Ugly sweater parties have become a staple of the holiday season. The problem? They’re so popular that everybody has ridiculously ugly sweaters. There’s absolutely no way to stand out at these things… Or is there?
Let us fill you in on some of the best ways to up your sweater game and grab some attention at the next holiday sweater party that you attend.
How to Standout at an Ugly Holiday Sweater Party
Go 3D With It
Standing out usually has to do with how ‘in your face,’ your look is. The best way to do that with a holiday sweater? Start tacking on crap that pops off the fabric… literally. Ornaments, mistletoe, tinsel and even gifts will all work as additional elements when you sew them on. Protip: Make sure that you sew each adornment in a stylistically appropriate area on the sweater. This will take your look from eye-catching to compliment-getting.
Light It Up
This one is a bit trickier, but the payoff will be unforgettable. Simply open up strategically placed holes on one of your holiday sweaters. String a set of Christmas lights inside of your sweater and sew the lights into the holes. Grab a battery pack that’ll accept a wall outlet chord and put it in your back pocket. Plug that baby in, but don’t flip the switch until you get to the party and pour everyone a shot.
Wear a Nice Sweater
While everyone else is trying to present their worst look, switch it up and give them your best look. You’ll have to go all out on this one, but it will be worth it. Putting on an elegant, subtle and very expensive sweater might not have you winning any contests, but it will definitely get you that cute girl’s number at the end of the night.
Go Above and Beyond
People seem to really limit themselves when they think about sweaters. They assume that it is a long sleeved garment you have to wear on your chest. This is absolutely not the case. Why not try wearing a full body sweater? Or a set of sweater leggings that match your ugly sweater? Or go even bigger and wear a sweater hat and some sweater shoes.
Commit to a Theme
Don’t leave your sweater hanging out there as an anomaly amongst the rest of your clothes. If you’re going to wear a snowman on your sweater, you need to go full snowman. White pants, black fedora, corncob pipe and, if you’re the adventurous type, where a fake carrot nose.
Group Sweaters
Oddly enough, the best way to set yourself apart from the larger group is to become a part of a smaller one. Get your friends to join up and all buy your sweaters together. Why? Because, if you theme your sweaters together – Santa on one sweater and elves on the others, for instance – you’ll be able to come together as one giant sweater! Watch how many times you get that request throughout the night…
Add an Audio Element
Similar to adding Christmas lights to your sweater, adding some audio to your gear will definitely draw some attention. Here’s the catch – the sound has to be coming out of your sweater . No hiding an iPhone in your back pocket with some holiday music blasting on it. Easiest way to do this? Sew a small pocket that will fit your MP3 player of choice right behind the biggest, ugliest image on your sweater.
Get Historical
We all have those horribly embarrassing holiday photos from when we were kids. You know, the one where your face is painted like a reindeer and your aunt Gladys is in the background chugging a glass of alcoholic eggnog? Embrace that photo. Blow it up, print it out, laminate it and sew it onto the front of your sweater. Trust us, that’ll draw some attention.