Vibrant clothing, blazers, and big hair tied with tattered scarfs have all returned to the catwalks this season as the fashion world takes a step back into the eccentric world of the 80s, however shoulder pads - the newest addition to the catwalks - still come as a surprise. The uprising shoulder usually conjures up horrific images of Margaret Thatcher in tailored tweed suits, bringing unemployment to the masses whilst kissing goodbye to feminism, however this returning trend is far from masculine this time around. Shoulder's reached dizzying new heights on the autumn/winter 2010 catwalks of fashion hot-shots YSL, Louis Vuitton, and Dolce & Gabbana, where delicate fabrics, ruffles and fur were used to create elevation, replacing the androgynous oversized blazers we have come to associate with shoulder pads.
At Givenchy a more hard-edged style was achieved by using leather and hardened knits to construct triangular-shaped shoulders. But why this return to to one of Britain's most embarrassing fashion faux-pas? It can only be the recession. As numbers of unemployment rise once again, fashion turns once more to the powerful silhouette. Women have more need for empowerment now than ever, and this latest trend is a brave symbol of hope in gloomy times.
Photos from right to left: Winona Ryder rocks the high-shouldered look in large jacket. 1988. Dolce and Gabbana give shoulder pads feminine tailoring. 2009
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