‘80s-Style Shoulder Pads, the Most Ridiculous Trend Ever

A-list celebrities of today are starting to resemble more and more with each passing day the stars we used to see in ‘80s sitcoms and soap operas. They wear almost the exact hair and they have clothes in the same bright, neon colors, equipped with high shoulders, also known as coathanger shoulders. Although a trend that is picking up pace, it’s downright ridiculous and does no woman any good, Leah Hardy writes for the Daily Mail.

Of the stars that have warmly embraced said trend, fashionista and WAG Victoria Beckham and singer Rihanna are perhaps the most famous. They are also those who have taken it to new heights – literally – donning jackets that look like anything other than jackets. In doing so, they have gotten critics to label them fashion-forward and bold enough to take power-dressing to new extremes, but at what cost, Hardy asks. The price they paid is losing their credibility by looking ridiculous.

“[Victoria Beckham] is not the only celeb who’s been spotted in this season’s superhero-style shoulders. Which begs the question: are ‘coathanger shoulders’ the most ridiculous trend ever?” Hardy asks, before moving on to answer the question with a simple “yes.” As she also points out, back in the ‘80s, women had little other choice in terms of the height of their shoulders, since everyone wore them, which means every creator or manufacturer included them in their designs. Today is different, yet this doesn’t stop women from choosing this ridiculous look.

Presumably, the high shoulders bespeak power and aggressiveness, while also helping the wearer look thinner and more delicate. They’re meant to be some sort of a wearable paradox that brings about a complete image overhaul, it has often been said. For some women, it works, although the look they end up with is by no means something regular Janes should try when going to work or for a date out with the girls (see some of Rihanna's and even Posh’s recent appearances). In the end, it might be better if we gave the high-shoulder trend a pass.

“You see, I don’t think anyone improves their looks by moving their shoulders several inches closer to their ears. […] The theory behind such pads is that the broadness of your shoulders will create the illusion of a smaller waist and hips. I’m not convinced. Partly because, with Posh-style pads, nobody’s looking at your waist and hips – they are too busy laughing at your shoulders. They also convey a certain macho quality: they scream muscle, power and aggression.” Hardy writes.