Now shy Di shoulders her way back into fashion
GROWING up in the Eighties, I know all about big shoulders. This was the era of the new Romantics, Dynasty divas and Princess Diana (all lovers of a giant, balloon-shaped sleeve).
Every Chelsea Girl blouse in my teenage wardrobe was augmented at some point with a pair of stitchedin foam shoulder pads from my local haberdashery shop.
There’s an Eighties revival in fashion right now, from the scarf prints and Medusa heads — not to mention the original, mega-watt supermodels! — on the Versace runway; to the denim power suits and supercharged swagger at Tom Ford.
And yes, that includes huge, notice-me statement shoulders — whether on the fuchsia velvet tuxedo courtesy of Mr Ford, or on subtler soft tailoring pieces in Phoebe Philo’s final collection for Celine. (I’ll have the oversized blazer in icecream pink, please).
The High Street isn’t immune either. I just spotted a fantastic houndstooth check blazer with seriously assertive shoulders at Topshop (£42, topshop.com). THE big shoulder phenomenon has been brewing for some time. French designer Simon Porte Jacquemus, 28, became a hot name last year when he sent romantic, slightly nautical looks down the catwalk echoing the elegant, big- shouldered silhouettes of Eighties Parisian haute couture.
Rihanna lent her support to the trend by wearing a white leg o’ mutton sleeve blouse from the range when she attended the Man Aware benefit in Barbados with Prince Harry on World Aids Day.
Jacquemus’s muse is his mother, whom he tragically lost when she was just 42. It’s difficult not to look at his beautiful handkerchief necklines and billowing sleeves without seeing echoes of Harry’s own late mother, Diana.
The key to the Jacquemus take on the Eighties is that there is nothing kitsch or grating about his retro designs. They are infused with elegance and softness. And that’s exactly what you should be aiming for when you update your spring wardrobe. You are not emulating full-on Melanie Griffith in Working Girl here.
On the High Street, Mango seems to have captured the mood. I love its mannish pinstriped shirt with ever- soslightly puffed sleeves (£25.99,
mango.com). It looks just right worn with crisp indigo denim.
Its collarless, leg o’ mutton sleeve poplin shirt (£25.99) is just the thing to pep up your work wardrobe after months of repeat sweater-wearing.
I have no doubt the success of the Kensington Palace exhibition Diana: Her Fashion Story has played its part in spring’s fashion mood, with the Shy Di era casting a spell over the whole season.
That famous shot of Diana in her Jan Vanvelden print blouse at the Cirencester polo match in 1983 (above) was clearly the inspiration behind the collection of another rising star — Virgil Abloh, founder of Milanbased label Off-White.
He featured a fabulous black-and-white print balloon-sleeved blouse, worn with a matching thigh- split pencil skirt, on his spring runway.
For a High Street take on the trend, head for the monochrome puff- sleeved blouse currently on the rails at H&M in a spirit-lifting polka dot print (£19.99, hm.com).
As ever, the way to keep your look grown-up is to avoid being too literal with accessories. If you want big sleeves or shoulders, don’t do big hair or earrings, too. And while I typically love colour and am excited pastels are back, avoid puffy shirts or blouses in saccharine shades. Sharp tailored pastel is far cooler and unexpected.
Chances are you already have an Eighties gem in your wardrobe. Mine’s a vintage Betty Barclay shirt in grey ticking stripes, with dropped shoulder puff sleeves and an extravagant pussy bow. It’s garnered many compliments recently, particularly when worn with jeans or a longer pencil skirt.
And, of course, you could always hit the haberdashers...