On Trend: Strong Shoulders

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On Trend: Strong Shoulders

How to wear shoulder pads and get the look, not the bulk

Let’s face it, a broader shoulder makes your hips look smaller and what’s not to love about that?

Sharp shouldered jackets, origami draping, extended seaming, and overtly blousey sleeves, there is no stopping the bolder shoulder as a silhouette to add to your wardrobe.

What’s modern about the bold shoulder is that they don’t always have a bulky ‘set in’ shoulder pad, like their 80′s counterpart.

Sharp shoulders as seen at Calvin Klein Fall 09 runway

There’s more of a peaked rise to the tip (thank you Balenciaga for never letting this styling trick take a nap) or have a sharp, clean edge rather the bulk of the Dynasty TV show era.

Sometimes, there’s not even a shoulder pad at all.

Look for shoulder embellishments like ruching and ruffles or just a few simple tucks to create the illusion of fullness, rather than the physical shoulder pad itself.

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The trick to wear the new shoulder pads and shoulder details without looking out of proportion is to stay in balance with your frame. Let the styling of the width of the garment’s shoulder line be in sync with your bone structure. Avoid any look that creates a top heavy, linebacker feel and keep it more of a clean architectural detail.

Don’t forget that a strong shoulder creates the need for more room in your next layer, so adding a strong shouldered jacket is easier to work with rather than a blouse that won’t fit under anything else that you own.

Sharp shoulders look modern, fresh, and their expiration date is far from now. Try on, why not?!

Try these shoulder pads and strong shoulder looks on for size:

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_{Photos, this page only, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week New York}

Published on October 27, 2009

Sharon Haver

Resident fashion expert- With just about 20 years experience in the glamour industry as a New York-based photography fashion stylist, syndicated columnist, contributing editor, lecturer, on-air television/radio fashion expert, and founder / editor in chief of FocusOnStyle.com. Sharon Haver knows the modern-thinking woman wants easygoing style that suits her individual needs, spiced with just the right amount of flip and wit to make it personal.

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Tags: fall , fashion , how to wear , how to wear shoulder pads , shoulder , shoulder pads , strong shoulders , trends