By Megan Riedlinger
3:26pm PST, Nov 11, 2022
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Carrie Underwood continues to take her album title, "Denim & Rhinestones," literally! The star arrived in this ballgown comprised of different denim hues, which featured off-the-shoulder sleeves, a low neckline and a thigh-high slit. Though it was certainly a fashion risk, we appreciated the different textures of the fabrics and the way she matched her shoes to the the palest shade. Let's take a closer look at the detailing on this one…
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Sorry, Miranda Lambert, but this dress scored a miss from us. The sleeveless pink and black Thierry Mugler frock fell flat on the Country Music Association Awards red carpet, though we did appreciate that it was vintage.
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Nope! Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town's pale pink Azzi & Osta look wasn't a hit in our books. The strapless frock had way too much happening — ruching, a belt, weird embellishments (to name just a few) — and the added elbow-length gloves truly lost us. Fortunately, her bandmate fared much better…
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We adored Karen Fairchild's Alaia gown. From the fiery orange shade to the sheer illusion effect of the lace and that dramatic feathered skirt, this memorable look is one of Karen's best ever.
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It's hard to believe Reba McEntire is 67! The country superstar arrived looking lovely in this dreamy blue velvet gown, which included a super low neckline and tiny slit up the center that showed off her silver peep-toe pumps.
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Navy is an underrated red carpet color! Jessica Chastain proved that when she arrived on the 2022 CMA Awards red carpet in this spaghetti-strap Gucci gown in the rich shade. The couture piece included stunning embellishments that reminded us of a starry night sky, plus it paired perfectly with her red lip.
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Kelsea Ballerini tapped Balenciaga for the big night, selecting this highlighter blue gown by the fashion house. Unfortunately, we weren't wild about this frock that featured gloved long sleeves and a dramatic train, but we'll take a look at it from another angle…
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Kelsea Ballerini's Balenciaga frock included cutouts at the back. Though we really appreciated the shade, another star on the red carpet that night rocked a similar Balenciaga gown in the same hue that we liked a little better…
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We loved the hue of MacKenzie Porter's electric blue Balenciaga gown, which was nearly identical to Kelsea Ballerini's Balenciaga pick. But unlike the glove component of Kelsea's design, MacKenzie's long-sleeved frock brought the right amount of elegance to the red carpet and felt plenty dressy thanks to the lengthy train. Making this look even better? The perfectly matching accessories like her clutch and her stunning drop earrings…
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MacKenzie Porter added beautiful turquoise drop earrings to her bold blue dress, keeping things monochromatic on the red carpet.
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Carly Pearce's white gown was splendid, featuring a keyhole cutout at the neckline, long sleeves and a side slit, but it was her accessories that eclipsed the pretty dress. The star opted to jazz things up with teal, adding phenomenal gemstone-embellished sandals and some jewels. Let's see those next…
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Carly Pearce's earrings also brought a pretty shade of teal into the mix. Check out the stunning stones!
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Another star in winter white? Danielle Bradbery, who opted to rock this show-stopping Monot gown fashioned with sashes that trailed behind her on the red carpet. The halter-style design included a fitted silhouette and a side slit that helped show off her matching strappy Jimmy Choo sandals.
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That's how you do it, Dierks Bentley! Though many of his colleagues opted to rock cowboy hats and jeans, Dierks dressed up for the occasion in this sharp navy tuxedo. We loved the bow tie, the embellishments on his coat and the way he completed things with dressy black boots.
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Though we appreciate the dedication to the country western theme, we weren't wild about Jenee Fleenor's coral minidress. It included silver embellishments down the arms, fringe at the neckline and more shiny embroidery down the skirt. Though we didn't love the look, we did appreciate her commitment to silver with the matching cowboy hat and boots.
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Morgan Wallen looked very sharp at the CMA Awards, bridging the gap of cool and classic with this burgundy tux paired with a black T-shirt and velvet loafers.
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A vision in red! Jessie James Decker arrived in this fitted Area number with spaghetti straps and a super-low neckline. We loved the slinky silhouette and the way the star opted to rock a glamorous wavy hairdo.
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Yikes! What's happening here, Sam Williams? The star stepped out in this bright red suit — complete with embroidery and embellishments — that we actually liked, but the styling went horribly wrong. The undone dress shirt, a choker and layered necklaces were the first places things went awry, and the shiny silver cowboy boots didn't help matters either.
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Parker McCollum proved it's possible to embrace cowboy couture without looking too casual. The crooner rocked a black cowboy hat and boots with a pale blue dress shirt, cream jacket and jeans for a polished red carpet look.
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Lindsay Ell took a walk on the wild side in this cheetah-print gown complete with a lace-up neckline and a thigh-high slit. We loved the bold all-over pattern, the way she paired it with black platform pumps and the interesting detail along the back of this standout dress…
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Gorgeous! Lindsay Ell's cheetah-print frock included a lace-up detail along the back. She wisely rocked an artfully messy updo to show off the feature.
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Luke Bryan's wife, Caroline Boyer, also opted for animal print, though we didn't like the silhouette as much as Lindsay Ell's. Caroline's halter-style gown included a keyhole cutout, a belt and a subtle train detail that felt underwhelming compared to Lindsay's bolder pick.
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Jake Owen can always be counted upon for a good menswear moment at country music award shows. He didn't disappoint in this holiday-ready red velvet jacket paired with a white dress shirt, skinny black tie, dress pants and black boots.
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Sarah Drew served up ethereal vibes in this white tulle creation that included a strapless sweetheart neckline and corset-like bodice, a full-length tulle skirt, subtle gold embellishments throughout and a tulle cape-like detail over top that was the icing on the cake.
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Does Ernest know he's at an award show? The singer arrived in a tan bomber jacket, white T-shirt and baggy trousers, rounding out his too-casual look with a baseball hat, sunglasses and cowboy boots.
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Dustin Lynch certainly cleaned up nicely at the CMA Awards this year! The star rocked this monochromatic burgundy ensemble and finished things off with a tan cowboy hat and boots.
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It was Priscilla Block's first-ever CMA Awards and she knocked it out of the park when it came to a bold red carpet ensemble! The singer embraced the pantashoes trend and nailed it with this unique look. Her all-over purple ensemble included funky pantashoes on the bottom and a matching long-sleeved gown on top, complete with an asymmetrical train for maximum glam.
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Ashley McBryde kept things cool in a black dress that was anything but boring. The country crooner opted for this one-shouldered black ballgown with a sweetheart neckline and a full skirt. We loved the subtle shimmery embellishments at the waist and the way she added a matching black clutch to keep things simple.
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Brian Kelley showed off the right way to wear a cowboy hat and boots, selecting items in a tan shade and adding them to his chic navy blue velvet suit. The Florida Georgia Line musician added a pale blue unbuttoned dress shirt to complete his country cool look.
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Velvet was certainly trending on the CMA Awards red carpet. One of our favorite takes on the rich fabric? Lainey Wilson's mustard velvet suit, which she accessorized in true country style with a cowboy hat and turquoise jewels.
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Kelleigh Bannen went for a slinky David Koma LBD at the CMA Awards, rocking this thin-strapped gown with a dangerously high slit and daringly low cutouts at the neckline. Shiny silver sandals that complemented her gown's embellishments finished off this high-fashion getup.
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We adore Bailey Zimmerman's sweet songs, but we weren't in love with the way he rocked shiny silver sneakers on the CMA Awards red carpet. His otherwise simple all-black ensemble didn't ruffle any feathers, we just wish he would have opted for dressier footwear.
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Caitlyn Smith's gown provided a groovy pop of jewel-toned shades. The long-sleeved dress had a plunging neckline and a thigh-high slit, but it was her shoe selection that made this one of the coolest looks of the night…
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Caitlyn Smith added these incredibly chunky rainbow platform pumps to the mix, complete with a bright purple heel.
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Country music legend Jeannie Seely served up this chic Western look that covered it all — fringe, a matching cowboy hat and a whole lot of turquoise — for a stellar red carpet showing.
