Many readers have asked about shoulder pads. Are they in or out of fashion? What shape is preferred with certain clothes?

Even though shoulder pads are smaller in scale than in past years, they are still considered to be important to proper fit. Couturiers seldom design without them.

Even thin pads act as on-the-body hangers, helping to create a visual balance with the hip. They can soften bony, angular shoulders, and give a youthful lift to rounded or sloping shoulders. They can broaden narrow shoulders and can equalize two uneven shoulders when a bit of extra padding is added to the smaller one.

If your pattern calls for shoulder pads, the fashion silhouette dictates the type. Look on the back of the pattern envelope for guidelines.

Garments with raglan or dolman sleeves, or dropped shoulders, require a raglan-type shoulder pad. These are molded to fit around and over the shoulder for a softly rounded look. They are also good for supple knit and drapey fabrics.

Styles with set-in sleeves need set-in shoulder pads, the triangular shaped ones with a distinct armhole edge. When you sew them in, extend the edge slightly beyond the seamline.

Choose the size of a shoulder pad to suit your own shoulders as well as the pattern design. It shouldn’t be too small or too thick, but it should fill in the area between your body and the fabric of the garment. This is especially important in coats and jackets, where space is allowed for pads.

To attach pads, try the garment on for positioning and pin the pads on the outside along the shoulder line. On the inside, sew by hand or machine on the seam allowances.

To make pads removable, use Velcro strips, sewing the loop section to the garment and the hook section to the shoulder pad.

Sometimes ready-to-wear can benefit by replacing shoulder pads with better or more appropriate ones.