Image Source: The Ugly Sweater Shop/Flickr
Need an ugly Christmas sweater for a party? Start with the event date, a realistic budget and the kind of joke the occasion allows. The useful question is not which shop has the biggest collection: it is which option can deliver a suitable sweater in your size, in time.
These five places are starting points for the search, not a ranking based on current stock checks. This guide originated in December 2013; the retained photographs illustrate that earlier article and do not show today’s shop inventory. No local availability, current price or delivery guarantee is claimed.
Choose your route before shopping
If the party is tomorrow, start with borrowing or shops you can visit after confirming stock. If you have more time, compare second-hand listings and online sellers. For something you may wear again, pay attention to comfort and care as well as the novelty design.
1. Discount and department stores
Local stores let you assess the sweater’s feel, sizing and decoration before buying. Search the retailer’s current site or store locator, check opening hours and ask whether the particular branch has suitable sweaters. A national chain carrying seasonal clothing does not establish what is available nearby.
When you call, ask about the size you need and whether an item can be held or collected. Confirm the arrangement rather than treating an online picture as proof. Compare the total cost with your budget; there is no reason to dismiss a shop purely because of its name or price point.
2. eBay and second-hand marketplaces
Resale listings can offer older patterns as well as recent novelty designs. Ask for the actual garment’s photographs and measurements: chest width laid flat, length and sleeve measurement, with the measuring method made clear. A labelled size alone is not enough to compare two used sweaters.
Check condition, seller dispatch timing, delivery estimates and return terms before ordering. eBay’s official return guidance distinguishes issues with an item from changing your mind. Do not assume an unwanted or poorly fitting sweater can always be returned on identical terms. Leave time for problems rather than ordering to the last estimated delivery day.
3. Specialist online sweater shops
Compare the design you want with the current size chart, material description and seller’s delivery information. Check whether the photographs show the front and back, whether decorations are attached or removable, and whether washing instructions are available.
The original 2013 retailer list included promises about prices, free shipping, collection sizes and charitable donations. Those are not current verified offers and are not repeated here. Confirm any promotion or donation claim on the seller’s current terms before using it to decide where to buy.
For light-up or heavily decorated garments, read the actual product’s battery and care instructions. A novelty feature is useful only if you can use and look after it as directed. We have not tested a light-up sweater for this guide.
4. Thrift and charity shops
Second-hand shops are worth checking when you have time to browse and can be flexible about the design. Stock depends on what that shop has received; an abundance of festive sweaters is not guaranteed.
Goodwill’s official store locator is one US starting point. Elsewhere, use the relevant charity’s own local information. Call before making a special trip and ask whether seasonal clothing is currently on sale.
Inspect the neckline, cuffs, seams and decoration for holes, stains and missing pieces. Read the care label and check the garment’s measurements. Include any necessary cleaning in the cost and time available before the party.
5. Borrow from family or friends
Ask whether someone has a sweater they are willing to lend. Do not assume a relative owns one, no longer wants it or will be happy for you to alter it. Agree on how it will be worn, cleaned and returned.
Try it on before making it your plan for the evening. If you want to add temporary decoration, ask permission and avoid anything that may damage the knit. Borrowing can be the simplest route for a single event, but only when it works for the owner as well as the wearer.
A last check before paying
- Will it arrive or be ready to collect before the event?
- Have you checked actual measurements, condition and care?
- Does the design suit the workplace, family or party setting?
- Are delivery, cleaning and any return costs inside your budget?
For knitwear you will wear beyond the party, read Sweaters 101. For the rest of your outfit, start with Everyguyed’s core style guides.
Updated 13 October 2026. Originally published 16 December 2013. This article has been revised to integrate practical shopping guidance, remove outdated stock, price and donation promises, and clarify borrowing and local-availability checks. Original photographs and credits retained; no hands-on product testing claimed.
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