Be there and be square

Shoulder displays from Karen Walker. Photo / Supplied

Shoulder pads scare people. Mention those two words to anyone who doesn't work as a stylist or fashion writer and you're likely to hear phrases like "hideous", "tragic" or "Oh my God, I would rather die". I can understand the fear.

A favourite of the 1980s power-suited, power hungry women with big hair and big dreams, exaggerated shoulders have for many years been on the fashion-to-never-be-revisited list. Until now. Yes my fashion friends, fashion always comes full circle eventually, and here we are in 2009 set to revisit the decade that, apparently, style didn't forget. From the runways of Balmain to Karen Walker to Louis Vuitton, the message is clear: when it comes to shoulders, bigger is now better.

If you're feeling a little standoffish about all this shoulder action, send your scorn in the direction of Christophe Decarnin. The Balmain designer isn't the first to focus his design energies on the shoulder area of course, but he is the one who has had massive influence in bringing this look into the mainstream.

His most recent collection featured exaggerated shoulders on sparkly jackets, dresses and blouses. Celebrities and fashion fans have gone crazy for it; expect to see the trickle down effect into mainstream stores soon. Decarnin is not the only high-end fashion designer focusing on the shoulder: everyone from Stella McCartney to Marc Jacobs to Dolce & Gabbana featured an exaggerated shoulder in their most recent collections.

Karen Walker played with the new shoulder silhouette in her spring/summer 09/10 range, with sculptural shoulder detailing on T-shirt dresses, peaked shoulders on blazers and a square-shouldered trench.

As with all new trends, fashion writers have been scratching their brains trying to understand the deep psychological reasons behind it. One English newspaper declared the exaggerated shoulder was "armour for the credit crunch" (this reason is almost as stupid as the "lipstick index", which was recently proven wrong). Other fashion writers have claimed it makes women look smaller - big shoulders making the waist look tiny in comparison. This is also stupid, but probably true. It's also the antithesis of the plethora of casual looks of late: the floaty, gauzy bohemian phase, the dirty, grungy 90s phase. Strong shoulders will make you look, er, strong.

There's a reason our 1980s forebears wore exaggerated shoulders into the office: to make them look and feel powerful.

So how do you wear this look? My first piece of advice is the most important: if you think it is ridiculous, don't. Strong shoulders aren't an easy trend; it's a look that requires a special blend of sass and confidence, and there's no point trying it if you have any reservations. But if you are willing to embrace something new, then make like Jay Z and "go and brush your shoulders off". Wear it with confidence and with a cinched waist. A jacket with sharp, exaggerated shoulders is best, worn with something simple like narrow pants, a pencil skirt or cocktail dress - currently the uniform of choice for the French Vogue team. This may be a look inspired by the 80s, but today's version needs to be sharp, sculptured and structural. No power suits please.