"Are you sure shoulder pads are back in fashion?!"

Whilst discussing the multitude of shoulder related items in our wardrobes over lunch, my friend suddenly piped up: "I went shopping with my mother the other day.  She brought her first item in 20 years with shoulder pads and even as she was paying said "are you sure shoulder pads are back in fashion?!" I think you need to tell her because she doesn't believe me!"

You see whilst the younger generations pick up the shoulder pads in River Island (ready to be taped into blazers and tops sans shoulder pads) the older generation has seen this all before and, quite frankly, don't seem to understand how on earth it's been allowed to come round again!

Power Dressing at Balmain and Yves Saint Laurent:

According to the trend gurus at Viewpoint "53% of millionaires in 2020 will be women" and currently "52% of men in key European capitals say they live by women's rules."  Therefore, it's simply really...it's all about power.  Power dressing is not a new concept so many people can see how exaggerated shoulders (whether billowing or sharp) form the basis to this trend.

Vogue assure that this trend, which was first spied at Christophe Decarnin's Balmain catwalk for Spring/Summer 2009, is going nowhere in Autumn/Winter 2009/10.  Embrace it ladies, shoulders are back!  Though, if you're scared, you could enhance them in a slightly more subtle way....think asymmetric one shoulders and bustiers.  Sound better?

Strong Shoulders at Zac Posen and Roksanda Ilincic:

 

All images taken from Vogue Online