The items in the exhibition are all practical as well as beautiful. The exhibition examines the collections as both art and craft, promoting appreciation for the dedication, creativity, and skill that went into their creation. At the Museum of TTU, the evolution of costuming permits the study of cultural adaptation, the impact of tradition and innovation, and the development of material technology over time. Special embellishments to clothing and accessories have long made personal statements about their owners' tastes and status, but such ornamentation also documents the trends and tastes of their times. Not all embellished textiles are for wearing, however.
Many items are strictly utilitarian.
Table cloths, napkins, and pillow cases are fabrics often embellished. While exquisite embroidery on such items is admirable, the question arises as to why so much time, money, and effort are spent on such functional objects. Plain and Fancy explores this and other questions, and searches out the reasons and methods for making the commonplace special. Plain and Fancy is open to the public, free of charge.