shoulder pads? why not!

i know what you’re thinking: “ew! shoulder pads! the one element that should stay in the 80s forever!” and i guess, for the most part, you’re probably right. there’s nothing like a giant shoulder pad to make you feel like an out-of-place linebacker. in my defense, though:
– i bought a really neat dress on a recent thrift day with lauren winter and it was clear that someone had removed the shoulder pads and that they needed to be put back in asap – the shoulders were too big and doing this horribly wrinkly/puffy thing that ruined the otherwise sleek lines of the dress. considering how many shoulder pad dresses i buy on a regular basis, you’d think i’d have a discarded shoulder pad or 8 laying around somewhere but noooo
anyway, that’s not as fun as what brings us to my second reason…

i have this pattern, and i wanted to try it.

hee!

i took a few pictures during the steps, so you too could experience the ~birth of a shoulder pad~…

making shoulder pads is pretty easy. i cut out 5 layers of batting, each a little smaller than the last, for the gradual build-up.

stacked all layers, basted them together through the middle, and put them on a seam roll (aka ball of yarn covered in wool) and steamed the life outta ’em.

then covered them with a hair canvas top; it was instructed to be padstitched (hence the lines) but padstitching made it all tiny and flat so i just basted the two together. also, the thread is yellow bc i really like that color and rarely have an excuse to use it.

then i made little shoulder pad covers – out of bright cotton, of course 🙂 – and shoved the pads inside and stitched the opening closed.

shoulder pad on the left, pad-less on the right
oh and uh, pardon my dirty mirror 😦

the pad is sewn to the seam allowance along the shoulder

the ends are tacked down by the armhole seam

shoulder pads!

😀
isn’t this dress cool? it was $3.50 🙂 i think it was a dance costume in a previous life.

and speaking of clothes, look what i bought!
yesterday:

from – where else? – closet case vintage.
isn’t it fabulous! ALL the design detail is beaded, and the gold sparkles 😀 i had to hem it up just a little – there was a 2″ plain border around the bottom – bc i was stepping all over it due to my height. i didn’t cut it though, so it can be let back out if i need to.

seriously, though, check out this beading detail:

AMAZING.

and then today i bought these shoes:

are you jealous of my life yet.

Tags: shoez, shoulder pads, vintage, vogue