During the 1980’s shoulder pads became very popular, and gave the wearer the bigger and broader looking shoulders. Pop stars, movie stars and soap stars helped this iconic accessory become a worldwide phenomenon, so much so shoulder pads were usually sewn into garments, and there would be little or no need to buy them separately.

Both men and women wore shoulder pads, and they were usually worn in jackets, suits, coats, t-shirts shirts and blouses, to name but a few. Shoulder pads were traditionally sewn into the interior of the garment, just above the shoulder, in-between the outer layer of fabric and the lining. This meant there was no need for the wearer to purchase shoulder pads, unless the garments they purchased didn’t come with any.

Shoulder Pads In The 80s

Shoulder pads did not originate in the 1980’s as some people would think, they were originally created in the early 1940’s, and were used in female evening wear. For a while, shoulder pads lost their way in the fashion world a little, as more popular designs and accessories hit the market.

But, in the 1980’s they came back, and they came back with a vengeance, which meant almost everyone started to wear these unique additions to the world of fashion, and look and feel more confident.

It was during this decade that British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher was seen to be sporting a pair of this very fashionable accessory.

Another prominent British fashion icon that was often seen sporting shoulder pads was of course the late Princess Diana. Arguably the most popular British celebrity the world has ever seen, she regularly was spotted outfits that featured shoulder pads.

The fact that such high-powered women had adopted shoulder pads began to ricochet around the world, so much so that other women decided to follow suit. It was then popular for those who were very career-minded to wear shoulder pads whenever they were in the office.

The 1980’s television series Dynasty also popularized shoulder pads, as almost every male and female character could be seen wearing some. But it was the women in this series who made more of an impact, as they were determined, successful women who wouldn’t take ‘No’ for an answer.

If you wanted status in the 1980’s, you wore shoulder pads, and the desired perception would be thrust upon you. But, there were more ways to gain even better status, and that was by wearing even bigger shoulder pads than ever before. The bigger your shoulder pads were, the more successful you were thought to be, and soon shoulder pads everywhere started to grow and grow.

What’s more is shoulder pads started to appear in just about every item of clothing, so those who had to go out and buy some, no longer needed to, unless they wanted to add another pair.

Are Shoulder Pads Still Popular?

By the end of the 1980’s, it was common for people to add another pair, so much so that some manufacturers added Velcro to theirs so the wearer could have as many shoulder pads as they wanted. The fashion seemed to be synonymous with business fashion, and you couldn’t really go anywhere without seeing people with them.
 
Although shoulder pads were hugely successful during the 1980’s, in the early 90’s they became almost extinct as other fashions took over. The great news is that shoulder pads are back, and set to be hugely popular once more.