The Shoulder-Padded Knit
February 5, 2026. Maybe it’s the cold wave hitting the Northeast, but we’re currently obsessed with knitwear in all its forms—and luckily, the options abound. Padded shoulders in knitwear have quietly snuck up on us—and, more importantly, they’ve stuck around. If Bottega Veneta is any indication (above from Spring Summer 2026 runways), they’re not going anywhere. This is not an 80s revival. Where 80s shoulder pads were often used to force structure into soft fabrics, today’s padding does something more precise: it adds volume and authority to already clean, disciplined cuts. Think dense knits, sharp crewnecks, controlled shoulders.
The effect is subtle but powerful. The padded shoulder restores line, posture, and presence—three things casual knitwear usually erodes. Strip away the runway theatrics, and what remains is a highly functional idea for work: a sweater that carries the authority of tailoring.
At Bottega, the look is deliberately styled against fringed, impractical skirts to heighten contrast. In a work context, the logic flips. The padded knit works best when paired with restraint below—tailored trousers, column skirts, or any clean, linear base that lets the shoulder do the work. The result is polish without stiffness, and structure without formality.
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Key Success Factors
✓ Choose dense, compact knits that hold a clean shoulder line
✓ Let it replace tailoring and treat it as the top layer; keep what’s underneath simple.
✓ Keep the neckline simple (crew, shallow boat, clean round)
Deal Breakers
❌ Don’t confuse padding with bulk
❌ Avoid slouchy or drapey knits — they cancel the point
❌ Skip exaggerated shoulders unless the rest of the outfit is rigorously restrained
Shop the Edit
Options from Cos, Rohe, Bottega Veneta (scroll).
Rohe
Options from Cos, Rohe (scroll).
Rohe
Zara
Pair it with geometric silver earrings.
Options from Bottega Veneta, Givenchy, Lady Grey and Jenny Bird (scroll).
