As Christmas is just right around the corner, you find yourself wandering through the aisles at clothing stores, searching for the perfect vibrant, gaudy, absurd sweater to wear to the ugly sweater contest. In the past, it was tradition for grandmothers to hand-knit these sweaters and gift them to their grandchildren, sharing their care and affection. So how did this sweater, which was originally meant to be cozy and festive, become recognized everywhere as a fun holiday tradition we celebrate today?
Ugly sweaters originated from Jingle Bell Sweaters in the 1950s. When the post-war era began, families began to wear hand-knitted sweaters presenting all kinds of holiday images, such as snowflakes, snowmen, and reindeer. As time shifted towards the 1960s and 70s, these Jingle Bell Sweaters became bolder in color, pattern, and design, embellished with pom-poms, jingle bells, sequins, and glitter (uglychristmassweater.com).
In the 1990s, ugly sweaters fell out of fashion; as a result, these brightly colored sweaters became a sign of bad taste. They were referred to as ugly sweaters instead of Christmas sweaters, which is where they got their name from. People started seeing their ugly sweaters as an embarrassment in pictures and stuffed them into the back of their closets (universityoffahion.com).
Later on, ugly sweaters were featured in multiple movies, which brought up their popularity. Movies such as Bridget Jones’s Diary, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and The Night Before included actors wearing these festive sweaters during the holiday season, bringing the fashion into the mainstream (uglychristmassweater.com).
In Vancouver, Canada, in 2002, Chris Boyd and John Birch, two university students, revived the ugly sweater tradition with the idea of an ugly sweater party. Guests were required to wear an ugly sweater, and the uglier it was, the better. This idea spread, and young teens became interested in these garments again (fridaysocks.com).
Since then, ugly sweater contests and parties have been popular around the holiday season. Colleges, community centers, and offices started hosting ugly sweater parties. The group setting allowed what was considered out-of-fashion or embarrassing to become a collective celebration. “Ugly sweaters bring a fun, relaxed energy to holiday gatherings and make everything feel more festive,” Madison Ko (9) shared. Additionally, anyone can participate in the event as there are no gender, high budget, or body shape limitations.
Celebrities and social media also had a tremendous influence in making ugly sweaters socially acceptable. Jimmy Fallon from “The Tonight Show” and Taylor Swift posted Instagram photos in 2013 and 2019 respectively, which boosted their popularity. People began recording reels of their ugly sweater hunts and customizations, which increased the fashion industry’s profits greatly (universityoffashion.com).
After their booming popularity, the fashion industry began mass-producing these sweaters for the holiday season. Instead of searching through thrift stores to find the perfect sweater, customers can now find them everywhere at affordable prices. Ugly sweaters are still in trend, and “will stay [in trend] because of the holidays and lifestyle,” believes Addy Hastings (9). They have become the symbol of the holiday season and a long-lasting holiday tradition. They have become part of everyday fashion, which you can see when you walk on the streets.
From the hand-knitted sweaters to being mass-produced, ugly sweaters experienced a remarkable journey of transformation. What was once considered an embarrassment became a popular piece of clothing seen all throughout the holiday season, thanks to celebrities and social media. Today, these ugly sweaters represent holiday cheer, with friends and families wearing them to gatherings and contests. As the students stated, the ugly sweater tradition will likely continue for many seasons to come.
