The use of "capsule" to mean "small and compact" was a distinctly American use of the word that surfaced in 1938 according to the
Oxford English Dictionary. The term capsule wardrobe appeared in American publications as early as the 1940s to denote a small collection of garments designed to be worn together which harmonized in color and line. The term was revived by Susie Faux, owner of the West End boutique "Wardrobe", in the 1970s to refer to a collection of essential items of clothing that would not go out of fashion, and therefore could be worn for multiple seasons. The aim was to update this collection with seasonal pieces to provide something to wear for any occasion without buying many new items of clothing. The concept of a capsule wardrobe was popularised by American designer
Donna Karan in 1985, when she released her "7 Easy Pieces" collection. When the collection debuted, she showed eight
models dressed only in
bodysuits and black
tights. The models then began to add items of clothing such as
wrap-skirts, trousers, and dresses, to demonstrate her interchangeable style of dressing. As a term, "capsule wardrobe" is widely used in the fashion media; the fashion sections in British newspapers
The Independent and
The Daily Telegraph have run feature articles on capsule wardrobes, as have British
Marie Claire and
Elle magazines, among others. The concept has been further popularised by several television programmes, including ''
Trinny and Susannah's '
What Not to Wear'
, which aired on the BBC 2001–2007, and Gok's Fashion Fix'', which aired on
Channel Four from 2008 onwards. Presenter and stylist
Gok Wan asserts that a capsule wardrobe is an especially important tool in a
recession as it allows people to look good on a small budget. == Examples ==