Padding

Padding is a thin cushioned material added to clothes often to soften the impact on certain areas of the body,or, to enhance a physical feature.

the most common example of padding in fashion is shoulder pads. These are a a type of fabric covered padding used in mens and women's clothing to give the wearer the illusion of having broader and less sloping shoulders. this type of padding is normally associated with 1940s and 80's fashion.

When the sex equality act was passed by the 1980s in most countries, fashion saw a rise in 'Power Dressing'. Masculine shoulder padded jackets created a no-nonsense executive look. this was championed by designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Theiry Mulgar and Versace.