist of the year at the 2026 ACMs, and we couldn't be happier for her. However, Anna's first look of the night left much to be desired. The "Blood Runs Thicker" singer wore a long-sleeved blue lace gown that barely grazed the floor. The light-blue shade looked great on Anna, but the dress itself was a bit too old-fashioned for our taste. Additionally, Anna's shape-wear could be seen underneath the dress, which was distracting.

Singer-songwriter Jenna Paulette tried to put a Western spin on a classic red carpet look at the ACMs, but it didn't work for us. Paulette paired a stunning gold draped gown from Prabal Gurung with detailed turquoise jewelry, brown cowboy boots, and a tall cowboy hat. While cowboy hats are essential when dressing for a country concert (and we respect her commitment to the Western vibe), we can't help but wish Paulette left the hat at home — or donned it to a less formal event.

Ashley McBryde is a very talented songwriter, but her outfit at the 2026 ACMs was incredibly pedestrian. McBryde wore a dark-brown dress with ruching around the midsection — by no means a bad or ill-fitting dress, but an overall milquetoast choice for the biggest night in country music. We much prefer the red column dress McBryde wore while presenting the award for best male artist of the year; it was a much-needed pop of color that McBryde suited perfectly.