A Tale of Two Tacky Sweaters
A Tale of Two Tacky SweatersAre you team ugly sweater or not? Ugly sweaters are really having a moment. Thrift stores are stocked with Christmas-themed ones for holiday parties and the rest of the year there are plenty of tacky vintage patterns to wear ironically.
If you’re still undecided about jumping on this trend, I’m going to share some outfit inspiration that will change your mind.
In this post, I’m styling two beloved ugly sweaters from my collection. I use that term loosely as they’re actually really beautiful vintage sweaters from the 1980s!
Regardless, I came up with a variety of ways you can mix them up with different items in your closet and wear them for different occasions.
Let’s dive into the tackiness!
From Tacky to Trendy
The latest sweater in my collection is this black, gray, and raspberry number. I was a little overwhelmed by the clashing checkered and floral pattern but picked it up because I was a sucker for its label “Spunky” which is an obscure brand from the ’80s that I own another sweater from.
Turns out, it’s not as hard to style as I thought! Here are 3 ways I pulled it off.
- An ugly sweater with… jeans and a vest. I made this sweater ultra-casual with a pair of black jeans and a puffer vest in a similar color. It’s great for being on the go!
- An ugly sweater with… raspberry palazzo pants. If you really want some compliments, pair this sweater with pants in a matching color. I love a matchy-matchy moment!
- An ugly sweater with… a skirt and matching tights. Zhuzh up a tacky sweater with dark items and then inject a pop of color like tights, a scarf, or a hat. It’s fun and let’s the sweater be the star of your outfit!
Styling A Sequin Sweater
On the other end of the spectrum, this purple sequin sweater has been in my closet the longest – since 2005! It’s been worn by many people in many different ways. I’m always excited to wear it and it brings a lot of people joy. Here are 3 new ways I thought to style it this year!
- An ugly sweater with… jeans and a denim jacket. You can barely see my sweater at all underneath my double denim which is what I was going for. It makes sequins seem daytime appropriate! I did add a fun element and wore purple Converse sneakers to pull a little bit of that color from the sweater.
- An ugly sweater with… contrasting colorful pants. This outfit is not for the shy! I wore my bright sweater with equally bright statement-making pants. Altogether you get one incredible and memorable outfit!
- An ugly sweater with… leggings and ballet flats. I wore this look as a nod to the 1980’s roots of the sweater. I’m sure it felt right at home!
If this sweater looks familiar, an identical version was worn by Beverly Goldberg on The Goldbergs on Season 10, Episode 7. I would ask who wore it better but there’s no competing with the iconic Beverly Goldberg!
Embracing The Ugly Sweater
I’d love to hear what you think of these outfits! Hopefully, the next time you spot an ugly sweater at a thrift store, you look past its appearance and see the potential of how cute it can actually be!
Be sure to Pin your favorite outfit so others can be inspired, too!
