Skip to main content

Microsoft is selling ugly Windows sweaters, and part of the proceeds benefit Girls Who Code

Microsoft is selling ugly Windows sweaters, and part of the proceeds benefit Girls Who Code

/

Dress yourself in MS Paint aesthetics

Share this story

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Image: Microsoft

Microsoft is getting into the holiday spirit a bit early by offering MS Paint and Windows-themed “ugly” sweaters for sale on its online store, with a portion of the proceeds from each sale donated to Girls Who Code. The company made Windows XP and 95 sweaters in the past to give to influencers and super fans, but this marks the first time the company is selling a sweater directly to customers.

When the sweaters first went on sale on Tuesday, there were briefly three varieties of Microsoft “soft-wear” available for purchase: the previously mentioned MS Paint sweater and leftover stock of the Windows 95 and XP sweaters. When we first checked the store, those XP and 95 sweaters were already running low on stock, and they quickly sold out with only this year’s MS Paint sweater available.

<em>The MS Paint Ugly Sweater features icons for all your favorite tools.</em>

1/3

The MS Paint Ugly Sweater features icons for all your favorite tools.
Image: Microsoft

On Friday, December 4th, Microsoft restocked its older Windows 95 and Windows XP sweaters, but keep in mind this new run won’t ship until after December 25th. The offer is exciting all the same.

Microsoft has had fun in the past with these promotions, even packaging the older Windows XP sweater inside a Windows XP-style box.

Since MS Paint comes installed on Windows rather than being sold separately, it’s hard to know how this year’s sweater will come packaged, but here’s hoping Microsoft’s goofy trend continues. Clearly, the company has some sweater fans among its ranks. Maybe it’s a latent bit of Bill Gates’ influence?

Bill Gates
Bill Gates wearing a sweater, as he often does.

Whatever the source, the sweaters are now all in stock for $69.99 each, with $20 of each sale going directly to Girls Who Code through December 23rd. Microsoft says it plans to donate a minimum of $50,000 to the nonprofit from this promotion. Girls Who Code is a nonprofit dedicated to getting more women into the computer science field by offering classes and educational resources.

The relative ugliness of these sweaters is up for debate (personally, I think the MS Paint sweater looks pretty good), but if you’re nostalgic for the Windows of old, you can deck yourself out in time for a virtual ugly sweater party. Keeping on theme, Microsoft is also providing Windows and MS Paint backgrounds for Skype and Teams, if you want to look like you’re trapped in a drawing you made on your parent’s computer while video chatting.

You can purchase the MS Paint sweater, Windows XP sweater, and Windows 95 sweater now to benefit a good cause.

Update December 4th, 1:21PM ET: Added information about the sweater restock.