Holly, jolly, and thrifty

Do you want to dress for the upcoming holidays but don’t want to spend a fortune?  Or at least want to refrain from breaking your bank? I will say it once and I will say it again: thrift stores! 

Why visit your local retail store and spend $20 or possibly even more for an average, funny Christmas sweater when you could visit your local second-hand store and spend no more than $5 for one or $20 for multiple? As the trend of tacky Christmas sweaters hit the limelight in the last few years, there really is no better place to find a true “ugly” Christmas sweater than a thrift store, as there you may find sweaters from multiple seasons past! 

In all honesty, these gently worn sweaters are not all that “ugly,” and especially if they’re worn correctly, can truly become cute and even stylish! Take that cheap and thrifty, tacky Christmas sweater and make it your own with whatever articles of clothing and accessories you typically would wear. If you’re big on flannels and boots, then find a complementary flannel to slip on over top of your new/old sweater. If you want to go simple and warm—and take a chance with mixing fashion eras—throw a puffy vest on with your sweater and a light scarf. If your aim is comfy and sporty, pair with the sweater a ball cap of complementary color and some typical black or grey leggings—but be sure to buy your sweater in a larger-than-normal size to complete this look. 

While not everyone enjoys sporting the tacky Christmas sweater look, some prefer dressing up for the occasion instead. You can also accomplish creating a dressy—and not tacky—Christmas or holiday look with thrift stores. For this, you need to get creative and think outside of the box. 

The key is to find a top in a color of a season, which includes various shades of red, green, and white typically. Try finding a solid-colored top in one of these seasonal colors and go from there. If you really want to step out of your comfort zone, try finding yours in a turtleneck.  

After finding your top, look through the skirts or jeans for the perfect bottoms. For skirt lovers, focus on finding a plain black one, as this will match all of the season’s colors perfectly. As a lot of the skirts found at thrift stores often are longer than desired, remember that you can always cut it to the length you want—and you can even get creative with this! For those who prefer jeans, try to find those perfect “mom jeans,” that often resemble the boyfriend fit jeans. These jeans will add an eccentric vibe to your holiday outfit. 

Before finishing your holiday look, tuck in your shirt and buckle a small and thin black (or brown, to spice things up) belt onto your skirt or jeans. Finalize the outfit by adding an oversized flannel—preferably green, red, black, or grey—which will slightly tone down the dressiness, then complete it with a pair of solid black booties. This look shouts Christmas but also lets others know how chill you are about it without having to say a single word.  

No matter if you’re an “ugly” Christmas sweater person, dress up for the season person, or both (like myself), let your outfit do the celebrating for you this year.