Ugly Christmas Sweater Ideas

If you have been invited to an ugly Christmas sweater party, you might not be sure about what to wear. What counts when it comes to ugly Christmas sweaters? Fortunately, the definition tends to be broad. Here are some ideas to get you started as you prepare for the quirky celebration.

Do-It-Yourself Ugly Christmas Sweaters

If you are willing to dive into a project, do-it-yourself ugly Christmas sweaters give you the opportunity to customize the look of your top to match unique themes at the party or to reflect your personality. Try the projects outlined below to get the right look.

Felt Figures

Some people are not as artistic as others. If you fall into this category, the good news is that the felt figures sweater requires very little talent. All you have to do is cut figures out of felt that you can find at a craft store and glue them on a standard sweater. Easy examples include a snowman or a Christmas tree. Glue that is made to adhere fabrics together will keep your ugly design safe in the washing machine. Be sure to add some tacky touches like a few jingle bells that you can pick up while you are at the craft store.

Christmas Wreath

It doesn't get much easier than affixing your wreath to a green or red sweater. The bigger the wreath, the more outrageous the ugly sweater. Depending on whether you want to use the wreath again, you have the option to use heavy-duty glue like hot glue to keep the decoration in place. If you would like to reuse the wreath or the sweater, tie fabric around four equally-spaced areas on the wreath. Pin the ribbon tightly to your sweater to keep the wreath stationary.

Decorations

Christmas tree decorations are perfect for creating an ugly Christmas sweater. One of the best decorations for an ugly sweater is tinsel that is wrapped around your entire body. You can also pin ornaments to the front of your sweater for an easy fix if you are running out of time before the party. If you want to take your ugly Christmas sweater a step farther, use a wire hoop inside the bottom seam of your sweater. A green sweater is necessary for this design; the ultimate result is becoming a human Christmas tree. Wrap tinsel around yourself, add some glass balls and glue pom-poms to your sweater for the ultimate in ugly Christmas sweater fashion.

Naughty Snowmen

If your ugly Christmas sweater party is for adults only, the naughty snowmen design is the perfect option. Start with a red or green sweater, then add felt snowmen that are centered on each side of the chest area. Add feathers on the hats of the snowmen for a glamorous touch. The best part of this design is the orange funnels made of construction paper that are used as the noses of the snowmen.

Going the Easy Route

Whether you are not all that crafty or you are running out of time as the holiday approaches, there is no shame in buying an ugly sweater to use for a Christmas party. Here are some ideas that you can use as-is or spruce up for the ugliest results.

Naughty Sweaters

Even if you can't make your own naughty snowmen sweater, you can find one for sale at novelty shops.

Light-Up Sweaters

LED lights have found their way onto ugly Christmas sweaters, and the result is spectacular. Whether you want a few accent lights or a full LED display, you can find ugly Christmas sweaters that feature illuminated elements.

Tacky Sweaters

Some websites dedicate themselves to selling tacky Christmas sweaters. If you don't have the time to make your own and want something that really stands out, scouring these websites for the tackiest of the tacky is your best bet.

Santa Sweaters

A sweater that is taken up by a giant Santa face is as tacky as it gets. The great news is that these sweaters are abundant during the holiday season.

Movie-Themed Sweaters

Who doesn't love a good Christmas movie? There are plenty of sweaters out there that include elements from the most popular Christmas movies, and the over-the-top decorations used in the designs of these sweaters make them ideal for ugly Christmas sweater parties.

NFL Christmas Sweaters

Believe it or not, the NFL offers licensed Christmas sweaters that are just ugly enough to work for your next party.

3D Sweaters

There's no need for the tacky design of your Christmas sweater to stay flat against your body. Raised decorations, cones and ornaments all adorn 3D sweaters.

Vintage Sweaters

If money is tight, a trip to Goodwill is the best way to get an amazingly ugly Christmas sweater without breaking your budget. These sweaters tend to roll in around the end of November, so start scouting the stores right before Thanksgiving.