The Biggest Fashion Flops At The 2026 ESPY Awards

Award shows always bring out the best and worst fashion moments among celebrities, athletes, and public figures. As everyone fights for attention on the red carpet, they are pushed to get creative with their wardrobe choices. In an attempt to outshine one another, stars often end up taking brave fashion risks to stand out. Sometimes these bold fashion statements pay off when done right, but they can be embarrassing when they misfire. This was especially evident at the 2026 ESPY Awards held on July 15 in New York City. 

As the nation's top athletes gathered to celebrate the best in sports from the past year, celebs hit the red carpet to pose for the camera. Some stars came out on top with stunning ensembles, like Olympians Simone Biles and Alysa Liu, but many suffered a public fashion fail. Just like the 2025 ESPY Awards, which was a fashion disaster for everyone there, these attendees could've used new stylists.

As the wife of NBA superstar Steph Curry, Ayesha Curry is no stranger to getting glammed up and attending red carpet events. While she has served up some stunning looks over the years, her 2026 ESPY Awards outfit is an acquired taste. She wore a sheer black dress by Christian Siriano lined with crystals that looked like spiderwebs across her body. The boned structure of the corset jutted out awkwardly around the hips, creating an odd shape that revealed a bit too much. 

At least she can reuse this outfit if she attends Marvel's "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" premiere. 

Supermodel Kate Upton is gorgeous, so it takes a lot for her to look bad on a red carpet. As a veteran in the fashion industry, she should be well versed on what outfits will stun at high-profile events by now. Despite her experience, and the real reasons we don't hear from Upton anymore, she attended the 2026 ESPY Awards wearing a poorly fitted dress that did not flatter her slim figure. The busy black-and-blue pattern only added to the fashion chaos. 

Cameron Jordan was dressed to impress his art class when he stepped onto the red carpet. The New Orleans Saint defensive end wore a light-colored suit with blue and purple swirls that couldn't decide if it was a Vincent Van Gogh painting or a natural geological formation. Despite the wild mix of colors, he did somehow manage to find a pair of Nike's that matched the color scheme perfectly. While the suit's unique pattern felt out of place at the ESPYs, his look would've fit right in at a "Dune" premiere. 

Eileen Gu may be an Olympic gold medalist in freestyling skiing, but that does not mean the athlete always look good in gold. She hit the EPSY 2026 red carpet wearing a gold dress that draped onto the floor, but the metallic gown looked like a dull curtain hanging in an old hotel room. The oversized flowers across her right shoulder did not save the look, making the dress look gaudy and over-the-top. Perhaps Gu was simply wearing gold to signify her gold medal status, but this symbolism was too on-the-nose here. 

NFL superstar Russell Wilson isn't known for his impeccable fashion sense and this was abundantly apparent when he hit the red carpet in a black-and-blue zebra print jacket. The black pattern on his jacket was a duller shade than the rest of his black outfit, making it look mismatched and his bowtie was oversized, making it look like a sloppy afterthought. This fashion hiccup comes as no surprise because Wilson was one of the worst-dressed celebrities at the 2024 ESPY Awards, too.

NBA superstar and champion Dwight Howard is used to having an audience. Yet, while the Hall of Famer may be a hero on the court, he looked like a Bond villain on the red carpet at the 2026 ESPY Awards. The all-black look created a cohesive color scheme, but it was in desperate need of a tailor. His cropped jacket and pants looked too small on the athlete's tall frame. And while he took a fun fashion risk by wearing flared, bellbottom-like pants, they were ultimately too short, awkwardly exposing portions of his black boots.

Peleton's head instructor Robin Arzón graced the ESPY red carpet in an all-black ensemble with gold accessories, including a gold belt and purse. She wore a black dress that was teeming with lace around her neckline and draped down her legs. While this look might've been perfectly fine at a more daring event, Arzón looked completely out of place. Given the explosion of ruffles and sheer lace, this outfit cannot decide if it's a bathing suit cover up, a Halloween costume, or funeral duds. 

Dion Dawkins attended the 2026 ESPY Awards with his fiancée, Daiyaana Muhammad, in coordinated outfits. While the matching concept was sweet for the happily engaged couple, they ended up suffering from the same fashion missteps. The Buffalo Bills' defensive tackle wore a suit that was much too baggy on him, while Muhammad wore a sleeveless dress with an unflattering shape. They went all in on colorless, off-white looks that were uninspiring. Perhaps they should have saved these outfits for the rehearsal dinner?

Volleyball star Harper Murray hit the 2026 ESPY red carpet looking like she pulled her outfit from the back of her closet. She wore a black, silk gown featuring a lacy, sleeveless top. While the bottom portion was salvageable, it was her accessory choices that ultimately tanked the look. Her white Miu Miu purse stuck out like a sore thumb against her all-black outfit and her black flip flop heels looked too casual against the gown's floor-length. The most creative part of her outfit was her matching lace choker, though that would've looked better if it was half its width.