Grammys worst dressed: Red carpet fashion fails from Lady Gaga to Cher

Awards season is usually the time for stars to do their best to impress on the red carpet with perfectly-tailored ensembles to exude elegance – but the Grammys are often a little different.

Every year, the world’s top recording artists seemingly come together to compete for the honor of being worst dressed.

And, since its inception, there have been some very memorable outfits for all the wrong reasons from Lady Gaga‘s dangerously spiky outfit and CeeLo Green’s golden alter ego to Alicia Keys‘ tunic-inspired gown and Tayla Parx’s dinosaur moment.

Here, FEMAIL takes a look at some of the biggest fashion fails throughout the years. 

1984: Cyndi Lauper’s chaotic clash

The singer donned an eclectic ensemble for the Grammys in 1984 that paired a gold halter neck with a flamboyant skirt plastered in a tropical design.

She finished the look with black sheer gloves, red fishnet tights and costume-inspired jewelry – complete with fruit necklace.   

Lauper complemented her technicolor mullet with a green chiffon headscarf and opted to add a coat of metallic gold lipstick for good measure.

1987: Olivia Newton-John’s garish get-up

Despite being one of the most popular style icons of the era following her blockbuster role in Grease, Olivia Newton-John really missed the mark at the Grammys in 1987.

Taking a gamble to brighten up the red carpet, she wore a multi-colored tiered gown and finished the look with a light-washed denim jacket generously embellished with spikes and studs.

The garish ensemble was reportedly sold at auction in 2019 where it achieved $3,125.

1988: Debbie Gibson’s mismatched mayhem 

Eighties pop star Debbie Gibson appeared to be wearing a little bit of everything on the red carpet for the Grammy Awards ceremony in 1988.

Her look consisted of a pink puff-ball skirt, glitzy black top and multicolored checked scarf.

She finished the ensemble with a white overcoat, which boasted very pronounced shoulder pads.

1991: Kate Pierson’s distracting detailing

Kate Pierson’s outfit for the 1991 Grammys appeared to be inspired by superhero chic – cape included.

Her chunky gold statement earrings added a touch of sophistication, but the most baffling part of the ensemble was seemingly the bejeweled crotch.

It proved to be quite the distraction and took away from the overall sequined ensemble.

1995: Annie Lennox risks ruining Disney

At the Grammys in 1995, singer Annie Lennox appeared to have confused the award ceremony with Halloween.

Lennox came dressed as a dominatrix-style Minnie Mouse, complete with latex mini dress and spiked dog collar.

She joked at the time: ‘What else is a girl going to wear to the Grammys?’

2000: Crystal Bernard makes a medieval mistake

Singer Crystal Bernard looked like she had wandered on to the red carpet from a Renaissance Fair when she arrived at the Grammys in 2000.

She wore a white flowing frock, which boasted red detailing and ballooned sleeves.

However, it appeared that Bernard was not prepared to go all-in with her medieval style costume, and instead styled the billowing gown with a pair of chunky-soled white trainers.  

2001: Christina Aguilera suffers a cornrow catastrophe

Many fans branded Christina Aguilera’s peculiar outfit in 2001 as ‘pirate-inspired.’

The singer opted for a pink low-cut, high-slit Trish Somerville dress with lace detail, which she paired with gold gladiator heels.

But, in another bizarre decision, Aguilera decided to wear her hair in bleach blonde cornrows for the night.  

2002: Alicia Keys’s turquoise torment

Speaking of her style choices at the 2002 Grammys, Alicia Keys told People magazine that ‘out of the box’ was her theme for the evening.

The artist opted for a casual pair of jeans and white vest top which she then adorned with a turquoise tunic-style gown with floral detail.

She decided to top it all off with a touch of sparkle as she opted for studded eye makeup consisting of Swarovski diamonds.

2003: Avril Lavigne’s dressed-down disaster

Avril Lavigne stayed true to her signature style on the Grammys red carpet in 2003. 

The singer donned her trusty Converse sneakers, a bow tie, and an oversized tuxedo jacket with a hidden ‘Rock On’ emblazoned on the inside. 

She accessorized the look with a top hat and and skull-and-crossbones leather belt in a look that we are not likely to see at the award ceremony again any time soon.  

2007: OK Go’s distressing disguise

The members of boyband OK Go arrived incognito when they graced the Grammys in 2007.

They wore matching tan and red paisley suits, covering every inch of their skin, and their face-shrouding headgear was branded as ‘creepy’ by some fans.

Bizarrely, the band later all held hands and laid down on the red carpet, but their motivations remain a mystery.

2008: Cher wishes she could turn back time

Cher’s lackluster outfit at the Grammys in 2008 proved that even icons can get it wrong on the red carpet. 

She opted for a beaded, distressed-look top with a dull ruched satin skirt that boasted a whole lot of material.

The icon finished the ensemble by wearing her red locks down in soft curls and a thick metallic bracelet which looked like it was weighing her down.  

2009: M.I.A’s style is MIA

M.I.A earned plaudits for showing up heavily pregnant to the Grammys in 2009 despite the event being held on her due date.

But the Paper Planes singer was less commended for her choice of maternity outfit.

She wore a turquoise printed dress with oodles of materials in a look that was not improved by her matching blue high tops.

2009: Paris Hilton’s muddled misery

Paris Hilton wore a very short Versace dress to the Grammys in 2009 which left fans underwhelmed.

The socialite’s one-piece was embellished with reflective green sequins that shimmered beneath a layer of dark purple tulle. 

The bandage-style strapping around the bust and the mid-waist cutouts added little to the overall aesthetic.

2010: Britney Spears is far from a sheer delight

In 2010, Britney Spears showed up to the award ceremony in a sheer Dolce & Gabbana ensemble.

The popstar wore a black bodysuit beneath a long-sleeve lace dress, but the results were far from flattering.

Critics were quick to point out that countless other stars have done the look before – and done it better. 

2010: Lady Gaga’s precarious pairing

There was so much going on with Lady Gaga’s Grammys dress in 2010 that it was hard to know where to look.

The singer’s combination of very precarious heels and a dangerously spiky hand-held accessory seemed like a recipe for disaster.

She made it through the event unscathed but left fans underwhelmed with her style choices.

2011: Lady Gaga makes an eggs-travagant entrance  

In an apparent attempt to outdo herself from the previous year, Lady Gaga made quite the Grammys entrance in 2011.

The singer arrived to the red carpet concealed in a giant opaque egg which was carried on a sedan chair by a scantily-clad entourage who spoke for her.

She later ‘hatched’ in spectacular fashion to perform live at the event wearing a sheer gold-colored skirt and cropped top.

2011: Nicki Minaj takes a walk on the wild side

Rapper Nicki Minaj has never been one to shy away from a bold outfit – and her appearance at the Grammys in 2011 was definitely striking.

The hitmaker broke the first rule of wearing patterns as she opted to wear head-to-toe leopard print.

Speaking about the eccentric look from the red carpet, she told E! Live: ‘This outfit is a masterpiece by Givenchy and what they made for me is a miraculous piece of lioness meets her cub meets fierce-osity meets fabulosity meets fashionista meets runway meets everything, darling!’

2012: Nicki Minaj risks religious ramifications

Minaj is a repeat offender when it comes to being among the worst dressed at the Grammys.

In 2012, the Super Bass singer adopted a mish-mash of styles seemingly inspired by Red Riding Hood and a nun in a blood red habit.

She donned a Versace cloak, sequin gloves and a gold wig, and was accompanied by a man dressed as the Pope, complete with pointy hat and orthopedic shoes. 

2012: Sasha Gradiva exercises her right to bear arms

Sasha Gradiva looked as though she had been undecided on her attire for the Grammys in 2012, and ended up with a kind of hybrid between Hollywood starlet and Terminator. 

The Russian-born singer paired a pastel pink corseted gown with an arm accessory made entirely out of fake guns, which was secured around her bust.

Gradvia has since revealed that she wore the bizarre outfit to highlight the fact that firearms were so readily available in countries across the globe. 

She told Vice that during a trip to Israel she witnessed women and children carrying machine guns, and wanted to talk about ‘what was happening in the world.’ 

Reflecting on the design, Gradiva said she felt that the message behind it had been largely missed – and she probably wasn’t wrong.

2015: Joy Villa is a work in progress

In 2015, Joy Villa tuned heads after fashioning her almost non-existent gown – and matching fascinator – out of orange plastic safety netting.

The ensemble left very little to the imagination, but it is not the singer’s only outfit to cause a stir at the Grammys over the years.

Villa’s other controversial appearances at the ceremony include her ‘Build the Wall’ dress and ‘Make America Great Again’ gown.

2016: Dencia’s pink peril

Singer Dencia caused quite a stir in 2016 when she showed up to the Grammys in a garish pajama onesie.

The statement piece saw multiple Hello Kitty dolls sewn to her legs with further embellishment in the form of two glitzy crosses and a Chanel pin. 

Dencia further accessorized with matching bejeweled heels, fingerless driving gloves and glittery cat-eye glasses.

2017: Girl Crush has a ball

Girl Crush arrived on the Grammy red carpet in 2017 looking as if she rolled right out of Chuck E. Cheese and took the entire ball pit with her.

The singer decided to step out in a rhinestone-speckled bralet with a ballgown skirt covered in the plastic balls – not to mention a matching clutch. 

Although definitely playful, Girl Crush missed the mark by quite some way. 

2017: CeeLo Green takes a golden gamble

One of the most baffling outfits to ever grace the awards ceremony came from CeeLo Green in 2017.

He came dressed like a cartoon monster looking to take over the world with a floor-length gold jacket, gold gloves and a whole headpiece in gold.

The singer explained on his Instagram that he was dressed as his new alter ego, Gnarly Davidson, although gave little explanation as to the motivation behind the rather bizarre ensemble.

2019: Katy Perry makes a mille-feuille faux pas

The California Gurls singer turned heads on the Grammys red carpet in 2019, but for all the wrong reasons.

Katy Perry chose a design that looked almost identical to a pink cupcake. 

The saccharine sweet style featured layer upon layer of tulle – not unlike a mille-feuille – while the top half looked as though it had been attacked with some silver spray paint.

2021: Noah Cyrus gets out the wrong side of bed

Noah Cyrus wore a voluminous white Schiaparelli Couture dress to the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2021.

She modeled a form-fitting strapless gown that featured a bafflingly large cape made out of swathes of white material that were bunched up around the singer’s head – and very closely resembled freshly-washed sheets.

While chatting about her look on the red carpet, Noah seemed undeterred and revealed that her father had referred to her as an ‘angel.’ 

2022: Tayla Parx’s neon nightmare

The Grammys last year saw Tayla Parx quite literally dress as a dinosaur in a bright green two-piece that featured spikes on her arms, legs and around her neck.

The singer finished the look with a pair of chunky yellow booties that also had green spikes. 

While posing on the red carpet, she held her long braid in her hand to show off the spiked ball made out of hair that was at the end.