Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood have co-hosted the CMA Awards for a decade. Every year, the former American Idol winner and reigning queen of country music cycles through several outfits, from the red carpet through the run of show. This year, Carrie Underwood's CMAs dresses were decidedly extra.
The "Before He Cheats" singer was all about bold colors and standout details with her array of outfits. With 10 years of CMAs ensembles in the rearview, Underwood put effort into standing out in 2017, thanks to some adventurous choices.
She began her evening with a serious dose of drama as she walked the red carpet in a figure-hugging, royal blue fishtail gown that was both off the shoulder and long-sleeved. The bodice boasted a dangerously and deeply dipping V, while the sleeves had ruffles. It was a lot of look in a single gown and was a statement color. But Underwood certainly oozed confidence while wearing it.
The blonde beauty opened the actual show in a red lace dress that was basically a romper with a cape. At this point, Underwood was only two outfits in and she was making it abundantly clear that she was going for it in regards to color. The long cape was a touch matronly, despite the va-va-voom hue.
Underwood's blue gown was a true display of country chic.
The Internet essentially crowned the blue dress one of the evening's best looks.
Underwood's ruby-hued outfit was a bit superhero-like, thanks to the cape and the shorts. The high collar had a vintage vibe, while the shorts added a dose of youthful and modern flair. It was a good choice for the opening of the show, since all eyes would be on her (and Paisley) for an extended period of time so the striking scarlet shade worked in her favor.
The third outfit was busy — it was gold, fringed frock that had a '70s energy paired with a lot of trendy details, thanks to its complicated construction. It boasted a halter neck, a cold-shoulder top, exposed a lot of cleavage, and had a long, straight skirt.
For her fourth look, Underwood wore a perwinkle blue dress with see-through, long sleeves and sparkly detail. If you blinked or made a pitstop at the bathroom during the broadcast, you may have missed this one. The color was a stunning contrast to her glossy, butter blonde tresses.
Underwood went with another sheer and flowing dress with appliques for her fifth ensemble.
This outfit was a mix of smoky gray, green, purple, and sparkle. It felt like a beach coverup, though.
Her sixth dress was a short and belted number with a geometric skirt, which was a short-lived and quickly changed out of number.
After kicking off her night with two strong monochromatic dresses with rich colors and high drama, Underwood switched gears and went with multicolored, print frocks, many of which had sheer elements.
Outfit No. 7 was a black and white dress with a belt and a full skirt. Underwood wore an epic black choker that may or may not have been an actual part of the dress. It was hard to discern, even with an HDTV.
Underwood's eighth ensemble was her performance outfit, worn while singing a ballad dedicated to country music figures that have passed away recently. She wore an elegant white gown with gold flower details sprinkled all over the shoulders, sleeves, and down length of the frock. It certainly looked like a wedding dress. The only thing missing was the veil.
The ninth was a punchy, hot pink mini dress that had an ice skater vibe.
She closed out the night with her tenth dress — a sparkly, gold, naked dress x pantsuit hybrid with another cape.
Underwood's glam squad had a busy evening getting the superstar in and out of fabulous fashions.
