U

gly Christmas Sweaters. Visions of sequins, pom-poms, 

tassels, snowmen and tinsel-covered Christmas trees 

fill your mind. Ugly Christmas sweaters didn’t start 

out being “ugly”; they were originally intended to be 

fashionable. What used to be worn by teachers for class holiday 

parties and forced upon you by your Grandma Ethel for family 

Christmas photos is now not only trendy, it’s a multi million 

dollar business. Ugly Christmas Sweater Parties are now a 

staple of the holiday season and are popular for all ages. College 

students hit up the local Goodwills to scour the racks for the 

ugliest sweaters possible, the more applique and glitter, the 

better! Holiday icons like Chevy Chase in National Lampoon’s 

Christmas Vacation helped to rise the popularity of the garment 

before it faded in the in the early 90’s. In the last decade, the 

next generation has revamped the trend and it has continued to 

grow and grow in popularity each year. 

story by

 

Courtney Murray

ugly christmas

sweaters

18-19 PcolaStyle - Ugly Christmas Sweaters.indd   1

11/25/18   11:11 AM