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Plus-Size and Big and Tall Christmas Sweatshirts
Christmas sweatshirts and ugly sweaters in plus and big and tall sizes: sweatshirt or knit, how to size each by chest or bust, and gift and care tips.
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Christmas sweatshirts and ugly Christmas sweaters come in women’s plus sizes from 1X and big and tall sizes from 2XL and 3XL, but each listing uses its own chart. Pick sweatshirt or knit sweater first, then match your chest or bust in inches to the chart, the same way you would for a hoodie.
Holiday sweaters are the one piece of clothing made to be worn for a few weeks a year, which makes the right size feel even more important: nobody wants to return one on December 23. This page is part of our gifts section.
Sweatshirt or ugly sweater?
| Type | Fabric | Feels like | Sizing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas sweatshirt | Fleece, printed or embroidered | A crewneck sweatshirt | By chest, like a hoodie |
| Christmas hoodie | Fleece with a hood | A regular hoodie | By chest |
| Ugly Christmas sweater | A knit, often with a knitted-in pattern | A pullover sweater | By chest; knits stretch differently |
| Light-up or 3D sweater | A knit with trims, lights or bells | A sweater with extras | By chest; mind the care label |
A sweatshirt is warmer and softer inside, and easier to wash. A knit sweater looks more like the classic party sweater, and many of the funniest designs are knits.
Christmas sweatshirts and ugly sweaters in plus and big and tall sizes
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How to size a Christmas sweatshirt
Most printed Christmas sweatshirts are made on unisex blanks, plain sweatshirts and hoodies that print shops decorate. Unisex blanks are sized by chest. Gildan’s 18500 hoodie, a common blank, runs from S to 5XL, so a design printed on it may be available up to 5XL if the shop stocks the size.
- Big and tall: Westport lists 3XB at a 54 to 56 inch chest and 4XB at 58 to 60. Match your chest to the listing’s chart.
- Women’s plus: Dia & Co lists 2X at a 47 to 49 inch bust and 3X at 51.5 to 54. On a unisex chart, find the size whose chest covers your bust; the 3X vs 3XL page walks through it.
- Women’s plus cuts: some Christmas sweatshirts are cut on a women’s plus chart, with bust and hip. Those are sized like any women’s plus top.
Our size guide has more charts from 2XL and 1X up.
Matching holiday sweaters
Matching Christmas sweaters for a couple or a group are a holiday tradition for many, and they work when everyone orders their own size. Choose the design together, then each person orders by their own chest or bust. If one design is not made in everyone’s size, coordinate by color instead: red and green, or the same pattern on a sweatshirt and a sweater.
Licensed designs: buy from official shops
Sweatshirts with movie, cartoon or team characters are popular gifts, and many sellers offer them. Buying licensed designs from the official studio, team or brand shop is the way to know the design is licensed.
Sizing a group order
Ordering matching sweaters for a family party or an office photo is easier with a little planning:
- Pick one listing that covers everyone’s size, from women’s plus to big and tall, so the design and color match exactly.
- Collect chest or bust measurements, not letter sizes. A letter means different inches at different brands.
- Use the listing’s chart for each person, and note anyone between sizes.
- Order a few weeks early, so there is time to swap a size before the party.
- Keep one receipt per person, which makes exchanges simple.
If a design does not come in everyone’s size, coordinate instead: the same colors on a sweatshirt, a sweater and a hoodie still look like a set in photos.
Ugly sweaters with trims
Bells, pom-poms and lights add weight to a knit sweater and can catch on a seat belt or a bag strap. If the sweater will be worn for a whole evening, a printed sweatshirt with the same joke is the lighter, easier choice.
Hoodie, crewneck or cardigan?
A Christmas hoodie is the most wearable after the holidays, because the hood and pocket make it a normal winter layer. A crewneck sweatshirt looks closest to a classic sweater and is easy to layer a collared shirt under. A knit cardigan opens down the front, which helps if you run warm at indoor parties. All three are sized by chest or bust on the listing’s chart.
A Christmas sweatshirt in a solid color with a small embroidered motif is the quiet option, easy to wear to work. A loud all-over print is for the party. Choose by where it will be worn.
Gift tips
- Order early. A December gift that does not fit needs time for an exchange.
- Include a gift receipt, and check that the return window covers the holidays.
- Think about warmth. A fleece sweatshirt is cozy at an outdoor market; a knit sweater suits a warm party.
- Consider a hoodie instead. A Christmas hoodie, or a plain sherpa-lined hoodie, gets worn well past the holidays.
- For the couch, a red or plaid one-size blanket hoodie is a festive alternative that skips the size question.
Big and tall hoodies for winter gifts
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Care for printed and knit sweaters
The FTC’s Care Labeling Rule requires makers to attach care instructions and to warn against care that would harm the garment, so read the label, especially on sweaters with lights, bells or sewn-on trims. For printed sweatshirts, washing inside out on a cool, gentle cycle protects the print, and a short tumble with hanging to finish keeps a cotton-rich sweatshirt at its size. The fabric guide explains why tumbling, more than heat, shrinks cotton.
Frequently asked questions
Do Christmas sweatshirts come in plus sizes?
Yes. Women's plus Christmas sweatshirts are sold from 1X up, and big and tall versions from 2XL and 3XL up. Check the chart on each listing, since printed designs are often made on unisex blanks sized by chest.
Should I size up for an ugly Christmas sweater?
Only for a roomier look. Measure the chest or bust and match it to the chart; a knit sweater with a rib hem fits much like a sweatshirt.
What is the difference between a Christmas sweatshirt and an ugly sweater?
A Christmas sweatshirt is fleece, printed or embroidered, and soft inside. An ugly sweater is a knit pullover, often with a knitted-in pattern, and sometimes with bells or trims sewn on.
How do I wash a Christmas sweater with decorations?
Read the care label first. Makers must give care instructions and warn about care that would harm the garment, which matters on sweaters with sewn-on trims.
Sources
- Size GuideDia & Co
- Size & Fit ChartWestport Big & Tall
- G18500 Heavy Blend Adult Hooded SweatshirtGildan
- Clothes Captioning: Complying with the Care Labeling RuleFederal Trade Commission
