By TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
Published on December 13, 2014 12:01AM
Who knew ugly sweaters were going to become all the rage?
Of course, when we got those now “vintage” items they certainly weren’t ugly — well, unless our fashion impaired fathers bought them.
I bring up the ugly sweater for a couple of reasons. One, the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce is hosting an Ugly Sweater Christmas Party. The event is Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Hermiston Brewing Co. Nookies Restaurant, 125 N. First St., Hermiston.
Debbie Pedro, Hermiston chamber executive director, will be attending her first ever ugly sweater party.
“I wish I would have saved some of my sweaters from the ’80s with the big puffy shoulder pads,” she said with a laugh. “I could have used one of those right now.”
However, Pedro did recently purchase a sweater that she’s going to alter for the event.
“It’s going to have embellishments on it. It will be very ugly,” she said. “I don’t know if anyone else would want to wear it.”
Those attending are encouraged to wear a sweater. There will be “very merry” prizes for the ugly, uglier, ugliest and most creative sweaters.
And another reason I bring up the ugly sweater is because I have one — a real one.
It initially came into my possession in 1992. It’s a size large, 100 percent acrylic men’s Kennington sweater.
Two jobs ago, I managed residential programs for adults with developmental disabilities. When clients first moved in we’d go through their clothing and get rid of items that had seen better days.
It didn’t take much to determine “the sweater” was being relegated to the toss pile. Aside from the fact it was an ’80s sweater trying to make it into the ’90s, the sleeves were at least a foot too long. Seriously, even a spider monkey would need to roll them up.
Suzy Tosten, one of the group home managers, put the sweater on and did a little dance, twirling the too-long sleeves. The wheels started spinning in my head. Unbeknownst to Suzy, after she removed the sweater I rescued it.
The first time I gave it back to her was priceless. I had wrapped it up along with a couple of other birthday presents. When she opened “the sweater” Suzy didn’t initially recognize it. But I must say, her parents taught her well in being gracious in accepting gifts.
Two months later was Christmas and would mark the second time I gave Suzy “the sweater.” Since that time, it has been passed back and forth between us in some very creative ways.
Suzy convinced a lady to wear it to an interview I was conducting. When she stood up to greet me, the sleeve swallowed up her hand. When Suzy was accepting an award at The Arc Umatilla County, it came with a box for long-stemmed roses, only there was the sweater wrapped around a single rose. Then there was the time the “unattended package” at the airport was delivered to me by the flight attendant (of course, this was way before 9/11).
Ugly sweaters seem to be gaining cult status. In addition to ugly sweater parties, I’ve seen notices for ugly sweater fun runs, ugly sweater fundraisers and ugly sweater stores.
So, look in the back of your closet, buy a cheap sweater and embellish it or get ideas on Google. Transform a simple office party into a fashion nightmare — get ugly.
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Tammy Malgesini is the EO community editor. Her column, Inside my Shoes, includes general musings about life. Contact her at tmalgesini@eastoregonian.com or 541-564-4539.
