I taught 1st and had a collection of Christmas shirts, sweaters, jumpers that I wore through December. Yes and the holiday jewelry too. It made the month "fun" and brightened dark December.
Along came UGLY SWEATER PARTIES and I feel hopelessly laughed at if I wear anything "seasonal". Is it a horrible fashion no-no to wear a holiday sweater any where but an ugly party?
I know the PPs gave the “right” answer, that you should wear what you want. I know we should think for ourselves and not care what others think. Unfortunately, I can’t always do that. I don’t want to wear something that I know others find ridiculous. I gave away teacher clothes when I retired.
I have mixed feelings on fashion questions like this one you pose mhugs. Not caring what some other woman thinks of what I am wearing is my current stage in life however I do know in the work world we are judged by our appearance and there is nothing we can do about that. If I wore one of my holiday sweaters to school it appears dated and in teaching,there many reasons not appear dated. Once retired, I would not be concerned about peer,admin and parent pressure to conform and I would wear what I am comfortable wearing. I will wear my Christmas sweaters ;they are fun and the kids do enjoy them.
That was a sad year when this became a trend. I really like my Christmas sweaters, and thought they were fun for the kids. But, like Anna said, I dont want to appear old and dated. So...I wear it on ugly sweater day and enjoy the compliments from my first graders. (And I say to colleagues, "I'm sorry I don't have an ugly sweater, so I wore my beautiful one instead!)
I had several Christmas sweaters that I enjoyed and wore to school during December. Then one year my 25 yr. old smart @ss niece asked if she could look in my closet and borrow one for an ugly sweater party. I told her to keep it and I never wore them again. The whole ugly sweater party theme just ruined the magic for me....
I used to purchase holiday sweaters from QVC and other places. They were cheery and tasteful, not at all like the "ugly" sweaters I see around some of the stores today. As they wore out and became less fashionable, I did not replace them. I still have a few that I wear during the season, especially if I go to a performance of A Christmas Carol or some other place where I want to be in the holiday spirit. I also have lots of holiday earrings, and still enjoy wearing those. I say, if you like your sweaters wear them happily and in good health.
I think most Christmas sweaters are silly (e.g. Quacker Factory sweaters) and over the top. I just own it. With so many doing "Ugly Christmas Sweater" parties and such - it's just fun. I have a guy friend who has a Christmas sweater suit he wears each year. It's awesome, in a hideous kind of way.
My mom had a zillion Christmas sweaters and vests in the 80's and part of 90's. She kept them and my brother wore one to an ugly sweater party and won first place in the ugly sweater contest.
About 10 years ago Christmas sweaters were already considered "ugly" and my mom balked at wearing them. I bought her tickets to a Mannheim Steamroller concert and she wore one. She blended right in with the crowd, as she said nearly ever woman there had on a Christmas sweater.
First they came for my Christmas sweaters.
Then they came for my Halloween ear rings.
Next thing I know they will be after my dinosaur t-shirts.
I refuse to give up my monarch butterfly scarf!
Awww, that sucks that people stopped wearing them b/c of the ugly sweater thing.
Hey, if it's your thing, wear it. Who cares? Maybe just wear it to school?
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First they came for my Christmas sweaters.
Then they came for my Halloween ear rings.
Next thing I know they will be after my dinosaur t-shirts.
I refuse to give up my monarch butterfly scarf!
I have a lot of Christmas wear (and Halloween, too). As an elementary teacher I feel like I get an excuse to wear them -- although my collection started way before I became a teacher.
The 'Ugly Sweater" trend does put a damper on it, but it also made me more picky about what I buy and wear. I can honestly say nothing is my holiday collection is ugly (at least to me).
The kids love it for sure. I love it, too. If other people think it's silly -- too bad for them.
Yes, they came for our Christmas sweaters-----to wear to those ugly sweater parties! I was so sad when that started.
I was a first-grade teacher, too, and it was almost an obligation to wear Christmas sweaters. I had enough to wear a different one every school day in December and I loved it. I noticed the other teachers were gradually phasing theirs out, but I did not. When I retired four years ago I boxed up my prettiest ones "just in case" they come back in vogue.
I think it just depends on how much you care about what the other adults in the building think. Yes, they are outdated, but I also think that being an elementary teacher you could get away with wearing them "for the kids." I personally think you could just say something like, "I know these are out of style, but I have so many and the kids get a kick out of them."
On a somewhat related note, it's well known to other teachers and kids at school that I love cats. I bought a Christmas sweater with cats on it for this year. I'll wear it to "ugly sweater" parties, but I also plan on wearing it to school at least once or twice this December. I think my students will really enjoy it, and I truly couldn't care less about what other adults think about my fashion sense.
I don't own any Christmas sweaters (and I do teach early elementary), but I don't care one bit what other people wear. I think they should wear what makes them happy! I did, however, buy this shirt and plan on wearing it a lot this December. I don't care at all if people call me the the crazy cat lady .