Shoes, purses and jewelry, oh my! Students of all ages are competing for an opportunity to showcase these items in a local boutique’s window display competition, said the store’s manager.Ruby, an accessory store in University Park Village, is offering Fort Worth-area students a chance fill four spots in a competition for $500 and an opportunity to work with the store’s designer, Larry Leathers, said Jen Shults, manager at the University Park Village location.

The theme of the window is “Making an Entrance.”

After TCU merchandising majors received e-mails about the contest, they were excited, said Sally Fortenberry, an associate professor of merchandising.

Fortenberry said she hopes merchandising majors will choose to participate in the window-design competition.

“If Ruby plans on holding this competition again, it may become a required project for the promotional principles class,” Fortenberry said.

The four winners will be awarded a monthlong window display.

“The majority of our entries have come from high schools, like Nolan Catholic High School and Aledo High School, along with a number of entries from TCU,” Shults said.

Chinae Alexander, a senior fashion merchandising major, said she turned in a design Tuesday.

“The $500 scholarship check prompted me to enter the contest,” Alexander said, “and I already had an idea from my promotion class that I never used that fit the theme perfectly.”

Shults said about 40 entries have been submitted, but they expect more before the Friday deadline.

Ruby is known for its window displays, said Shults, so this competition means a lot for the four winners.

“We trust students to design our window display because lots of TCU girls work here and are always helping and giving ideas,” Shults said.

The competition is a great opportunity because students are exposed to the nuts and bolts of design, Leathers said.

“Our job as window designers is to entice, educate and entertain,” Leathers said.