Shailene Woodley tops the 2026 Emmys worst-dressed list with a head-turning mismatched look

Shailene Woodley arrived at the 2026 Emmy Awards ready to make a statement. Unfortunately, her combination of oversized gold sequin trousers, a plunging bright-blue top, burgundy leather gloves and a multicolored statement necklace quickly became one of the night’s most divisive red-carpet looks.

The 78th Emmy Awards took place Monday night, September 14, at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, with Mariska Hargitay hosting the ceremony. Television’s biggest stars turned out for the occasion, but while plenty delivered polished red-carpet moments, several ensembles proved far more difficult to pull together.

Zendaya was among the evening’s major arrivals after earning a Lead Actress in a Drama Series nomination for Euphoria, although Rhea Seehorn ultimately took the award. Noah Wyle, meanwhile, won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for The Pitt.

Before the trophies were handed out, however, fashion took center stage. From deliberately theatrical choices to outfits that simply appeared overloaded, these were some of the looks that stood out for the wrong reasons.

Shailene Woodley

Woodley’s outfit had several strong elements competing for attention at once.

The actress wore oversized gold sequin trousers with a bright-blue, low-cut top, then added elbow-length maroon leather gloves and a chunky multicolored necklace. The combination created a striking clash of colors, textures and proportions that made it difficult for any one element to take center stage.

Woodley’s appearance came shortly after a major career milestone. She won Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Annie in Paradise at the Creative Arts Emmys on September 6, giving her her first Emmy victory.

This may be the worst look I’ve ever seen at the Emmys https://t.co/dRGXjexIFX

— Erik Anderson (@AwardsWatchErik) September 14, 2026

Her September 14 appearance was also her first trip to the main Emmys red carpet in nearly a decade. The outfit was a Balenciaga couture look designed by Pierpaolo Piccioli, featuring the plunging periwinkle top and gold crystal- and sequin-covered wide-leg trousers.

Lisa Ann Walter

Lisa Ann Walter went for maximum drama in a strapless black gown with a ruched bodice and an exaggerated flared skirt.

The dress was surrounded by voluminous black tulle sleeves, giving the ensemble a distinctly theatrical, almost gothic quality. Her red hair was swept into an equally dramatic updo, adding even more height and volume to the overall appearance.

The Abbott Elementary actress attended the ceremony with her longtime friend and former Parent Trap co-star Elaine Hendrix. Walter’s black Christian Siriano gown was one of the more dramatic fashion choices of the night.

Derek Hough

Derek Hough abandoned the traditional black tuxedo for an oversized dark-green silk suit.

The jacket featured black button detailing, while he layered a hunter-green silk shirt underneath. Metallic patent-leather green loafers completed the head-to-toe color experiment.

The Dancing with the Stars host and professional dancer clearly opted for a more adventurous interpretation of formalwear, but the oversized silhouette and multiple shades of green made the look particularly difficult to overlook.

Lisa Rinna

Lisa Rinna appeared to be dressing for a fashion week runway rather than a conventional television awards ceremony.

She wore a sparkling black gown with dramatically oversized sleeves, a deep V neckline and a high slit. A sleek, slicked-back hairstyle kept the attention on the dress, while a silver pendant necklace provided the finishing touch.

The look was undeniably bold, but its exaggerated proportions and runway-inspired styling placed it among the evening’s more polarizing fashion choices.

Meg Stalter

Meg Stalter took the idea of dressing for the Emmys literally.

The comedian transformed herself into a human interpretation of the Emmy statuette, covering her body in metallic gold paint and incorporating oversized gold wings into her hair.

She completed the costume with gold heels, mini shorts and a halter-style crop top. It was easily one of the night’s most theatrical fashion statements, although the intentionally over-the-top approach made it a natural fit for a worst-dressed roundup.

Stalter’s choice stood apart from the traditional gowns and formal tailoring on the carpet, turning her arrival into something closer to performance art than conventional awards-show dressing.

Keltie Knight

Keltie Knight’s outfit occupied an unusual space between eveningwear and daytime dressing.

The journalist wore a flowing light-pink satin skirt with a bubble hem and dramatic high-low shape, pairing it with a cropped white top. Pink satin heels, finished with ruby details at the toes, and dangling gold earrings completed the ensemble.

The combination gave the look a distinctly luncheon or high-tea feel rather than the formal polish typically associated with the Emmys.

The E! host’s red-carpet outfit was widely noted for the contrast between the simple white crop top and the voluminous pink skirt.

Eunice Bae

Eunice Bae went all in on texture with a bright-yellow halter-neck gown covered in feathers.

The dress featured a plunging V neckline and a high-low hemline, creating an unusually elaborate silhouette. She paired it with strappy silver heels and a bold red lip.

The combination of vivid yellow, feathers and the dramatic cut made the ensemble feel closer to a costume-party statement than a conventional awards-show gown.

Cynthia Nixon

Cynthia Nixon opted for a maroon gown with a visibly creased texture and an exaggerated waist.

The one-shoulder design was particularly dramatic, with the sculptural neckline serving as the centerpiece of the look. Nixon kept her hair pulled into a sleek bun, allowing the unusual neckline to remain unobstructed.

She paired the gown with nude Manolo Blahnik heels featuring the brand’s signature silver brooch at the toe.

For an actress best known to many viewers as Miranda from Sex and the City, the unconventional silhouette represented a considerable departure from a more understated red-carpet approach.

Lisa Kudrow

Lisa Kudrow took a menswear-inspired approach to the red carpet, wearing a floor-length black silk gown beneath a cropped tuxedo-style jacket.

She kept her accessories to a minimum, wearing no jewelry beyond her wedding rings.

The pared-back styling was a sharp contrast to some of the evening’s more extravagant looks. The combination of the strapless gown and cropped jacket, however, landed among the more questionable pairings of the night.

Kudrow arrived with her son Julian Stern, who coordinated with her in a classic black suit.

Rachel Sennott

Rachel Sennott brought a decidedly youthful look to the Emmys red carpet in a hot-pink sheer gown.

The dress featured ruched detailing around the bust and shoulders and a silhouette that revealed her legs. She finished the look with a half-up, half-down ponytail and diamond jewelry.

The combination of bright pink, sheer fabric and youthful styling gave the outfit more of a high-school-prom feel than the sophisticated eveningwear expected at television’s biggest awards ceremony.

Tiffany Haddish

Tiffany Haddish brought a burst of neon to the red carpet with a lime-green silk dress.

The halter-style gown featured draped fabric over one shoulder and an eye-catching silhouette. Haddish paired the bright dress with a substantial diamond bracelet.

The color was difficult to miss, but the vivid summer-like shade felt somewhat out of step with the more autumnal mood of the September awards ceremony.

Sarah Pidgeon

Sarah Pidgeon rounded out the list with a lilac slip-style dress embellished with crystals around the U-shaped neckline and straps.

She accessorized with a dangling diamond necklace, while the delicate silhouette and pale purple color gave the outfit a distinctly retro quality.

The look also carried a more deliberate fashion reference than the original roundup suggested. Pidgeon’s custom Chanel gown was inspired by the minimalist style of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, whom she portrayed in Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette. The gown retained the slip-dress influence while adding pearl and crystal embellishment.

Still, among the evening’s more conventional glamour, the combination struck some observers as closer to an old-school school-dance look than a modern Emmy statement.

A red carpet full of risks

The 2026 Emmys produced plenty of memorable fashion moments, and not all of them followed the traditional awards-show formula.

Some stars leaned into theatrical silhouettes, bright colors and deliberately unconventional styling. Others appeared to struggle with proportion, coordination or the balance between statement pieces.

For Shailene Woodley, the combination of gold sequins, bright blue, burgundy leather and multicolored jewelry made her one of the night’s most talked-about arrivals. Meg Stalter’s literal Emmy costume and Lisa Ann Walter’s gothic-inspired black gown likewise ensured that the red carpet had no shortage of looks destined to spark debate.

At the Emmys, standing out is often part of the point. This year, however, several stars managed to stand out for reasons that had little to do with traditional red-carpet glamour.