Sculpted Shoulder

Sculpted Shoulder

Tops with puffed, padded, cap and draped shoulders that add structure without feeling stiff. Made for anyone who wants basics to look a little sharper.

The sculpted shoulder has a longer history than most trends I wear. In the early 1930s Elsa Schiaparelli started padding the shoulder of her jackets and dresses, and Adrian built the same strong line for Joan Crawford in Hollywood, so a woman on screen looked like she owned the room. After the war Dior's New Look sloped everything back down, and for a while the shoulder went soft.

 

It came roaring back in the 1980s. Thierry Mugler and Claude Montana cut shoulders that stood out from the body like architecture, and office dressing borrowed the same line so a suit could make a woman look taller and sure of herself. I think that is why a padded shoulder still feels like a small act of confidence. It frames the face and narrows the waist without a single extra piece.

 

Today the idea is lighter. The ba&sh Pio top gives me the structure without a blazer, and Nation Los Angeles makes a puff sleeve that sits softly rather than stiff. Brochu Walker's sheer sleeve on a black knit brings the drama back down to everyday size, and the SIMKHAI Nessa and Naelle tops keep the line clean through the shoulder and nothing fussy below. I wear mine with straight trousers or plain denim and let the shoulder carry the look.

Sculpted Shoulder collage