Artificially inflates

PADS

Think of what you might add to shoulders for a more imposing silhouette in a suit.

"PADS" fits "artificially inflates" because it’s a double-meaning clue. In one sense, "pads" can mean adding extra material to something (like padding a bra or a resume) to make it seem bigger or more impressive than it is. The other meaning is literal—pads can be soft cushions that physically inflate or bulk up an object. The wordplay hinges on the idea of falsely enhancing something, whether figuratively or literally.