Admittedly, I only watch clips of the American Country Music Awards to catch glimpses of Kelsea Ballerini slaying her performance and Chase Stokes gazing at her lovingly and singing along to every word. That man was written by a woman, and Kelsea’s a liberal queen (a rarity in the country space), so I can feel good cheering her on. Last night, Kelsea delivered a flawless performance of “Baggage,” a song that’s presumably inspired by her Outer Banks star BF and No. 1 fan. There were also performances by Blake Shelton, Ella Langley, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and more country music A-listers. And I definitely watched all of them. Every one.
The Best And Worst Dressed Celebs At The 2025 ACM Awards
Best — Shaboozey
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Screaming, this is so good. The distressed brown leather suit and Moto gloves are GIVING. He’s singlehandedly raising the bar for men’s fashion at award shows.
Worst — Nicole Kidman
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Nicole at the ACM Awards? I think she’s supposed to be at the AMC awards. (I like the leather top, but I fear she’s not quite pulling off the skirt and pants combo…)
Best — Kelsea Ballerini
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You can always, always count on Kelsea to serve, and she did just that in this stunning sequin nude gown. Obsessed with the adorable triangle black bra.
Worst — Jelly Roll
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Oy. I don’t mind the jacket, but I think the super baggy shirt under the jacket is throwing me off. This is also an unfortunate red carpet pose.
Best — Megan Moroney
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QUEEN. She’s eating this up. Before the awards, Megan told People that she was going for an Andie Anderson vibe, and she totally nailed that look in this slinky yellow number.
Worst — Lainey Wilson
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What in god’s name is happening here… I’m so sorry, Lainey, but this looks like a costume an SNL cast member would wear in a skit making fun of the ACM awards.
Best — Chase Stokes
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Simple and effective! The low-cut black shirt is chef’s kiss, and that face card never declines.
Worst — Mickey Guyton
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Love her, but unfortunately, I can’t condone this very meh, snot-colored dress.
Best — Carly Pearce
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We love a sexy silver moment! The dress fits her like a glove, and I’m living for the iconic thigh slit.
Worst — Lee Ann Womack
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Respectfully, did she look in the mirror before she left for the awards? There’s no sugarcoating it — this dress is alarmingly brutal. The fringe on steroids boutta give me nightmares.
Ilana Frost is an entertainment writer at Betches. As a teenage girl in her twenties, she spends her time stanning Olivia Rodrigo, baking cakes for award shows, and refusing to ever leave her Reputation era.