It's safe to say that 80's shoulder pads are BACK and making a big hit on the streets and on high fashion runways. Being most popular in suiting, this trend is also starting to appear on leather jackets, which I would argue is a great combination. I have broad shoulders already so when I first came across this "80's shoulder" trend I struggled, but this year I've found a happy medium of mixing the big shoulders with leather jackets. Let me explain.
Last year I was looking for a fitted bomber jacket at a thrift store when I came across a jacket literally custom made for me (I will say I do have good luck at thrift stores). I picked it up looked at it all over and got so excited to try it on, when I tried it on, not only did I realize that it was slightly cropped and even a bit tailored in the front, but this jacket had been sent to me directly from 1984. Everything from the leather itself, to the cut, and most importantly the shoulders. Right off the bat, once I discovered the shoulders I was a little nervous that it would make my shoulders look more broader than they already looked but because of the tailoring and the slight crop it actually worked really well. I bought it for $10 CADn(yay) and brought it home! After looking at the construction a bit more thoroughly I noticed that the shoulder pads were doubled on each side. I thought I would see what it looked like by making it a single pad on each side and low and behold it became a perfect fit.
My Main Takeaways.
#1. Don't Be Afraid To Customize Your Jacket. You can get a leather jacket that is cut for shoulders and remove the extra padding to dull it out a little.
#2. Focus On Fit For Your Body Type. Tapering in the front can change everything and make the trend work really well. Choose what works for you can flatters your figure in a way that you like!
#3. Balance Is Key. Pair your new jacket with either a tight shirt and tight jeans or a crop top if you want to do baggy joggers. If neither of those work for you, you can also belt your waist to make the look work.
Moving into 2019 I'm trying to make a promise to try more 80's shoulder trends but I have to say I'm partial to the 80's leather jackets. I just love the vibe that they can bring to an outfit.
To edge mine up, (and since it only cost my $10) I decided to paint a little message on my jacket because why not?