Seriously though, ugly Christmas sweaters are cool again and we’re here for it. The legendary 80’s look that everyone expected to be left in the past is back for good. Thanks to millennials and Gen Z’s, they have changed the social tune on the iconic ugly sweater and brought it back into fashion, in an even more fashionable way. Here at Good Things we’re all about the newest trends and the ugly sweater is no exception. We’re now offering our clients the opportunity to customise their very own branded ugly sweater for their merchandise — for the ultimate mid-winter cool merch flex.
The history of the ugly Christmas sweater
Originally made in the 1950s, the Christmas sweater wasn’t designed to be ‘ugly’ but rather homey, joyful and subtle designs. However, the cute knit cardigans weren’t hugely popular until the 1980’s. That’s when the ugly sweater reached a new level of awfully good. All thanks to television series and iconic characters. This provoked the idea of bringing back the ugly Christmas sweater. When it came to the end-of-year Christmas season in the 80’s, it was very common to find TV presenters and hosts wearing ugly Christmas sweaters.
The fashion trend fluctuated but was constantly in the background — reminding us of the festive fun. Since the 1990’s and 2000’s there have been some notable ugly Christmas sweaters worn on the big screen. Who can forget the comical ‘Carlton dance’ from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990 – 1996), in particular, his Christmas Carlton dance special. Then, of course, there was a particularly handsome character Mark Darcy, from Bridget Jones Diary (2001), who wore a uniquely embarrassing ugly Christmas sweater.
More recently, celebrities like Ryan Reynolds have made ugly Christmas sweaters a point of humour, especially during the festive period. Reynolds shared a post in 2018 of him with Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, where Jackman and Gyllenhaal had pranked Reynolds into thinking the Christmas dinner was ‘ugly Christmas sweater’ themed. That was apparently not the case…
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Why are so many people celebrating Christmas in July?
Here in the southern hemisphere, we enjoy a sunny and warm Chrissy — we switch out the mulled wine for a cooled cocktail jug, and the ugly Christmas sweaters for some ugly Christmas rashies. So the idea of cooking a turkey, stirring some cranberry sauce and baking a pumpkin pie is quite thrilling to us Aussies. Since the mid 2010’s Christmas in July parties have become more and more popular with almost all of them themed with the classic ‘Ugly Christmas Sweater’ dress code.
Why would I get an ugly sweater for my branded merchandise?
I think the correct question is actually, ‘why wouldn’t you get an ugly sweater?’ Ugly is the new beautiful and let’s be real, everyone loves a good meme. Our branded ugly sweaters are fun and laughable in all the good ways. It’s a piece of clothing that instantly puts a smile on your face — it’s almost impossible to wear it in a bad mood. So to break it down, you should get an ugly sweater because:
1. It’s fun, colourful and a meme-worthy fashion piece.
2. It’s practical and good for the cold weather.
3. It can encompass all of your brand assets; logo, icons, symbols, taglines, etc.
4. It can be paired with a dog-friendly ugly sweater.
What makes a branded ugly sweater look good?
Pattern. It all comes down to the knit pattern you use for your custom ugly sweater. Using your brand logo is a great start, but the best ugly sweater patterns incorporate more than just a logo. Iconic symbols (branded related or seasonal related) really make the sweater pattern POP. The better the sweater looks, the more inclined your audience will be to wear it. Plus, it becomes a talking piece wherever your customers or employees go.
So to answer the question…
Yes, ugly sweaters are cool. So cool that you wear them in winter. So next time you’re thinking about spicing up (or should we say, warming up) your winter branded merchandise options, think of the ugly Christmas sweater. It might just be the best present your brand’s ever had. You and your dog will be the best-dressed people on the streets.
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