Ugly Office Sweaters

Karen from Phoenix, AZ sent us this great ugly Christmas sweater picture. This one stands out for a few reasons. First, check out that collar! Because a Christmas sweater without a collar would just be too casual, right? Second, does that sweater have puffy appliques? If so. Wow. Finally, you’ll note that it’s a cardigan. So, this handsome young gentlemen could, in theory, just drape this lovely garment over his cubicle chair and slip it on any time that Arizona air conditioning gets to be too much. You gotta love versatility!

Don’t forget - you can send us your ugly office sweaters anytime - because, ugly office sweaters aren’t just for Christmas.

It takes some guts to wear such an Ugly Christmas Sweater to the office, but this man goes the extra mile by wearing a nice, tasteful button down shirt underneath his sweater. Add in his devil-may-care grin and we have a winner!

Something tells me this is the last year that Ugly Christmas Sweaters are cool & ironic. Who knows, maybe Ugly Office Sweaters are the next hipster thing?

Also - if you really want to find a Hipster Santa, I can tell you where to look

My friend Alison sent me a look at the New Zealand version of the Ugly Christmas “Sweater”. Since Christmas falls at the start of the Kiwi summer, this look is a bit less cozy than its American cousin, but the spirit of ugliness is still there:

But what really cracks me up is the “Live Stock Chart”. At first I thought it was a rather cheeky way to describe sizes (like a small would be a goat and a large a pig or something), but then I realized it was simply an indication of what was in stock. Silly me!

Ugly Christmas Sweater Parties are even bigger this year, aren’t they? I’ve been invited to a few and I’ve noticed LOTS of friends on Facebook attending ugly sweater events (by the way, we’re still anxiously awaiting your photos).

Now, even trendy retailers are getting in on the action. Check out this Holiday Lookbook. Personally, I think I like the hair more than the sweaters!

The office is getting colder and you haven’t gotten your heavy-duty sweaters out of storage yet, have you? No worries, we’re not ready for those sweaters yet anyway. What to do when your office is cold but not THAT cold? Here’s how the Jamies at my office do it. I’m the Jamie on the left sporting the lightweight scarf. Note the look in the small inset: that’s how I was wore it first thing in the morning before my hot cup of tea warmed me up. Later in the day I just wrapped it around my neck in the more traditional fashion. Yes, I may be mastering the art of wearing lightweight scarves, at last. And if I can…well, you just go ahead and try it.

My co-Jamie there on the right is wearing a short-sleeve sweater, a fabulous way to keep warm but not TOO warm. As the temperature continues to drop, practice the art of layering by pairing a short-sleeve sweater with a long sleeve top.

And yes, your lovely editors do read Stuff White People Like. We particularly like #97 Scarves.

I think that Ugly Office Scarves are replacing Ugly Office Sweaters. I see more and more women who are simply unwilling to give up on fashion in order to keep warm. What do you think? Are Ugly Office Sweaters being relegated to ironic parties or do they still have a place in your cubicle?

And no matter what you’re wearing to keep warm in this miserable fall, be sure to send it in!

Our friend Thomas, from CityDictionary.com, is sporting a seriously festive Ugly Office Sweater. It’s got it all: ribbons, bows, kittens, trees & kittens.

My favorite thing about this picture is that Thomas’ co-worker, Colleen, has short sleeves on, so clearly this wasn’t taken in the middle of the holiday season. It’s Christmas in June! What a delightful concept.

Like us, the Raleigh News & Observer cares deeply about your office sweater. Unlike us, they think that ugly just ain’t gonna cut it.

While I think a ruffled short sleeved sweater is adorable, I don’t think it’s practical as your office sweater. It’s not really going to keep you warm and, more importantly, it’s just too cute to keep in your cubicle over the weekend. Let’s face it - the office drawer is no place for attractive clothing. Nobody puts baby in a corner.

What do you think? Should you try to make a fashion statement with your office sweater or is it okay to just give up fashion for function? Better yet, don’t just tell us what you think - show us!

Okay, I’m going to pretend this photo was just submitted and that I haven’t sat on it for 2 months…but seriously has your sweater gone away for the summer? Mine hasn’t! Overzealous air-conditioning keeps it hanging around. Summer office fashion staples include both sandals AND sweaters so there’s a decent chance Bob might keep his sweater at the ready for intemperate office climes.