Shoulder to shoulder

Eeek, I think I'm having an 80s flashback. Now that leggings are not just a fashion throwback but a staple part of our wardrobes (again), another mad, bad 80s trend has been chucked at the great shopping British public. Dig out your leisure pass, because you're going to need Olympic pool-sized shoulders to look the part this autumn/winter. Or you could cheat by going somewhere you once said you'd rather die than revisit (well, I did, anyway) and splurge on an item of clothing with massive shoulder pads, like this barmy tuxedo jacket from Balmain, as seen on the Elle magazine website.
According to MC, shoulder padded jackets/tops/dresses/coats will ensure that your 'fashion credentials shine'. Apparently, the I've-been-working-on-a-building-site-all-summer look is the silhouette to be seen in right now. Hmm, I remember it the first time around and while it looked rather fabulous to me back then, especially when sported by the cast of Dynasty (Joan Collins always had a nifty line in shoulder-padded sparkly frocks, if I remember rightly), I'm not so sure this is a trend I'm going to jump into quite so willingly again. I mean, it's okay if you're pushing six foot tall with legs up to your armpits, but if you're just nudging 5ft 3in, it can look slightly comical. Okay, scratch 'slightly'.
So while I'm loving the sounds of the Human League and Depeche Mode floating through the airwaves once again, this is one 80s child who's going to stay firmly in the noughties. Ripped jeans being the exception, of course.