Where can I buy a ridiculous Christmas sweater?

December 7, 2007 6:49 AM

Where can I buy a ridiculous Christmas sweater?

I'd like to have one of those ugly holiday sweaters people wear at parties while they drink eggnog. They seem to be in abundance in the memories of my youth, but I have no idea where I could find one now. Is this something department stores simply carry? I feel Macy's is too hip (and probably too expensive). I'm in NYC.

posted by yeti to clothing, beauty, & fashion (19 answers total)

I've generally seen these in mall department stores such as JC Penney's, Sears, etc. You could also probably find them at Target, Marshalls, TJ Maxx.
posted by fallenposters at 6:52 AM on December 7, 2007

Thrift stores and ebay.
posted by slowfasthazel at 6:59 AM on December 7, 2007

I attended a "Tacky Christmas Sweater" party last week, and got the offender at JC Penney's. There was a large "holiday wear" section with sweaters, t-shirts, reindeer socks, jingle bell slippers.

(Unfortunately I went for the most egregious design, but didn't check the label -- it was made of acrylic, and ended up being too itchy to wear for more than 10 minutes)
posted by pineapple at 7:04 AM on December 7, 2007

Seconding thrift stores. My gf and I picked up two tacky xmas sweaters for an upcoming party for $6 a piece.
posted by justkevin at 7:14 AM on December 7, 2007

Seconding the thrift store suggestion. People who get obnoxious Christmas sweaters as gifts usually end up donating them.
posted by amyms at 7:14 AM on December 7, 2007

My god, there are some true horrors on eBay...
posted by afx237vi at 7:14 AM on December 7, 2007

You might also try Quacker Factory over at QVC. They have some real abominations.
posted by ekstasis23 at 7:33 AM on December 7, 2007

My mother gets her god-awful Christmas sweaters from C.J. Banks. I think she has one that even lights up.
posted by banannafish at 7:40 AM on December 7, 2007

I've had success at Goodwill in the past.
posted by ludwig_van at 7:55 AM on December 7, 2007

banannafish: C.J. Banks. Oh my god.
posted by cashman at 8:04 AM on December 7, 2007

Don't forget the turtleneck :)
posted by effigy at 8:25 AM on December 7, 2007

I love Colin Firth ...
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 8:27 AM on December 7, 2007

According to this article from 2004 (emphasis mine):

... For true Christmas revelers, accessories are just an appetizer – the blooming onion before the 12-ounce porterhouse with a side of garlic mashed. One thing and one thing alone will whet the appetites of these folks: The Christmas sweater.

Discount stores such as Marshall's and T.J. Maxx have famously large and colorful selections of theme sweaters, and this year is no different. Department stores are always a ripe environment as well.

JCPenney has spiced up its cardigan collection for the season, offering one with a giant Santa face and a host of tiny candy canes sewn onto a black background; another with snowmen, Santa hats and snowflakes floating on a country blue background; and several with snowflake patterns of varying shapes and sizes.

Sears adorns its usual selection of crew-neck and turtleneck knit tops with everything from the ubiquitous snowflakes to Santa to a little red cardinal sitting atop a pine branch. Nordstrom's offerings are a bit more subdued, with single Christmas trees (some decorated, some bare) popping up on the chest of several sweaters.

Kohl's takes the warm, fuzzy feelings of the season literally, decorating its warm, fuzzy fleece turtlenecks, V-necks and cardigans with scenes of penguins ice-skating, snowmen sledding and angels trimming trees.

Hope that helps. Anyway, I have to admit part of the reason I responded was because your question and some answers reminded me of Meryn Cadell's song, The Sweater.
posted by Lush at 8:34 AM on December 7, 2007

IN YOUR FACE DERANGED RUDOLF.

Yep, if you type"Ugly Christmas sweater men's" into ebay's search there are like 200 results on ebay. If you buy one new they're actually expensive so I'd do ebay or TJMaxx/Ross/Marshalls. And I'd recommend looking into men's ugly Christmas vests too. Because I've seen some remarkably hideous ones.

You should get this sweater. Or this one. Or... woah! They just keep getting worse the more I look at them!
posted by miss lynnster at 9:28 AM on December 7, 2007

Ross the Intern from the Tonight Show just did a video blog about shopping for an ugly holiday sweater. JC Penny seemed to be a goldmine.
posted by HotPatatta at 9:41 AM on December 7, 2007

fashion bug has 'em too.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 10:09 AM on December 7, 2007

I saw some truly horrid ones at DressBarn, but I'm not sure about the existence of these in NYC.
posted by wuzandfuzz at 10:17 AM on December 7, 2007

A couple at a party I went to last week had two matching, hideous sweaters on. They got them from Sears I believe.
posted by Big_B at 12:32 PM on December 7, 2007

i have an "ugly sweater party" tonight. we tried all the places around town and k-mart had the best selection.
posted by catseatcheese at 12:17 PM on December 8, 2007