The Worst-Dressed Celebs In ESPY Awards History

Every year, the ESPY Awards honor accomplished and hard-working athletes for their achievements in their respective fields. While the event is less buttoned-up than the Oscars or Grammys, it still includes a red carpet that hosts the ceremony's best (and worst) looks. Over the years, nominees and guests alike have donned some of the most unique formalwear we've ever seen — for better or for worse. For every stunning look from sports icons like Simone Biles or Suni Lee, there's a fashion fail waiting around the corner.

Though none of the worst-dressed celebs at the 2024 ESPYs made it onto this list, plenty of other stars from years past earned a designation as one of the worst-dressed of all time. These looks range from over-the-top and gaudy to boring and ill-fitting, but they all have one thing in common: they're wrong for the event in question. It's important to note that the ESPY Awards' dress code is seemingly more relaxed than that of other red-carpet events, so we can't necessarily judge them on the same level as we would Hollywood awards ceremonies. Nevertheless, these lackluster looks would be out of place for any occasion.

Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn is one of the most successful alpine skiers of all time. Still, her red carpet looks often leave much to be desired. Vonn made the list of worst-dressed celebs at the 2025 ESPY Awards for her strapless wine-colored dress. The gown, which was otherwise unremarkable, featured an incredibly high split that revealed her underwear. Vonn's statement look fell flat, as she didn't match the dress' sexy energy in any other aspect of her ensemble — boring accessories and unstyled hair made the outfit lackluster.

Former NASCAR racer Danica Patrick tried to channel Jennifer Lopez with her 2015 ESPYs outfit, but she failed. Unlike Lopez's iconic tropical-print Versace dress, Patrick's similarly patterned look featured bulky draping around her chest and a jarring high-low cut. Patrick combined the dress with equally garish styling, including a pair of bright green block heels and a black envelope clutch. This ill-fitting look certainly belongs on the list of worst-dressed ESPYs outfits.

Olympic gymnast-turned-actor Laurie Hernandez has come into her own style-wise over the past few years, but her 2017 ESPYs look wasn't our favorite. Hernandez walked the red carpet in a floor-length one-shoulder dress made entirely of black-bordered ruffles. As if that wasn't over-the-top enough, the gown also featured a large flower appliqué with long black ribbons attached to the base of the strap. On this occasion, the dress wore Hernandez instead of the other way around. 

Katie Austin earned herself a spot on the 2025 ESPYs worst-dressed list alongside Lindsey Vonn for a similarly inappropriate look. The Sports Illustrated model showed off her fantastic figure in an ensemble that was overly risqué for the red carpet; Austin dialed up the bling in a strapless rhinestone bra and silver mesh maxi skirt. She pushed the envelope a bit too far with the addition of nude illusion undergarments, which made it truly appear as if she wasn't wearing anything under the skirt.

Olympic skier Mikaela Shiffrin may be incredibly accomplished on the slopes, but her red carpet record isn't as stellar. Shiffrin attended the 2022 ESPYs in a unique dress consisting of a transparent black-boned bodice underneath a piece of sheer fabric. The construction of Shiffrin's gown is interesting and has potential. However, the color simply doesn't work well, playing against Shiffrin's natural beauty.

Brittany Mahomes' risqué outfit at the 2023 ESPYs wasn't the touchdown she thought it was, and it has earned a place in this event's worst-dressed hall of fame. For the important evening, Mahomes wore a downright strange dress from Versace that featured large buttoned pockets instead of a standard bodice. Mahomes styled her hair into an over-the-top curly updo that looked more appropriate for prom than a formal awards ceremony. The NFL WAG's juvenile hairstyle and revealing dress made for a disjointed combination. 

Naomi Osaka is one of the most fashionable tennis stars, but her outfit for the 2021 ESPY Awards was a rare fail. Osaka walked the red carpet in a black-and-white striped top tucked into a teal pencil skirt. The top featured shoulder pads covered in gold spikes, and it hid her arms, with both things making her appear boxy and unbalanced. Combined with her plain black heels, this entire ensemble was simultaneously too pedestrian and too visually overstimulating — Osaka's look was a walking contradiction. The tennis pro has certainly upgraded her wardrobe in the years since this awards ceremony.