Shoulder pad (fashion)

Common card · No. 391305

Shoulder pads are a type of fabric-covered padding used in clothing to give the wearer the illusion of having broader and less sloping shoulders. In the beginning, shoulder pads were shaped as a semicircle or small triangle and were stuffed with wool, cotton, or sawdust. They were positioned at the top of the sleeve to extend the shoulder line. A good example of this is their use in "leg-o'-mutton" sleeves or the smaller puffed sleeves which are based on styles from the 1890s. In men's styles, shoulder pads are often used in suits, jackets, and overcoats, usually sewn at the top of the shoulder and fastened between the lining and the outer fabric layer. In women's clothing, their inclusion depends on the fashion taste of the day. Shoulder pads in clothing can compensate for people with narrow or sloping shoulders. They can also compensate for certain fabrics' natural properties, most notably suede blazers, due to the weight of the material. There are periods when pads intended to exaggerate...

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