Off the Map: Vintage dresses offer ‘wonderful memories’

MANCHESTER - Diane Blatt has had an appreciation for fashion since she was a young girl.

'My mom and dad loved beautiful clothes,” she said, remembering that her father - always in a new tweed jacket - was the most dapper dresser in her hometown of Fort Dodge. 'That rubs off on you and you learn to appreciate beauty.”

Inspired by their example, the Manchester woman began collecting vintage dresses decades ago.

'These dresses are wonderful memories from the past,” she said. 'The mystery of those times teases me and the history is fascinating.”

She has amassed quite the collection.

There are silk dresses, dress with lace and appliqués and possible wedding gowns. And a hat to go with practically every dress.

'The closets upstairs are burgeoning,” she said.

All the items are meticulously and beautiful handcrafted. No one appreciates their delicate lines more than Blatt.

'The engineering in these garments is incredible,” she said.

Blatt's knowledge of the history of fashion is as meticulous as the seams she admires.

'Zippers were not invented until the 30s when someone finally got those little teeth lined up,” she said. 'That sometimes helps me date a dress.”

One of the oldest pieces Blatt owns is a dress handmade by a woman to wear to a wedding celebration she was attending.

'It was first worn in 1909 and it's just amazing to look at all the work that went into it.”

Blatt's collection of vintage dresses - and accessories - dates from the 1910s to the 1940s.

'If a piece is really wonderful I'll go into the 50s, but I don't collect Victorian pieces because the garments don't have the integrity in them and women were just so small back then.”

She purchases dresses and hats at auction and frequents antiques stores.

She doesn't shop online.

'I need to look at each dress in person to make sure the fabric has a lot of integrity.”

This is important because Blatt doesn't just keep the dresses she collects tucked away in wardrobes or boxes.

She occasionally stages vintage fashion shows in her home - which fittingly was built in 1911 - for her book club friends. She also hosts shows, fundraising events and private showings by appointment.

She enjoys sharing her collection.

'I love the beauty of it, not only the dresses themselves but also the women who wear them for my fashion shows.”