Lynne McCrossan: Shoulder pads must be the biggest comeback of 2009

Published on Monday 28 December 2009 09:42

HISTORY books will tell us Eminem, Whitney Houston and Robbie Williams were all at it in the world of music. Jude Law and Sienna Miller showed us you can come back from 'nannygate', rekindling their relationship, notching one up for the couples. And as London fashion week turned 25 this year, Burberry Prorsum returned home from Milan to showcase their Spring 2010 collection along with Pringle of Scotland.

However, all of this pales in comparison with 2009's comeback kid, the shoulder pad. Our jackets were sculpted, our jumpers plumped up. Even our dresses were shaped to showcase the shoulder. No escaping it, the power of the pad was back.

The 80s had returned with a vengeance after two decades of ridicule and being dubbed the time taste forgot. However, it wasn't a straight-forward fashion hijacking. The look had been moved on, ensuring it wasn't a rip-off of this conflicting eon. The 80s had gone through a bit of a futuristic twist. It was Pam Ewing aboard Red Dwarf.

The High Street was full of it, with Topshop leading the way as always. Even pop's latest princess, Lady Gaga, couldn't get enough of it, preferring the dizzy heights of the pad with not much else on the bottom.

I feared for Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh's lives as Cheryl Cole and Danni Minogue emerged each week from behind those sliding X Factor doors in outfits designed for destruction.

Then there was Rihanna, with a new album to promote. Every image showed her conjuring a little Grace Jones as the heels got higher and the shoulder pads bigger. No one pulled off this harsh look with more femininity than her.

Her crowning glory came when she stepped on to the red carpet at the Met Costume Institute Gala in shoulder puff perfection. Dressed in that Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo she divided the fashion community in May. Now, as we approached the New Year, every fashionista can't wait to get her hands on the look.

Capital Catwalk

Claire McEvinney, 23, Edinburgh, Trainee lawyer.

I spied Claire at The Stand while having festive drinks with the city's funniest man, Bruce Devlin.

I saw Claire leaving the gig and was compelled to stop her.

Her mixture of vintage, designer and high street floral prints looked so pretty and perfect for a night of comedy.

The fur, from Portobello market in London popped over her Primark dress looked understated but glam.

The bag was from Mui Mui and little flat boots from Office on Princes Street. Gorgeous.