CALGARY – With the holidays fast approaching, ugly christmas sweater are once again popping up on store shelves.
Over the years, the tacky attire has become one of the most popular choices for festive apparel.
The market for ugly Christmas sweaters is so large that several stores even exist solely for the purpose of selling the garish garb.
“People just like to get dressed up and have some fun with what they’re wearing,” explains Adil Hooda.
Hooda is the co-founder of Holiday Rejects, a company that sells women’s ugly christmas sweaters online and in six retail locations in Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto.
He says the ugly Christmas sweater phenomenon isn’t just something that young adults enjoy.
“It’s everybody from 12-year-olds to 60-year-olds,” says Hooda. “We’ve noticed there are so many retailers that are jumping into this.”
“Christmas isn’t going away, so we don’t expect the popularity to go away for at least a few years.”
4 Tips for buying an cute christmas sweaters
- Try it on
“Get one on and see how it fits,” suggests Hooda. Some people may find certain materials irritate their skin, so it’s best to pull on your target ugly christmas sweater before purchasing. - Buy slightly larger
If you’re checking out vintage sweaters, they may not fit true to size. “We suggest buying slightly larger than you’d expect,” says Hooda. - Don’t just look for red and green
It’s no surprise that red and green are the most popular colours for Christmas sweaters, but the ugly christmas sweater comes in a variety of colours, shapes and sizes – so don’t be scared to think outside the box. - Try a vest
A different take on a Christmas sweater is the Christmas vest. Perfect for someone who isn’t sure on the best size to buy – or worries they might get too warm.
What Makes an funny christmas sweaters?
If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, does the same hold true for ugliness? Perhaps, but there are also some things about an ugly Christmas sweater that are objectively hideous. When you’re deciding on a design for your holiday wardrobe, you want to make sure the sweater you choose is sending a clearly unattractive signal to everyone around you. Here are some tell-tale signs that you’re looking at a truly ugly holiday sweater.
It Features At Least Three Colors
Technically, you could have a two-tone women’s ugly christmas sweaters. But because garish colors are naturally unpleasant to look at, reaching the benchmark for ugliness is easier when you can mix together at least a few different hues. As we Tipsy Elves always say, “The more, the merrier!” Fortunately, Christmas is a holiday with no shortage of bright colors to work with.
It Offends People Accidentally (on Purpose)
Yes. This. Whether you are roasting Santa or celebrating fornicating reindeer, there’s no doubt that messing with people’s most cherished beliefs and violating their taboos is one way to go with your tacky holiday apparel. Since Christmas is also a religious holiday, you’ve also got the opportunity to shock and appall people with your lack of respect for the Birthday Boy himself. Watch out, because it could get ugly—and we’re not just talking about your sweater!
It Has Dangly, Twiddly bits
From pom-poms to bows to actual Christmas ornaments, a cute christmas sweaters is one that fully supports fidgeting. It should drive people crazy when you fiddle with the bits and bobs stuck to your sweater. If they come after you with scissors, vowing to shear you of your tinsel and leave you looking like a sad green sheep, you know the sweater is sufficiently ugly.
It Would Make Granny Proud
Yes, an old-fashioned Fair Isle knit can definitely hold its own in the ugly Christmas sweater lineup. But it must go beyond the traditional snowflake embellishments, to make that happen. Pump up the ugly factor with dayglo colors, upside down fir trees, or humping reindeer, and you’re on your way to enjoying an old-timey ugly classic.
It Makes No Sense
The more you can mix up the Christmas theme with weird, unexpected stuff, the more it jars the eye. Dinosaurs, ninja-bread men, or a three-toed sloth all make great non-normative holiday icons. It’s the kind of ugly-cute factor that makes people smile and groan at the same time.
It’s Impossible to Ignore
This is probably the number one rule for both womens and mens ugly Christmas sweaters. If it’s not “in your face”, it’s not worthy of the ugly label. When people can’t stop staring, then you’re onto something. For example, you might wear a two-headed Xmas sweater with your best friend or your significant other. Or, you could put on a target ugly christmas sweater that doubles as a beer pong game. That’s not something you see every winter!
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