Every culture starts with one person or a memorable event, and the tradition of knitting and wearing ugly sweaters is no exception. These cozy sweaters with tacky and hideous designs have been a part of the Christmas culture for over a decade. So, where did this culture start from? Who started it? This article will answer these questions and more.
They weren’t always called ugly Christmas sweaters
Ugly Christmas sweaters got their start in the 1950s. However, their popularity wasn’t anywhere near how it is today. TV stars like Andy Williams and Val Doonican first embraced the ugly sweater culture. But what were they called then?
In the 1950s and one or two decades after, ugly Christmas sweaters were called “jingle bell sweaters.” Although they were not so popular in the market, the jingle bell sweaters were common at Christmas parties then.
When did the sweaters get popular?
As mentioned earlier, ugly Christmas sweaters didn’t get so famous when they initially came into existence. After making appearances for some time, their popularity died down. Then, in the 1980s, they became famous again, being produced in mass.
Pop culture popularized the ugly sweater culture in the 80s. In comedies like “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” silly dad characters like Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) turned the sweaters into typical yule garments.
Were they made to be ugly?
You may have heard before that the more decorations on the sweater (from candy canes and elves to Santa Claus’ and reindeer), the uglier it looks. While this is true, we often wonder if ugly sweaters were made to be ugly in the beginning.
We think that these sweaters couldn’t have been made to be called ‘ugly sweaters’ in the 50s, considering that they weren’t called ugly in those times. It’s even funnier to think that people saw these sweaters as being ‘cool.’
Ugly sweaters in the 2000s: Another resurgence
Kids in the 1990s probably had no idea what ugly sweaters were. This was because, in this decade, ugly sweaters were practically extinct; it was something you could only find at the farthest corner of your mom’s closet.
Interestingly, in the early 2000s, ugly sweaters came back. The book “Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Book: The Definitive Guide To Getting Your Ugly On” inspired similarly themed sweater parties that made people see these sweaters as humorous.
What do these sweaters stand for today?
Of course, ugly sweaters haven’t become more stylish– and they probably won’t ever be. But today, they are seen as an acceptable and comic way of taking a break from the Christmas outfit pressure. It’s no longer a ‘grannies’ thing.’
From celebrities like Kanye West and Taylor Swift to designers like Givenchy and Dolce & Gabbana, different people popularize knit clothing as the new mistletoe. From button-down cardigans to several tinsel embellishments, we now rock different variations today.
