Ugly Christmas sweater parties are a new holiday classic. But if you’re wearing something ugly, can you actually look chic? The answer is yes! As long as you’re having fun and leaning into the tackiness of it all, you’re always in style. We spoke to Alison Gary, owner of style advice site Wardrobe Oxygen, for tips on looking your best while wearing your worst.
Get Personal
The first step in creating a chic ugly Christmas sweater ensemble is to select the namesake centerpiece. “When choosing an ugly Christmas sweater, I recommend picking one that you can wear every year. Make it your signature item,” Gary says. While it may be tempting to order something cheap and fast online, finding something fun, with personality that will last, will serve you much better. Gary’s husband, for example, has a Ruth Bader Ginsburg Christmas number that he loves. Since these sweaters became a cultural phenomenon, they now come in all kinds of pop culture and holiday designs.
Go Natural
Gary recommends choosing a sweater made from natural fibers, if you can find one, because it will last much longer. It’s not easy, she says, “but if you can, hold on to that baby, because it could give you years of beautiful wear.” Intarsia knits are best. Steer clear of sweaters with 3-D textures — tinsel, pom-poms and dangling ornaments don’t survive the washing machine well and are more likely to fall apart. Skip oversized or cropped styles, too, and choose something that fits well, so the sweater can be more versatile.
Turn It Up
“There is no way to be subtle if you’re wearing an ugly Christmas sweater, and part of the fun is just going all out with it,” Gary says. Complement your look with sparkling holiday accessories or plaid pants. Glam it up with a sequin skirt or satin heels. “[An ugly Christmas sweater] can really make dressy pieces you already have in your closet look festive and appropriate for the season,” she adds. If you’re going to a casual hang, you can have just as much fun “with plaid pajama pants and some elf-shaped slippers, and maybe a Santa hat,” Gary says with a laugh. “Treat it as a costume, and have a lot of fun with it.”