Trend Report: Big Shoulders

Once the reserve of 80s power players, shoulder pads have spent the last few decades in fashion purgatory. But a resurgence in 80s and 90s trends has pushed them back to the forefront, along with cycling shorts, oversized trenches, chunky gold jewellery…you name it, if Princess Diana wore it, it’s back in play.

The Origins

The 80s was the era of power women – think Margaret Thatcher, Grace Jones and Madonna. Creating the illusion of the typical male form, shoulder pads quickly became a pop culture trend, with glamorous women like Joan Collins and her fellow Dynasty cohorts adopting the look – that, along with the aforementioned Princess Di, was more than enough to cement its status as a defining trend of the era.  

The Return

The style first began to re-emerge for Autumn/Winter 2018, appearing on the runways of only the most progressive designers – Alessandro Michele for Gucci and Demna Gvasalia for Balenciaga were early champions. And while those early stage shoulders took on an80s form (think oversized blazers, coats and suiting), the look has evolved over the past few seasons to add some structure to just about anything and everything. The ubiquitous Frankie Shop (or otherwise) muscle tees are the ultimate example, but everything from sweatshirts to midi dresses, a la Jeanette Madsen, are now getting the padded treatment. Some may say it’s a feminist statement, but our analysis is a little more superficial: wide shoulders equals a smaller looking waist.