How to Rock an Ugly Christmas Sweater, Eco Chick Style

Image via: Flickr user tifotter

If you celebrate Christmas, then at some point or another in your life, you’ve undoubtedly received – or have been forced to wear – an ugly Christmas sweater. They’re frumpy, garish, and unflattering on just about everyone, yet we seem them on countless people during the holiday season all the same.

Recently, wearing hideous holiday sweaters has become a sort of hip ironic thing to do, to the point that people are throwing ‘ugly Christmas sweater parties’ to celebrate them in all their unattractive glory. Like the mighty mullet, ugly Christmas sweaters have been elevated to a pop culture phenomenon (check out the awesome gallery at The Daily Green!).

Somehow, guys can wear the most hideous Christmas sweaters and look hilarious, yet most girls end up looking like your dorky 2nd grade substitute teacher who wore holiday-themed turtlenecks under a denim jumper.

So, how do you rock the ugly Christmas sweater if you’re invited to one of these parties? Check out these tips to wear the trend and still look sexy. Of course, you shouldn’t run out and buy one of these polyester nightmares new – get yours at a thrift store or borrow one from a friend or family member. The whole point of this trend is to get at least one more use out of these ridiculous wastes of polyester/cotton/wool/grandma’s sweat ‘n tears.

(Check out the Rock Your Ugly Christmas Sweater book for more hilarious pix!)

Images via: The Adventures of Short and Tall + The Daily Green

Choose a cardigan. Layering it over a cute cami puts the spotlight on the sweater and gives you a more streamlined look. It’s hard to find holiday sweaters with a flattering cut – most of them are super bulky and make even petite women look like linebackers – but cardigans, especially if worn open, give the illusion of leanness.

Belt that XXL and wear it as a dress. If all you have is Grandma’s ginormous sequined Frosty the Snowman sweater and it comes down to your mid-thigh, work with it. Belting it keeps it closer to the body so you don’t look like a shapeless blob.

Images via: Badger & Weasel + Flickr user Camels & Chocolate

Wear it with a skirt or layer it over a dress. Show a little leg to make up for all the ugliness on your top half. Leggings and tights look cute and keep it feminine. Whatever you do, don’t wear sweatpants or you’ll look like the Abominable Snowman after stumbling into a holiday convention for secretaries over the age of 55.

Hey, sometimes you’re invited to an ugly Christmas sweater party and all you have available to you is the selection at Goodwill. That’s ok – you can still rock it. Don’t forget that the whole point of wearing an ugly Christmas sweater is that it’s ugly. At least at an ugly Christmas sweater party, everyone else looks stupid, too.