A free exhibition of 1920s clothing styles from the Texas Fashion Collection at UNT is on display through Dec. 18 at Fashion on Main at the Universities Center at Dallas. “Painting the Town: 1920s High Style” features elegant beaded and sequined flapper dresses rarely shown due to their fragile condition, as well as evening coats and opera capes.

Also on display are beaded dresses from the private collection of Fort Worth vintage clothing collector Caralee Biery Smith, never-before-seen images of works from 1920s New York fashion designer Regina Kobler, and four rare women’s pantsuits from Kobler’s personal wardrobe. The Kobler fashions and her 1923 scrapbook of designs were preserved by her nieces, Inarose Bogen and Sally Hardy.

Myra Walker is director and curator of the Texas Fashion Collection, which began in 1938 when Stanley and Edward Marcus preserved examples of top designers' works in honor of their aunt, Carrie Marcus Neiman. The collection came to campus as the Dallas Museum of Fashion in 1972, and has grown from 3,000 items to more than 15,000 historic items.

The “Painting the Town” exhibit, billed as “a celebration of the pursuit of entertainment,” coincides with the opening of Dallas’ new AT&T Performing Arts Center, which includes the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre and the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera Hall. The exhibition is open from noon to 5 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays at 1901 Main St. in downtown Dallas. Call 214-752-8151 for information.