Julianne Hough’s ‘DWTS’ outfits have always stirred debates — but this time, she was having none of it

Her wardrobe has always made headlines on ‘DWTS’, but one outfit drew so much criticism, Julianne Hough had to respond
PUBLISHED APR 22, 2025
Photo of Julianne Hough performing a Christmas dance routine during 'Dancing with the Stars' 2023 Christmas episode (Cover Image Source: Instagram | Dancing with the Stars)
Photo of Julianne Hough performing a Christmas dance routine during 'Dancing with the Stars' 2023 Christmas episode (Cover Image Source: Instagram | Dancing with the Stars)

'Dancing With the Stars,' staying true to its name, has the glitz and glam, which is very much apparent in the outfits worn by the dancers. In that sense, Julianne Hough has been a very versatile part of 'DWTS'. She started her journey in the show back in 2007 during season 4, as she went on to become the youngest professional dancer to win the Mirrorball Trophy twice. She then moved on to become a judge from seasons 19 through 21, followed by seasons 23 and 24. Since 2023, Hough has gone on to become a co-host of the show alongside Alfonso Ribeiro


 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Julianne Hough (@juleshough)


 

Needless to say, Hough is an integral part of the show and is beloved by everyone. That said, it's not new for renowned dancers to face backlash for the dresses they choose to wear. One such instance happened when Hough, as the co-host, participated in a Christmas-themed dance routine in the 2023 Christmas episode of 'Dancing With The Stars'. The professional dancer wore "a sparkly red jumpsuit with cut-outs in the back and a plunging neckline. The jumpsuit featured extremely short shorts, but it was paired with matching knee-high boots," as reported by The Sun. This is not the first time Hough has come under fire for her outfit choice.



 

As reported by the Express, fans slammed the pro dancer for her choice of outfit during the 'DWTS' semi-finals in 2024. She "wore a dark nude floor-length gown that had a high neck and flowing sleeves," as reported by the British news brand. Various fans took to social media to bash Hough's outfit, as one fan wrote on Reddit, "Omg, Julianne's makeup and outfit are so unflattering," as another added, "I want to know who styles Julianne. Because Julianne is so beautiful, she's just constantly in the worst outfits."


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Julianne Hough (@juleshough)


 

Hough even faced backlash during Music Video Week on 'DWTS' as the pro dancer wore a Madonna outfit, which was heavily criticized by people. One commented, "I can't watch 2 hours of Julianne in that outfit. Hurts my eyes. Tuning to The Weather Channel." While another said, "I know it's typical of Madonna, but for a family show, she could have not added the pink underwear over the suit." Various users were visibly frustrated with Hough.


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Julianne Hough (@juleshough)


 

That said, while Hough didn't pay much heed to all the past remarks, she slammed all the judgmental users on social media with a simple yet effective screenshot. The screenshot was of a fan trying to vote for Jason Mraz. The user spammed 'JASON' three times, followed by 'JULIANNE,' as the user then got a warning message from the portal since Hough wasn't a contestant. With a simple screenshot, the fan wrote, "Honestly, she came out in the red outfit of the century, and I had to," as per the source outlet. Hough reposted the picture with the caption, "Haha this is amazing."

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