I used to mock big 80s shoulders but now I'm sketching them into my designs

After dismissing them for years, I finally see how those bold shapes from the past can inform fresh, structured looks today.

3 comments

3 Comments

claire6428d ago

Saw a fashion historian point out that the original power shoulder was about filling physical space in a room, literally claiming ground. The modern take isn't about mimicking that aggressive 80s corporate armor. It's using that sharp shape to play with silhouette in a way that feels new, because the context is totally different. We're not wearing them with pinstripe suits and red lipstick for boardroom battles. I mocked them for years too, but now I get it. The current interpretations are more about interesting structure than trying to look like a linebacker.

jordansmith21d ago

Honestly, I rolled my eyes at shoulder pads coming back for the longest time. It just felt like a bad rerun. But that point about the context changing really clicked for me. I saw a girl in a simple black dress with these sharp, structured shoulders last week, and it didn't look like a costume at all. It just made the whole shape of the dress seem really cool and modern. It's not about pretending to be a CEO from a movie anymore, it's just another way to play with how clothes look on your body. I guess I get it now.

jaken2328d ago

Man, your post made me remember this regular at my bar who used to wear these insane vintage 80s blazers with the huge shoulders. It was like a costume on her, but she totally owned it. I see what you mean about the context shifting, because now I'll spot someone with a cool structured jacket and it just looks like a shape, not a throwback. That lady would probably love the new versions, way more about art than armor.