From big ol' pads to a sprinkling of fringe, shoulders have been getting some major love, but this new crop of hardware's got us thinking about how far we'd go for a bolder shoulder. During the last American Music Awards, Rihanna showed off quite a prickly pair that probably gave her backup dancers pause before shimmying too close for fear of a puncture wound. But, our girl Zana Bayne's got a line of wearable harnesses that are far more interesting than your standard peaked shoulders, and these golden plates from Bijules would guarantee that you'd have the most interesting accessory at any holiday shindig. But are we straying too avant garde? Is this new breed of epaulettes something you can rock with confidence, or is this a task best left to a Lady Gaga-themed marching band?
Above, clockwise from top left: Karen O wearing Bijules' shoulder blades, photo by Nick Zinner via Nitrolicious; Fannie Schiavoni shoulder chain mail; Dirty Flaws' broken glass shoulder harness; Zana Bayne wing harness.