In 20 years as a modelmaker for the Smithsonian Institution, Carol Reuter made everything from Native American figures to life-sized dolphins, and even a pile of elephant dung — each part of exhibits on display at the Air and Space Museum, the National Postal Museum, and many more of the nation’s most important cultural institutions. To clothe historical figures, she sewed historically accurate costumes and scoured shops, estate sales, and flea markets for period accessories such as gloves and scarves and hats.
Now living in Asheville and dealing in antiques, Reuter relies on her background as she collects everything from dolls to costume jewelry and clothing. But the hats hold a special place in her collection and her heart.
Collecting might have started out as part of the job for Reuter, but it soon became a passion. She and a friend began buying and reselling clothing and accessories at fairs and markets, heading to New York each year and selling some of selections to big-name designers such as Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, and Anna Sui. “They buy things for inspiration,” she says. After she retired nine years ago, she and her husband James (also a Smithsonian modelmaker, with a specialty in ships) moved to Asheville, where two of her daughters live. She started dealing in vintage clothing and accessories from Bryant Antiques under the business name A Woman’s Touch. Although she sells everything from antique lace wedding dresses to ’60s lingerie, hats are her specialty.
From fedoras to boaters to tams and pillbox hats, Reuter has an eye for a stylish topper. She’s fond of ’40s style, but the eras represented in her collection range from the 1870s to present day. Among the oldest and most treasured hat is a black mourning bonnet with jet beads that belonged to her great-grandmother, a dressmaker. The hat was passed down through the generations, still in perfect condition, accompanied by a black crocheted shawl and gloves.
Not all of Reuter’s items are in such great shape when she finds them, but thanks to her work at the Smithsonian, she has some tricks for restoring them, such as wetting felt or buckram (a woven material traditionally used in hatmaking) and reblocking the material on a hat form, or using alcohol to remove the inevitable makeup stains that are often found on the brim of a hat.
Reuter has a healthy attitude toward her collection, fueled by admiration for the workmanship, utility, and beauty of the piece rather than the desire to always have the rarest or the most. She’s drawn to the details: feathers, tassels, and embellishments such as flowers, fruit, or lace. One ’60s-era hat consists of leaves made entirely of soft, supple leather dyed in pastel hues. Another from the Mod era looks like a bathing cap, covered in bright yellow ribbons, turning a woman’s head into a something resembling a fluffy tennis ball.
Although the hats in her collection may be unusual, they’re not especially valuable. There are a few Diors and models from other famous designers, but the most expensive one tops out at around $200. It’s hard to say how many hats she currently has in her collection. “I like to recirculate them,” she explains. “I send them out into the world.”
While some vintage-clothing dealers may be obsessive about the care of their clothing, Reuter frequently loans out her collection for photo shoots and theatrical productions because she likes to see the clothing come to life. (Models at Asheville Affiliates’ “Product of the 20s” fundraiser last February borrowed clothing and accessories from Reuter.) Her personal collection isn’t meant to be in a museum like the ones she worked in for so many years. “I do it for the fun of it,” she says.
On Facebook: A Woman’s Touch Vintage Clothing. 828-225-5872.