I did research and exploration on Equality Feminism in womenswear, focusing on shoulder pads in womenswear especially used in the Power Suits in the 1980s.

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I looked at this subject from the point of view of myself, a young woman new to the workspace and professional settings. I developed a detachable shoulder ornament that emphasizes broad shoulders and bigger silhouettes. This ornament can be placed above regular clothes like a pair of shoulder armors (pauldrons).

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The project is made out of paper (pages from the book For Dear Life, Women's Decriminalization and Human Rights in Focus by Carol Jacobsen), representing the flimsiness of the false sense of security that we seek through the exterior changes in our physical form, and representing how women use knowledge to armor ourselves. 

 

The piece discusses the nature of imitating the male’s physical form (relatively broader shoulders) and the mentality of this empowering process of women. The work I created is personal because it is based on my collection of shoulder padded suits, blazers, and jackets that usually gave me power, and my own memories with them. 

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This project is made during the Coronavirus outbreak with limited resources.