Readers, is there any question that big shoulders ruled in the early Nineteen-Forties? It wasn't just a Joan Crawford thing, but she was definitely ahead of the trend. Apparently her shoulders were already so broad that MGM costume designer Adrian decided he would exaggerate them further rather than try to disguise them. After wire hangers, aren't big shoulders what Joan is best remembered for?
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| "Now where did I put that cabbage...?" |
The broad WWII-era shoulder might also have symbolized women's filling traditionally male roles in society, while so many men were at war. They were also a handy place to temporarily rest a teacup, powder compact, or telephone book.
My 1944 Butterick coat has plenty of room for big shoulder pads and I went for broke, adding two large pads in each shoulder. As you can see from the envelope art, the line of shoulder is essentially at a right angle to the head.
I'd used shoulder pads before, of course, but strictly human size.
My Daytona Trim pads were triple-layer molded batting, so each shoulder has six layers, which I then covered with muslin to keep them secure. They're like big ravioli, though they're wider on the shoulder end.
I stitched them into the shoulder along the armscye, and tacked them in place near the neck. Voila!
These are statement shoulders, and I think the statement is Get out of this house before I kill you, Veda! (Anybody know what I'm talking about?)
Anyway, snood or no snood, blonde or brunette, these shoulders are here to stay. You'll have to wrestle me to the ground to take them away from me.
Before...
After...
I also made my lining. I still have to hem the bottom and tack it to those side vents.
In closing, friends, do you generally insert shoulder pads in your clothes?
Do you go for big, bigger, or Joan Crawford-with-a-gun size? They do give one a sense of confidence, and I suspect they make your ankles look thinner too.
Have a great day, everybody, and safe holiday travels!
