The Lamplighter
Tacky Holiday Sweaters are the New Winter CoatsFriday, January 06, 2012 By Kaitlyn Hill
Tacky. Gaudy. Atrocious. Hideous. Ugly. No matter how one chooses to describe them, holiday sweaters are everywhere this time of year. They come in all styles, colors and patterns, but these are just a few that may be seen most commonly at parties or around school throughout the holiday season. The Classic Chunky Knit Knit sweaters are popular throughout the year, and are generally a classy, put-together clothing option. Around December, these sweaters take a turn for the tacky. Most appear as though massive amounts of bright red and green yarn have exploded onto the wearer’s body. Holiday "characters" such as Santa Claus and Rudolf are reproduced with knitting needles in such huge proportions that anyone within a 50-yard radius of the wearer cannot help but to feel the holiday spirit. In addition, anyone wearing these sweaters cannot help but to feel about ten pounds heavier. Some Dunbar students are fans of these large, in-your-face pullovers. "I have a sweater with lots of ornaments, boots, and Santa stuff on it. I love it because it’s super warm and festive, and it goes with my personality," said senior Colin Ogle. The Sophisticated Vest When looking for a more design-conducive, less overwhelming sweater option for the holidays, many people turn to sweater vests. The lack of heavy sleeves and exciting addition of a zipper make these pieces unique and easy to wear. When faced with less design space – rather than cutting down on the number of fun Christmas pictures included – the makers of these sweaters often decide to pack every square inch with as much holiday fun as they are capable of. Lights, reindeer, teddy bears or candy canes – Christmas sweater vests have them all. "Sweater vests are the bomb," said Ogle. "The only one I have is striped, but I really want one with holiday designs on it." The Sweatshirt If you are interested in a more casual form of festive apparel, a nice holiday sweatshirt may be for you. Sweatshirts usually come in a cozy cotton or fleece fabric. The designs on them, rather than being knitted, may be quilted or screen-printed. Often, holiday sweatshirts are even homemade. Solid colored sweatshirts, holiday-themed stamps and fabric paint can be bought at stores like Wal-Mart and Target. Sweatshirt stamping is a quick and simple way to produce your own holiday wear, customized with your favorite characters and designs. Senior Haley Brooks enjoys showing off her flashy holiday sweatshirt. I like wearing my snowman sweatshirt to parties. It has fun gold buttons that get a lot of attention," said Brooks. No matter which genre of tacky sweaters you prefer, holiday sweaters are an exciting way to ring in the season. |