The Ultimate Guide to Feeling Beautiful While Winning an Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest

Follow our DIY ugly Christmas sweater guide, and you're bound to be the winner of any holiday party "beauty" contests this year!
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Get ready, party people! It is Christmas time, and I need an ugly Christmas sweater.  We created an ugly Christmas sweater guide.  This guide will give you a competitive edge in the next contest.

First, we’ll prepare you with the history of the beloved Christmastime competition. Then, we’ll equip you with all the deets on how to win the contest at every last bash of the season as you sleigh your way to the new year.

This year, don’t just settle for your holiday bonus. Hello, there are prizes at stake! And trust us, Santa will know if you think you’re “too cool” to get in on the fun. Then, it’s straight to the naughty list for you.

The Ugly Christmas Sweater: A History

The origin of the ugly sweater competition is cloaked in mystery. (Pun intended.) While no one can pinpoint their emergence onto the scene, the frump-tastic, seasonal favorites have amassed cult followings year-round. With these holiday-savvy styles, anything goes. The more decked-out your garb, the better. Whether you have a passion for cats or are always down to get punny, nothing should hold you back from getting lit in a hideous cardigan this December.

Getting Started: What You’ll Need

The bottom line is that homemade versions are natural winners. Why? Because you just can’t beat the originality of a made-from-scratch design. We won’t judge you for grabbing a mass-produced pullover, but it’ll be no match for a cleverly crafted DIY-er.

Here are a few essentials to consider as you begin your journey towards holiday street style stardom:

DIY the “Artfully Ugly” Sweater of Your Dreams

Decorating your new winter woolen is the fun part, but patience is key. Start by brainstorming to come up with a theme or aesthetic for your project. For instance, Disney loyalists should appreciate a Santa Claus Mickey design. But mixing-and-matching with a decal from The Nightmare Before Christmas won’t go over well with the judges.

If your inspiration has run dry, it helps to choose a tone. Are you feeling sentimental, sassy, or just plain punny this year? Deciding on the mood that you’re going for can be what it takes to get your creativity flowing.

Next, set up your crafting station with the various tools you’ll need. Depending on your selected materials, you might need a hot glue gun, a sewing kit, scissors and more.

Finally, take your time before making things permanent. Try out different designs to see which one calls to you before attaching your holiday swag. A well-thought out aesthetic is what upgrades a tacky sweater design to “artfully ugly” territory.

Here are some YouTube tutorials to help you craft your way to ugly sweater perfection:

If You’re Feeling Lazy…

Like we said, we won’t judge you for picking one up at the store. In fact, many designers launch holiday-themed merch for the fashion-savvy consumer.

Before you click “add to cart,” these are shoppable styles in trending themes for holiday wear this season. Hint: We’re all about the unexpected “ugly” sweater dress this year.  Ugly Christmas Sweater guide to buying below.

In Conclusion

Ultimately, the key to feeling beautiful while wearing your ugliest sweater ever is knowing true beauty is on the inside. Nothing you wear this holiday season can take that away from you. (Except polyester.)

Are you making a DIY Ugly Christmas sweater this year? We want to hear about it in the comments below!