What the Heck is a Capsule Wardrobe?

(photo found on Google, from Like Totally 80s :)

What the Heck is a Capsule Wardrobe?

Does anyone remember Units?

They started off as a section in several department stores, in the late 80s & early 90s, I think. But then, they became a tiny little corner store you could find in the mall.

They sold knitwear basics, and they came in several colors that were designed to mix and match. I suspect that there were prints that combined the different colors they were offering at any given time, but I might be making that up.

And I think they were affordably priced, because I wandered in and bought some at the time.

I liked the concept but I only bought a couple of pieces because I didn't like most of their colors.

But then, something wonderful happened!

I went to a women's show and was told, for free, that crescent earrings were the shape that fit my face shape best. And I was so pleased with their exciting booth and personalities and "we are image consultant experts!" energy that I went to a gathering they offered the next week.

Turned out they were image consultants AND consultants offering a network marketing business selling clothes!! It was called Karla Jordan International.

Well, my mother had sold Amway and Queen's Way to Fashion, the latter of which gave me quite a bit of my senior high wardrobe, so I thought that was cool.

And their store had a lot of the clothes on hand, with rooms to try them on.

They felt like pajamas! I couldn't get over how soft and comfy they were. This might be the moment to tell you that I have worn only knitwear ever since.

I mean, there were suits and leggings and pants and tops in colors I liked, with prints that tied them together. But the best part? This company had created jewelry in the exact same colors and prints as the clothes.

Let me ask you, do you think I joined that company? 

Yes, I did.

Well, eventually, that company went out of business. And so did Multiples, the knitwear company I joined next.

But my love of capsule wardrobes had been born. I just didn't know that was what they were called.

Capsule wardrobe is a term coined by Susie Faux, the owner of a London boutique, in the 1970s. According to Faux, a capsule wardrobe is a collection of a few essential items of clothing that never go out of style, ... which can then be augmented with seasonal pieces. - Wikipedia 
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(photo found on Google, also from Like Totally 80s)

Why Do We Call Them Capsule Wardrobes?

It started with Susie Faux, a boutique owner in the UK, who apparently coined the term.

And eventually, the rest of the world began to use the term, too.

Over the years, the concept of the capsule wardrobe has come to refer to a mix and match core wardrobe - a collection of pieces, in coordinating colors, that maximize the number of outfits that can be created.

Have you ever set out to create a capsule wardrobe? And if so, how did you feel about it after you created it?

A reader asked recently what a capsule wardrobe was. Hope this post answers his question and any you might have had about how the capsule wardrobe phenomenon began.

See you tomorrow!

Love, Jeanine