TACKY SWEATER SUCCESS

Who doesn’t shamelessly love wearing their grandfather’s thrift store sweater? The U.S. may have carried their love a little too far.
In fact, Ralph Lauren took their thrift store style halfway around the world to Russia.
Every two years, audiences all over the world tune in to watch the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics. Whether it be the winter or summer Olympics, this is a very exciting television broadcast.
Among the cool light shows, musical numbers and the lighting of the torch, each country makes their full team appearance. With this comes great scrutiny of what the athletes are wearing. After all, it is their big entrance.
The United States was highly criticized in the 2012 London Summer Olympics. The outfits, although very beautiful, were not American-made. The getup was made in a Chinese factory, and that left a distrustful taste on the official attire.
So in light of the disaster two years ago, Ralph Lauren stepped up to the plate to design this year’s outfit. The American-made cardigan sweaters and pants did not go unnoticed.
Connecticut Olympic Intern and senior sport communications student Ben Arellano loved the outfit. Still, Arellano, like many Americans, couldn’t help but poke fun at the interesting look.
“As they emerged from the opening in the arena’s floor, it looked like 230 really patriotic athletes on their way to an ugly sweater party,” Arellano said.
Russian Olympic Intern and senior sports communications major Lee Pikelny felt like the team rocked the look.
“It’s the winter Olympics, so I actually I kind of enjoyed the sweaters,” Pikelny said. “There were definitely some other countries dressed more out there than us. I thought our athletes wore it well.”
Ralph Lauren is selling this outfit back in the states, and it’s spreading like wildfire with consumers.
Elizabeth Park, owner of City of Commerce factory where the sweaters were made, told the Los Angeles Times that each sweater takes more than 12 hours to stitch.
If you’re looking to add on to your collection of ugly sweaters for next year’s Christmas party, you may be out of luck. Park has sold out.
But for a pretty penny, you can find copies being sold on Amazon for as much as $3,000.