2026 Critics’ Choice Awards Worst Dressed: 10 Viral Fashion Fails on the Red Carpet

The red carpet was a battlefield of bad choices. While the 2026 awards season officially kicked off with the Critics’ Choice Awards in Santa Monica, the conversation quickly shifted from trophies to textiles. Despite big wins for stars like Timothée Chalamet and Jessie Buckley, many celebrities found themselves trending for all the wrong reasons as social media users ruthlessly picked apart their questionable style choices.

Viral Fashion Fails: 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards Worst Dressed

Leading the list of fashion misses was Erin Doherty. Although she took home the award for Best Supporting Actress, her custom emerald Louis Vuitton gown was widely mocked. Critics on X (formerly Twitter) compared the voluminous look to a "green Sims icon" and a "Christmas ornament with feet." The color was stunning, but the silhouette left much to be desired. Jessie Buckley also missed the mark with a bizarre white top draped over black pants, which users described as "hideous" and "unflattering."

Even the industry's golden boy, Timothée Chalamet, couldn't escape the internet's snark. Walking the carpet with Kylie Jenner, Chalamet's navy pinstripe suit was dismissed as looking like a "private school uniform." Meanwhile, Jenner's vintage Versace gown was criticized for being predictable, with fans wishing she'd opt for more adventurous high-fashion pieces rather than just curve-hugging silhouettes.

Costumes vs. Couture: When Risk Becomes Ridicule

The theme of the night seemed to be "theatrical," but not always in a good way. Bella Ramsey donned a sequin vest and red shirt that had fans asking if she was "ready to perform at the circus" or "dressing like a magician." Hannah Einbinder faced similar ridicule for a Victorian-inspired Louis Vuitton dress, with one Redditor joking she looked ready for "milking the cows at a mountain chalet" right after the show.

Musical duo Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami also turned heads for the wrong reasons. Their dramatic Marc Jacobs looks were compared to costumes from 'The Hunger Games,' highlighting a growing divide between avant-garde runway concepts and what actually works on a high-stakes red carpet.