It's nearly that time of year again—National Ugly Sweater Day!
Celebrated on December 16, National Ugly Sweater Day is a chance for people across the U.S. to allow their tackiest, most hideous Christmas sweater to shine. But how are you supposed to stand out among a sea of equally awful outfits?
Newsweek asked personal shoppers and fashion experts to share their tips for looking "so bad it's good" this festive season. Whether you want to make people's eyeballs hurt or somehow make that monstrosity in your closet sexy, we've got an ugly Christmas sweater for all.
What Is National Ugly Sweater Day?
Like reindeer, stockings and Hallmark movies, ugly Christmas sweaters are a festive staple. They were first made popular by TV performers in the 1950s, such as singer Andy Williams (you can thank him every time you get "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" stuck in your head).
The trend fell out of style in the 60s and 70s, but popped back up again in the 80s, when tacky holiday sweaters were spotted on TV dads such as Clark Griswold (aka Chevy Chase) in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Colin Firth made ugly sweaters cool again in the early 2000s, when he played love interest Mark Darcy in rom-com Bridget Jones's Diary.
Still, it wasn't until 2012 that ugly sweaters got their own day. Starting in Vancouver, Canada, as a way for two friends to raise money for a pal's cancer treatment, over-the-top Christmas sweaters are now celebrated across North America annually.
As far as holidays go, National Ugly Sweater Day is an easy one to celebrate. All you have to do is grab the most hideous sweater you can find, and voilà! You're set.
Nevertheless, it's worth bearing in mind that this is still an outfit you'll be wearing all day. So, before you run to Walmart and pick up the first sweater you find, you should check out our personal shopper-approved looks below.
Ugly Christmas Sweater for 'The Office' Fans
Any true The Office fan needs this slogan sweater, which features an iconic quote from the season 2 episode "The Christmas Party," aka the episode where manager Michael Scott upsets his employees at the Christmas party, so breaks company policy and buys a lot of booze.
Whether or not your colleagues get the joke, a sweater reading "Well, happy birthday Jesus, sorry your party's so lame" will certainly make a statement at your own office party.
Ugly Christmas Sweater for Party Animals
Whether you intend to spend your Christmas intoxicated or just love puns, this "Get Lit" sweater actually lights up. On the downside, you may have to explain the meaning of "get lit" to your older relatives.
Ugly Christmas Sweater for That Person Who Loves Spreadsheets
Know someone who spends way too much time color-coding spreadsheets on Excel? Well, there's a Christmas sweater for that, thanks to UntamedEgo LLC. Beloved by TikTok users, we predict lots of accountants, financial analysts and project managers will find this under their tree this year.
Ugly Christmas Sweater for Bling Lovers
Ok, so this knit is too cute to really count as an "ugly Christmas sweater," but when you look this good, who cares? After all, you can never go wrong with sequins and wordplay, and Kimberly Mayhew—CEO of House of Colour— agrees.
"Metallics and Glitter—it's what's in!" Mayhew told Newsweek. "Knowing the current fashion trends for fall/winter 2022/2023 will definitely help up your game during Ugly Sweater Day."
Ugly Christmas Sweater for That Person Who's Seen 'Home Alone' Too Many Times
According to a YouGov poll, Home Alone is America's favorite Christmas movie. So, it's no surprise that there are multiple sweaters featuring iconic quotes from the 1990 film. Whether you prefer to yell "KEVIN!" or "Merry Christmas, you filthy animal" at confused party-goers during December, there's a slogan Christmas sweater for every Home Alone fan.
Ugly Christmas Sweater for That Person Who Loves Putting 'Izzle' at the End of Words
This Snoop Dogg-themed sweater from Fresh Tees has four-and-a-half stars on Amazon, so is guaranteed to make you sizzle this Chrismizzle.
Ugly Christmas Sweater for Dinosaur Lovers
Mayhew predicts that "dramatic combinations of regular and oversized pieces" will be big this winter, thanks to the likes of stars such as Hailey Bieber. So, if you dig dinosaurs and aren't too concerned about fitting through doorways this Christmas, then this sweater is a literal stand-out.
Featuring a plush T-Rex—with its head at the front and its tail at the back—this is certainly a memorable way to wear the trend. Sure, you might not see Mrs. Bieber rocking this look, but it's still pretty "rawrsome."
Ugly Christmas Sweater for the Person Who Wants to Look Festive, but Professional
Whether you're a lawyer, a teacher, or your office just doesn't do casual Fridays, then channel Mr. Rogers with this tree ornament-print cardigan from Arvilhill.
Liana Chaouli—couture designer, celebrity style consultant, and the president and founder of Image Therapists International—recommends pairing it with a pair of brown corduroy pants, a baker boy cap (like this Gatsby-inspired Newsboy Cap from LADYBRO), and if you're really daring, an equally "eye-catching" tie too.
Or you can get a dupe for this sweater on Amazon.
Ugly Christmas Sweater for the Person Who Loves a Theme (and Cats)
Why stop at an ugly Christmas sweater? Why not an ugly Christmas look?
"While your ugly Christmas sweater can have anything you want on it, it's more amusing when you have a cohesive theme going," said Melissa Fiorentino, professional stylist and trends forecaster at CakeStyle.com.
Pair this festive feline sweater with a pair of cat ears, or this snowman number with a carrot for a nose. If you're really dedicated, you can also give Christmas tree hair a go, like this creative TikTok user.
Ugly Christmas Sweater for the Person That Actually Wants To Look Cute
Just because your sweater is ugly, doesn't mean you can't look fine.
Liana Chaouli dubs this look "the sexy siren." She suggests wearing this cute, tinsel-adorned cardigan with a tutu and fishnet stockings—whether you choose to wear a shirt underneath the cardigan, or go for full-on cleavage, is optional.
"This look is about mixing the camp of an ugly Christmas sweater with splashy femininity!" Chaouli said.
"The whole outfit is undoubtedly over the top, but the pairings and textures create a visually exciting, fashionable ensemble."
Tipsy Elves also does a men's version of this look in sweater form.
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Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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