The Department of Textiles and Clothing is sponsoring Showcase ’99, an eclectic exhibit of students’ designs, clothing and posters.

Twenty-six students are scheduled to participate in Showcase ’99, which will be held Thursday in 1008 LeBaron Hall from 3 to 5 p.m.

The exhibit is free and open to the public.

Jane Farrell-Beck, co-chairwoman of Showcase ’99 and professor of textiles and clothing, said the annual exhibit is a great chance for students to “get creative.”

Some of the items to be displayed this year include accessories made entirely out of beer bottle tops, a jacket made out of comic strips and an angel costume made out of wrapping paper.

“Some of it is very conventional, and some of it is off the wall,” Farrell-Beck said. “Many of them are a little bit pushing the edge.”

Melissa Campbell, Showcase ’99 co-chairwoman, said she enjoys the unconventional pieces.

“I think they’re wonderful,” said Campbell, lab assistant for the department. “It shows that breaking out of the box is just as interesting as trying to mass-produce popular ideas.”

Farrell-Beck said the participants entered the contest for a variety of reasons, including class assignments, to fulfill a requirement or just for fun.

“I think they love it when they have an opportunity to be creative,” she said.

In total, 38 different pieces were submitted to Showcase ’99.

“One or two students have as many as two or three [entries],” she said. “Seniors have rather more than the underclassmen.”

Farrell-Beck said the exhibit offers students some important real-world experience.

“They get the chance to get commentary on their work and exposure,” she said. “They get used to the fact that they have to see their work. It’s not enough to be good; you’ve got to get the word out that you’re good.”

Campbell said the competition is healthy for the participants.

“They get to compete with each other, see if their workmanship is up to par, showcase their work,” she said.

Campbell said the caliber of the work “really reflects heavily on the department.”

“It encourages professors to get the best out of their students, and the work coming out makes [the department] look good.”

The pieces for Showcase ’99 will be critiqued by a panel of four judges.