The return of the shoulder pad

Fashion is a cycle. Trends start off on the catwalk and slowly begin to emerge on the high street where the fashion conscious pick them up and advertise them to the masses.

I'm sure many girls, myself included, have heard their mother's say: "I had a pair of them in my day". Each time I come to hear this or something along those lines, my reaction is more or less the same. It is highly laced with disdain, disbelief and a thought of "Yeah right!".

As I get older, I realise that mothers usually know a thing or two about what they say. As hard it is to admit, a mother's advice is worth listening to. When I get older still, I should be able to admit that without any haste.

My mother often tells me to wear a jacket when I go out with less than appropriate clothes on, but I always think I know better. Later finding myself freezing cold in a taxi queue, I wish I had listened.

In the true nature of fashion, this season sees a throwback to the eighties and the return of the shoulder pad.

As shocking as it is true, the shoulder pad has made its timely return. It may not be a universal trend like in the eighties, but designers have been parading their models up and down the catwalk complete with protruding shoulders.

Designers such as Balmain have debuted their S/S 2009 collections and the fashion troops have taken their picks. Victoria Beckham and Kate Moss have recently been seen wearing shoulder enhancing Balmain pieces - some more fashion credible than others, you may agree.

Nevertheless, daring designs get noticed. It may mean that the shoulder pad trend could find its way onto the high street and onto the radars of the high fashion troopers.

Personally, I might give this one a miss. First time round in the eighties, it left much to be desired and this time, although more structured than the removable shoulder pad, this S/S trend is where I think I will draw the line. If I get really desperate, I could always find one of my mother's authentic 1980s cast-offs.