The Power of The Point: Shoulder Pads Are Now Dominating Streetwear
Shoulder pads are one of the most prominent trends of the 1980s, when (let’s be honest) fashion was at its peak. Now that we’ve seen a significant return of the trend displayed in several runway shows this fashion month, it is time to discuss how shoulder pads have been styled off the runway.
While many are still intimidated by the trend, shoulder pads are back in whether you are into them or not. Like many trends from the past decades, shoulder pads are one to fully resurface after Covid-19. Fashion got much more experimental after it was kept behind a computer screen for months.
Many celebrities and influencers have styled shoulder-padded clothing, everything from blazers and overcoats to varsity and motorcycle-style jackets.
According to CR Fashion Book, “It took the creative mind of Elsa Schiaparelli to dream up adding the padding to women’s clothes. The French designer, who was tapped into the surrealist art movement, was known for featuring trompe l’oeil (‘trick of the eye’) and other illusionistic details to her designs and experimenting with the shape of women’s silhouettes. Schiaparelli often used shoulder pads in her structured jackets, an early glimpse into the decades later, when the wartime chic look would dominate fashion.”
While Schiaparelli designed shoulder pads to play up women’s clothing, male influencers such as Kai McPhee, are constantly pushing the boundaries of experimental fashion, having sported shoulder pads on several occasions. Actor and icon Billy Porter is another prime example, wearing shoulder pads in many of his iconic looks.
Streetwear essentials such as sneakers, baggy jeans, baseball caps, and layered jewelry can easily be paired with any shoulder-padded item; this separates the business aspect of the trend with which it is most familiar.
If you have not already started investing in pieces with shoulder pads that can complement your streetwear aesthetic, brands like Alexander Wang, H&M, ASOS, and Zara are great places to start looking.
What do you think about shoulder pads styled with streetwear? Leave a comment below.