Ugly Christmas sweaters are bringing life to otherwise boring holiday parties. No longer just for soccer moms and office ladies, holiday-themed attire has been reinvented as a festive trend.
Darlene Ritz, a Fashion Design instructor at The Art Institute of California — San Diego, once worked as a design/production assistant for a company that manufactured Christmas sweaters.
Ritz says the intended target market for Christmas sweaters is women ages 35 and above, although they can be found for people of all ages, even newborns.
Thanks to the growing trend of ugly Christmas sweater parties, the market for this festive attire is growing at a rapid pace.
Jacqueline Leahy, also a Fashion Design instructor at The Art Institute of California — San Diego, likes this trend.
“It is grand to see the youth of their 20s-30s wearing the kitschy garments as they create an ironically chic trend,” says Leahy, whose past professional experience also involves working for a company that made Christmas sweaters. “It is the youth in fashion that really drive trend as they are willing to take more risks, maybe this attributes to the popularity.”
Leahy also believes that pop culture has helped to make Christmas sweaters popular.
“Think of that iconic clip from Bridget Jones’s Diary where Mark Darcy is wearing an appliquéd Christmas sweater from his mum at the turkey curry buffet,” Leahy says.
Despite her experience as a Christmas sweater designer, Ritz is not offended by ugly Christmas sweater parties.
“I think it’s hilarious and I love the idea,” Ritz says. “So many of us get these sweaters as gifts from well-meaning friends and relatives that think it’s cute. This is a way to get some use out of it. Most of us who designed Christmas sweaters never thought of them as ‘cute.’”
Anne Marie Blackman, president of My Ugly Christmas Sweater, Inc., says that adding an ugly Christmas sweater theme to a holiday party, makes it more fun and exciting.
“People have more fun when they wear a costume – everyone at the party immediately has something in common with everyone else, and it's easy to break the ice and meet new people,” Blackman says. “Many businesses are promoting their company Christmas parties with the ugly holiday sweater theme because it makes spouses and guests feel welcomed and part of the crowd immediately upon arrival.”
Clarissa Trujillo, founder and president of the Ugly Sweater Store, agrees that ugly Christmas sweaters make holiday parties more fun.
“Ugly Christmas sweaters are so popular because they bring immediate joy to everyone,” Trujillo says. “If you combine ugly Christmas sweaters with a party, then you are guaranteed to have a fun night with friends and family.”
Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Time
Ramsey Mohsen, one of the founders of the Kansas City Christmas Sweater Party, an annual event that raises money for local charity Operation Breakthrough, agrees that Christmas sweaters genuinely put people in a good mood.
Mohsen’s Christmas sweater parties have raised more than $25,000 for charity over the past two years.
“All you can do is smile when you see someone in a Christmas sweater,” Mohsen says.
He says ugly Christmas sweater parties are very relaxed, without the typical party pressure of having to dress to impress.
“There’s no way to look cool at an ugly Christmas sweater party,” says Mohsen. “People are relaxed and they just have fun.”
Blackman says that an ugly Christmas sweater party is not complete without prizes.
“A good rule of thumb for a party is to have ‘Most Ugly Sweater – Female’, ‘Most Ugly Sweater – Male’ and ‘Most Ugly Sweater - Couple Matching,’” Blackman says. “If your party is larger, add more categories on the fly, once you see the type of creativity your guests put into play.”
Blackman says that party hosts should make sure to choose prizes that will make their guests want to compete.
“One group of friends in Wisconsin offers a sought after 1st prize of a cheese wheel," Blackman says.
Mohsen suggests that party hosts have a fashion show where guests are given the chance to model their Christmas sweaters.
Festive décor is also a necessity for every ugly Christmas sweater party.
“Mistletoe is a standard issue must have,” Mohsen says.
Christmas Sweater Rush
For those who wish to find a really great Christmas sweater to wear to their holiday parties, Blackman suggests that they start their search early.
“To have your pick of the most ugly sweaters available, smart party goers begin buying in September,” Blackman says. “There is a frenzy of buying during the holiday party season, and the hottest styles can be sold out by Thanksgiving.”
Another option for those in need of a great last minute Christmas sweater is to look in a family member’s closet.
“A lot of people will call their mom or grandparents and borrow them,” Mohsen says.
Mohsen and friends also rent Christmas sweaters out to their partygoers who don’t get a chance to find one beforehand.
Ugly Christmas Sweater and the People Who Love Them
It’s inevitable that most Christmas sweaters are unique enough to draw stares; some are significantly more shocking than others.
“The most outrageous sweater that My Ugly Christmas Sweater sold last year was actually a jumper,” Blackman says. “It had a 3D tree with decorations and lights down the entire front of the dress. It was quite a sight - and I'm sure won ’1st place ugly’ at the party!”
Trujillo has also seen her fair share of Christmas sweaters, but can recall one that really stood out.
“One of my favorite ugly Christmas sweaters was one with a 3D furry cat sprawled out on a rug in front of a fireplace hung with stockings,” Trujillo says. “Beads and bows accent the sweater nicely. The more to look at, the uglier a sweater will be.”
Trujillo says that some of the more unique Christmas sweaters are hard to find.
“The ultimate ugly Christmas sweater would involve lights and music but that would be very hard to come by,” says Trujillo. “People know to hang on to those.”