The Xmas jumper. Long has this beloved piece of festive wear been a key part of the seasonal wardrobe. Chances are you’ve probably got one that you’ve had stuffed away in a drawer for years and years.
Either that or you’re probably thinking about getting a new one. In fact, a recent national study from Voucherbox suggests that we as a country spent over £260 million on seasonal knitwear last year! We Brits clearly don’t mess around when it comes to Yuletide fashion.
But as much as we seem to love Xmas jumpers, we’re only really likely to wear one if we’re certain that other people are also going to bust theirs out. Think office parties, Christmas dinner with the fam, that kind of thing. You might think twice about meeting up with friends wearing one without checking that they’re going to wear theirs too.
Well, we say that’s a crying shame. We shouldn’t be secretly self-conscious about pulling on a festive knit and flying into town for some mulled wine and mince pies. Oh no. Life is too short for that.
The problem is probably that many people think the Christmas jumper look is completely one dimensional, cheesy and little obvious. Let’s just settle this right now – it doesn’t have to be!
Here are three simple tips for pulling off a winning festive look…
Tip #1 – Get your sense of humour right.
What makes most Christmas jumpers overly cheesy is that they’re just a bit standard and don’t quite hit the funny bone in the right way to be considered hilarious.
Humour in clothing isn’t exactly straightforward and can be quite underwhelming at the best of times. This is why it’s worth scouting around to find a less common jumper with a unique message or punchline. Something like this might do the trick.
Tip #2 – Patterns are not compulsory.
Guess what. It’s possible to look Christmassy without being decked out with a huge picture of Rudolph on your torso complete with a flashing red nose.
Don’t get us wrong, that sounds pretty awesome, but there are plenty of more subtle ways to make a Yuletide statement. Instead of a cheesy image, focus on finding a good shape and bold colour. Chunky roll-necks and turtlenecks definitely give off a festive vibe without forcing Christmas cheer down the throat of every passer-by you encounter.
Tip #3 – Go completely over the top.
In contrast to playing it cool and subtle, there’s always the option to go the other way if you’re feeling particularly out there this Christmas. Much like a fancy dress party, if you’re gonna do it then you gotta do it right.
There’s no time for half-hearted attempts to be festive. If this is the route you’re heading down then you’re purposely out to turn heads. The best thing is, nobody can say you look ridiculous because, well, it’s Xmas! Why not?
You’ve pretty much got a free pass to go as far as you want. Now go forth and spread joy.
