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.

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