The Inappropriate Red Outfit Reba McEntire Will Never Live Down

Reba McEntire has worn plenty of spicy outfits in her life, but none come close to the one outfit she'll never live down. In 1993, McEntire popped up at the CMA Awards wearing a form-fitting, busty red gown that threw the world into a frenzy. The usually fashionably sound singer was in the building to perform "Does He Love You" — a duet with fellow country star Linda Davis — but their twangy harmonies were not enough to claim the audience's attention for the night. McEntire's dress, which heavily emphasized her cleavage underneath a sheer panel adorned with sequins, stole every bit of attention from the duo's otherwise pitch-perfect performance. (Seriously, you should listen!)

More than 30 years onward, McEntire still fields questions about what could be her best or worst CMA look of all time, which was seen as odd for her, given her down-home image. "It was very revealing and I didn't know that!," McEntire shared with a special CMA-themed print version of People in 2016. Granted, after two fittings, the star did initially think the dress needed a little something extra, but she later waved off those concerns after her stylist, Sandi Spika, assured her it was fine. "When I put it on in the dressing room at the Grand Ole Opry for the show, I thought, 'Maybe it's just the lighting in here.'" She continued, "And when I walked out on the stage, I heard the audience go 'Oooooh!' And I thought, 'Dang, I look good!'"

Reba McEntire's red dress may have been scandalous by 1993's standards, but it's nothing compared to what stars — even country stars — wear today. That was McEntire's stance when she sat down with Yahoo! to talk about the dress in 2023. "Now, shoot, that's granny stuff compared to ..." the star said of her infamous ensemble. However, 1993 was a very different time for the industry, especially country stars. "But back then, no, I was pretty straight-laced. And I'm sure it shocked everybody that I would do a low dress. It was pretty scandalous for me." Fortunately, McEntire revealed that she didn't suffer any long-term consequences. Or at least she didn't hear any. "I don't think anybody burned my records or anything."

Perhaps that's why McEntire pulled the dress from the back of her closet (or wherever she had it stored) to give it one last hurrah. In 2018, McEntire, who's undergone quite the transformation, donned the dress while singing "Does He Love You" with Kelly Clarkson — and it was a highlight of her evening. "I really liked the red dress from the '90s," McEntire shared with People that same year. "It was like seeing an old friend again." She continued, "When Sandi Spika made that dress for me, I felt like Cinderella. I wore it to the CMA Awards 25 years ago when singing 'Does He Love You' with Linda Davis. Sandi Spika Borchetta, who'd been touring with me and designing my clothes for years, designed it."