Shoulder pads are one of my favourite items of Haberdashery. First made popular by Melanie Griffith in Working Girl, shoulder pads have become synonymous with the power dressing trends of the 1980's however, in recent years shoulder pads have made a huge comeback in the world of fashion and dressmaking. Shoulder pads during the 1980's were worn as big as possible and paired with enormous, back combed hairstyles to create the upside down triangle effect now so often identified with the fashion of the decade that fashion forgot. Whilst most people will still automatically associate high shoulder pads with the eighties, this item of Haberdashery has in fact been dipping in and out of fashion for much longer than that.
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Icons such as Princess Diana made shoulder pads the most popular Haberdashery item of the eighties.[/caption]
Shouder pads were first introduced to the world of fashion by Marcel Rochas and Elsa Schiaparelli in 1931, incorporated into the wardrobe of hollywood stars such as Joan Crawford when she took the starring role in the 1932 drama, Letty Lynton. Shoulder pads remained a popular piece of Haberdashery throughout WW2 with young women making the most of their fabric rations by pairing short skirts with more structured shoulders and peplum waists. Shoulder pads experienced a dip in popularity following the end of the war (and fabric rationing) the angular silhouette made way for more floaty and feminine designs of dress. In 1979 when Margaret Thatcher first rose to prominence, her uniform of big shoulders and backcombed hair would soon usher in the age of power dressing. Shoulder pads were without doubt the most popular choice of Haberdashery throughout the eighties and popped up in the wardrobes of some of the world's famous and stylish women including Princess Diana and Bianca Jagger. Even men would embrace the wide shouldered trend with stars such as Adam Ant and Michael Jackson making their shoulders the main feature of their stage costume. Michael Jackson's epaulette shouldered jacket is one of the most famous items of the decade and is believed to have been the inspiration for Balmain's Spring/Summer collection as recently as 2009. As the nineties approached, power dressing made way for a more relaxed and grungy style of dress and many wondered whether shoulder pads would ever grace the shelves of Haberdashery stores again.
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Over recent years, stars such as Lady Gaga have brought shoulder pads right up to date.[/caption]
In recent years, flamboyant stars such as Lady Gaga have once again begun to experiment with a bolder style of dress and as a result, shoulder pads have begun to experience some resurgence. Shoulder pads have once again been making an appearance on the red carpet with stars such as Julianne Hough incorporating fierce structuring into their outfits. Julianne attended the premiere of her film Paradise wearing a stunning Moschino design reminiscent of the power dressing phenomenon whilst Halle Berry graced the red carpet of the 2013 Oscars in a custom made piece by Versace Dynasty featuring prominent shoulder pads. Shoulder pads are an item of Haberdashery which can be incorporated into a variety of designs to add a touch of dramatic glamour. When incorporating shoulder pads into a modern outfit you can avoid falling into the trap of appearing like you are heading to an eighties fancy dress by keeping your shoulder pads subtle and avoiding big hair and oversized accessories, make your shoulders the focal point of your outfit and be careful not to pair structured shoulders with too many other fashion trends. Our Haberdashery department stock a variety of shoulder pads in varying sizes which are perfect for adding comfort and structure to your handmade garments all of which can be purchased by the pair or in a bulk buy bag.
Icons such as Princess Diana made shoulder pads the most popular Haberdashery item of the eighties.[/caption]
Shouder pads were first introduced to the world of fashion by Marcel Rochas and Elsa Schiaparelli in 1931, incorporated into the wardrobe of hollywood stars such as Joan Crawford when she took the starring role in the 1932 drama, Letty Lynton. Shoulder pads remained a popular piece of Haberdashery throughout WW2 with young women making the most of their fabric rations by pairing short skirts with more structured shoulders and peplum waists. Shoulder pads experienced a dip in popularity following the end of the war (and fabric rationing) the angular silhouette made way for more floaty and feminine designs of dress. In 1979 when Margaret Thatcher first rose to prominence, her uniform of big shoulders and backcombed hair would soon usher in the age of power dressing. Shoulder pads were without doubt the most popular choice of Haberdashery throughout the eighties and popped up in the wardrobes of some of the world's famous and stylish women including Princess Diana and Bianca Jagger. Even men would embrace the wide shouldered trend with stars such as Adam Ant and Michael Jackson making their shoulders the main feature of their stage costume. Michael Jackson's epaulette shouldered jacket is one of the most famous items of the decade and is believed to have been the inspiration for Balmain's Spring/Summer collection as recently as 2009. As the nineties approached, power dressing made way for a more relaxed and grungy style of dress and many wondered whether shoulder pads would ever grace the shelves of Haberdashery stores again.
[caption id="attachment_9451" align="alignright" width="300"] Over recent years, stars such as Lady Gaga have brought shoulder pads right up to date.[/caption]
In recent years, flamboyant stars such as Lady Gaga have once again begun to experiment with a bolder style of dress and as a result, shoulder pads have begun to experience some resurgence. Shoulder pads have once again been making an appearance on the red carpet with stars such as Julianne Hough incorporating fierce structuring into their outfits. Julianne attended the premiere of her film Paradise wearing a stunning Moschino design reminiscent of the power dressing phenomenon whilst Halle Berry graced the red carpet of the 2013 Oscars in a custom made piece by Versace Dynasty featuring prominent shoulder pads. Shoulder pads are an item of Haberdashery which can be incorporated into a variety of designs to add a touch of dramatic glamour. When incorporating shoulder pads into a modern outfit you can avoid falling into the trap of appearing like you are heading to an eighties fancy dress by keeping your shoulder pads subtle and avoiding big hair and oversized accessories, make your shoulders the focal point of your outfit and be careful not to pair structured shoulders with too many other fashion trends. Our Haberdashery department stock a variety of shoulder pads in varying sizes which are perfect for adding comfort and structure to your handmade garments all of which can be purchased by the pair or in a bulk buy bag.