Cute Ugly Christmas Sweaters You’ll Actually Want to Wear

A good, old school, cute ugly Christmas sweater is a wardrobe essential if you ask me. I’m not saying you need a ton of them, and I definitely don’t think they’re worth breaking the bank over, but I do think it’s a good idea to have a go-to option when the attire on an invitation says “tacky Christmas.”

This time of year, cookie exchanges, white elephant parties, children’s classroom celebrations, and even office gatherings are in full swing. Evening holiday parties are easy to dress for: a good holiday cocktail dress and pair of heels does the trick, but what about daytime Christmas events at your kiddo’s school or lunch with girlfriends? Events that don’t require a full blown look, but where you still want to dress festively? A tacky, or in case cute, Christmas sweater is just the thing!

Today, I’m sharing a handful of affordable cute ugly Christmas sweaters (and one splurge find) to take you through the rest of the holidays. Many of these finds are from Amazon, so you can have them shipped in just a day or two if you’re in a pinch (and I have an Idea List on my Amazon Storefront with 30 festive sweaters if you’re set on ordering from there). And while I’m sticking to good old fashion tacky Christmas sweaters in this round up, I also did a haul of Fair Isle style sweaters. I find that Fair Isle sweaters are more wintery than they are Christmasy, so that felt like it required a separate blog post.

Anywho, let’s dive in to my favorite tacky Christmas sweater finds!

My Favorite Cute Ugly Christmas Sweaters for Holiday Parties

1. Merry & Bright 3D Sweater

At the top of my list is this 3D style Merry & Bright sweatshirt/sweater. I love that the lettering is not just printed on top of the fabric, but actually has some texture on it’s own. And the bright colors make it feel feminine while still being festive. This top is under $30 and a great option for styling with jeans, leggings or even a skirt. I also appreciate that it’s more subtle than some other options in this roundup.

2. Christmas Snowflake Reindeer Knitted Cute Ugly Christmas Sweater

I love color combination of this the red and white Amazon Christmas sweater. It strikes me as a true “traditional” looking Christmas sweater because it has that nod to a Fair Isle design. The hearts, snowflakes, and reindeer designs make it fun and “tacky” while still feeling super cute. There are only so many ugly Christmas sweater outfit ideas, but this feels like a really easy sweater to style with jeans.

3. Grey Nordstrom Snowflake Sweater

I love the subtleness of this grey Nordstrom Christmas sweater. I’ve always been a Nordstrom fan because of their amazing customer service, so any time I can buy from there, I do. While this sweater could totally work for a tacky Christmas sweater, it’s definitely cute. And you could wear it throughout the rest of the winter since it’s not Christmas specific.

4. Pink and Red Snowflake Turtleneck Sweater

I love an oversized turtleneck sweater, and when it’s pink and red, I’m all in. This is another great option for wearing into the winter since it’s not specific to Christmas, although I do think it lends itself a tad more to the holidays than the grey one above does. This sweater is under $45 from Amazon and ships immediately. I’d style this with a pair of winter white jeans or leggings.

5. Amazon 3D Santa Sweater

Now this is a cute ugly Christmas sweater if I’ve ever seen one. Santa’s face all over the front with a 3D beard? SO fun. I love this idea for a true tacky Christmas sweater because it’s silly, unique, makes a statement, and pairs easily with black leggings or jeans. This is under $45 and has great reviews.

6. 3D Ornament Christmas Sweater

Well, I think this ornament Christmas sweater takes the cake in terms of tacky! If you want to make a real statement, I can’t think of a better sweater than this one. It’s currently on sale for just under $50 and would be the perfect sweater to pull out year after year. It almost looks like a DIY, which I love. I can just imagine how much Thomas would love it if I wore this! And since it’s a cardigan style, it would be a good option for any nursing mamas this holiday season.

7. Red Christmas Printed Henley TShirt

If you live somewhere warm (Floridians, I see you!), then a tacky Christmas t-shirt may be a better option than a sweater, and this red printed henley style tee is perfect! It’s under $20, looks a lot like the red and white sweater I linked above, and great for a warmer climate. Or, for something just a tad warmer, but still not heavy, this Anthropologie Christmas sweater (not really a sweater, more of a sweatshirt), would be a cute option.

8. Tacky Christmas Tree Sweater

I honestly love how chaotic this Christmas tree sweater is. The sleeves are crazy and colorful, the tree is massive, and the colors make me a little crazy (in a good way). This is a true ugly Christmas sweater, ha! It’s from Amazon, so you could definitely snag this before an upcoming party. If you have a beloved furry friend, I found this ugly Christmas sweater for dogs that sort of matches.

9. Walmart Black and Pink Fa-La-La Sweater

Walmart is another great place to look for affordable tacky Christmas sweaters. Since they use a drop-ship model, there are a TON of options to choose from. This pink and black sweater with “fa la la la la” letting caught my eye since I love the pink cuffs on the sleeve.

10. Festive Embroidered Sweater from Boden

I LOVE this black festive sweater from Boden. However, it’s pricier than the rest of the sweaters in this post. If I were to order just one Christmas sweater to keep for years to come, I think it would be this though. It would pair well with black leggings, but it also feels chic and festive if you wanted to dress it up with faux leather pants or metallic pants like these from GAP and booties.

Boden actually has a ton of cute festive options for women (and kids) including these “FA-LA-LA” earrings, which would be darling with a little black dress for a cocktail party.

I hope you found a sweater you love!

Shop Cute Ugly Christmas Sweaters