Cause A Frockus

Vintage Expert | Ann Walter at Anntie M’s Attic

Jan 31, 2014 | by Becky Oeltjenbruns

Collecting and enjoying vintage allows you to experience history and channel your most awesome self with every unique piece you wear. Here at Cause A Frockus we enjoy learning more about the beautiful things we cherish. Ann Walter is a vintage expert who is incredibly knowledgeable about women’s fashion and its relationship to cultural context. Her shop, Anntie M’s Attic, takes visitors on a guided journey throughout each era. We were lucky enough to speak with her recently and know you’ll love her insights and stories. We encourage you to share your own thoughts with us in the comments – tell us what vintage means to you!

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Anntie M’s Attic
101 E. Commercial
Waterville, KS 66548
785.363.2343
Appointments are made by reservation only.
Please contact Ann directly via telephone or email.

“I’m interested in how women evolved. From Molly Brown to Eleanor Roosevelt to Rosie the Riveter to Jackie O. and Lady Di – women changed history.”

Learn more about the shop on the Anntie M’s Attic website or their Facebook page

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The inspiration behind Anntie M’s Attic

For Ann it all started with the love of her grandparents and an interest in the personal histories of her grandmothers. She started to document their journeys and clearly remembers the happy feeling she felt when she tried on her maternal grandmother’s favorite Victorian hat and the joy her paternal grandmother had for aprons. Her first collections were hats and aprons, but over time it expanded to include complete ensembles. Most of her finds were discovered at antique shops, second hand shops, or farm sales.

She started collecting in the 1960s and 1970s before vintage was a trend. As a result, she was able to acquire some really unique pieces with relative ease (including a stunning corset from the 1790s and dressing gowns dating from the 1850s). As her collections grew, she began researching each find: the history of undergarments, the founding of the Audubon society, or the influences in fashion. Anntie M’s Attic was founded as a way to present this information in a fun, hands-on approach.

What guests experience at Anntie M’s Attic

Anntie M’s Attic is a perfect location for a luncheon, meeting, shower, or get together. Here guests learn about fashion through the ages as Ann takes them on an interactive tour. Guests are encouraged to feel the weight of fabrics, examine construction techniques, try on hats from their favorite genre (including some lovely 1980s British hats modeled after Princess Di’s favorites), and enjoy vintage apparel and accessories – all against the backdrop of Ann’s compelling presentation. Ann’s guest list has included both male and female visitors from a wide range of backgrounds.

In addition to the learning experience, guests can also enjoy tea and light refreshments in her Victorian tea room or ice cream treats in an authentic 1950s malt shop (complete with jukebox). What makes Anntie M’s Attic unique is that all items are original – no costumes here – only authentic antique and retro pieces.

The oldest items in her collection have been professionally dated and while the 1790 corset is kept under a glass case, by and large guests are encouraged to interact with these antique pieces. For many of her guests, this is the first time they’ve been close to fashion that is over 200 years old.

Occasionally Ann will host a fashion show as a way to let her pieces have a proper stroll on the catwalk. On and off the runway, she says the best part of hosting events is hearing her guests’ stories. Inevitably, being surrounded by so much vintage fashion, pictures, magazines, and inspiration, people reminisce and laugh over the good times.

Ann’s favorite guest reactions

Funny enough, she’s found people mostly talk about the hats. She says a recurring comment is that women wish they could wear hats again. Ann really enjoys seeing a young lady come in and put on a good hat – she stands taller and you can see in her eyes that she’s transported to another world.

For Ann, the journey she goes on with her guests is very special. With each new presentation, new stories come about. Whether it’s a giggle shared over vintage petticoats to discussing youthful adventures, a trip to Anntie M’s Attic encourages storytelling. And that’s the best thing: the uniqueness in everyone’s reactions!

How do you maintain vintage clothing?

The main thing is to keep the dress on a form or a hanger. Ann says to always keep in mind that clothes were designed to drape over the human form, not be folded up. Hang them in a climate-controlled space, off the floor, and covered with a light-weight material to keep the dust off the fabric.

If a piece is unique, she likes to complement the clothing by hanging them on a custom hanger. She gets hers from Barbara at Decorative Designs. You may contact her directly at decorativedesigns14@hotmail.com to learn more about her hand-crafted, vintage inspired hangers.

How to freshen up vintage clothes

With such a large collection, Ann is a vintage expert in this area. She makes sure fresh air circulates around her closets each summer at least and simultaneously uses a light duster to dust off the clothing. She will also occasionally spray lavender air freshener around the clothes – NEVER on the clothes. She mists the scent from an non-aerosol container to introduce a sweet smell and freshen things up.

How to clean vintage clothes

If you do need to wash the items, Ann says you should never do this in your washer – it should always be hand-cleaned. Soak the linens in cold water, using a special soap that will get the yellowing out. Ann personally recommends using Vintage Soak; you can contact them directly at 817.912.0905.

For whitening linens, Ann offers this recipe: Fill a large pot with water, add a few lemon slices and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, add linens and let soak for up to an hour. Remove and launder as usual.

Ann’s favorite vintage era

We saved our toughest question for last and I’m sure it’s a question all of us have considered from time to time. There are so many reasons to enjoy every genre and while this is tough, Ann says her favorite time period is the 1930s. For her it started with a stunning tango dress she bought from a local estate sale. The long, beautiful dress perfectly accented the wearer’s figure and something about the elegance captivated her. In the 1930s the whole ensemble was considered: shoes, hats, dresses, gloves, and jewelry. On the heels of the flapper, this decade ushered in the emergence of the modern woman. We agree – the 1930s are a wonderful time period, what do you think?

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Cause A Frockus would like to thank our tremendous resource: Ann Walter at Anntie M’s Attic.

For our readers: Do you enjoy learning about vintage fashion? What is your favorite era? Do you also yearn for hats to re-emerge as a fashion staple? Join us in the discussion in the comments!

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