A 1980s Caboodles case; Image courtesy of Etsy shop Honey Blossom Studio
Ladies of the ’80s yearned for oodles of Caboodles. Or maybe just one good one to stylishly carry their grooming products. These beauty organizers by Caboodles of California were packed with storage options, including pull-out trays in a variety of configurations. And of course, each case had a built-in mirror, the ultimate primping essential.
Check out the retro 1980s black, white and hot pink Caboodles case shown above, available for purchase at Etsy shop Honey Blossom Studio. Perfect for storing make-up and jewelry, the piece features a particularly eye-catching color combination!
For a textural take on the Caboodles case, don’t miss the vintage 1980s hot pink Caboodles case shown below, offered by Etsy shop Veni Vidi Vintage. Its ridges and flat-top design are unique Caboodles features!
A 1980s Caboodles case; Image courtesy of Etsy shop Veni Vidi Vintage
Ready for a blast from the past?…
A stack of Caboodles; Image from the November 1990 issue of Teen
Take a look at this ad from the November 1990 issue of Teen magazine, featuring the marbleized collection (pictured left). As you can see, this assortment of Caboodles stuck with classic pastels. The ad claims they’re perfect holiday gifts, but we think their appeal transcends the winter months and carries over into the spring. Hello Easter?!
Not to mention, this stack of icing-colored products evokes the image of a multi-layer cake, sticking with the tradition of ’80s teen products boasting a “good enough to eat” look that made them irresistible. If you were a kid or teen in the ’80s, the retail world was your bakery!
Caboodles of California also manufactured smaller cases and products , which conveniently fit inside the larger carriers. I suspect there were some hard-core collectors out there…
The ad below, also from 1990, features face scrubbers with brushes that fit neatly into holes on top of smaller products.
Thanks for joining us in our coverage of an ’80s teen collectible favorite, and a very special thank-you to Etsy shops Honey Blossom Studio and Veni Vidi Vintage for making this blog post possible!
Oodles of Caboodles!
The form and color of Caboodles and their stylish groupings in ad photos made them eye candy to the maxx!!! Are Caboodles still out there?… Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post, which will compare teen products of the 1980s to their modern-day counterparts.
I love Caboodles! Didn't realize they had other accessories for them. Saw some Caboodles in the store the other day.. hope they make a comeback. I used to love the Caboodles bath fizzies and bath caviar around 2006ish. Dun post!
I had peach and teal one 😁
at first i did not like the marbel caboodles but now i see the first set of the marbel designed caboodles and now i only like those
I still have my big blue and teal Caboodle I bought back in ’84. I also found several more at Goodwill recently. I even have one for a fishing tackle box!!
Caboodles are still around, but they really aren’t available in as many cool colors as they were back in the day. They make them nowadays in a more so-called sophisticated style than they did back then. I really don’t care for the newer ones.
I have one of the newer ones in the “sophisticated” style Jan is talking about (gray satin with black lace and leather edging), but I remember my mother and aunt having these neon tackle boxes when I was a kid. I used to love picking through them. So many compartments!
where can i order these !!! i have 12 bridesmaids and would LOVE for these to be there gifts but i can’t find them any where !! someone HElP ME
Hi Tami!
First of all, congrats on your upcoming wedding! In terms of buying Caboodles, you can find the vintage versions on sites like eBay and Etsy. But you can also buy these new. There’s a Caboodles website, and here is the link to the page with the retro-style Caboodles:
http://caboodles.com/product/on-the-go-girl/?collection=10
If you click on the “Where To Buy” button, it shows you all of the retailers where you might find them. Places like Target, Walgreens, Walmart and Kmart. Hope that helps!
That hot pink one with the ridges is actually a jewelry Caboodle they made briefly. I still have mine, and it was THE BEST JEWELRY ORGANIZER I’ve found to date. Unfortunately, the latch broke so when I move it, I cradle it gingerly and talk sweetly to it. 🙂