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                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1



                                 January 7, 2000


Tandy Brands Accessories, Inc.
690 East Lamar Boulevard, Suite 200
Arlington, Texas  76011

Gentlemen:

     Tandy Brands Accessories, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), is
today transmitting for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a Form S-8 Registration Statement (the "Registration Statement")
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), with respect to the
registration of 326,000 additional shares (the "Shares") of common stock, $1.00
par value per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Company which may be issued
pursuant to the Tandy Brands Accessories, Inc. 1997 Employee Stock Option Plan,
as amended and the Tandy Brands Accessories, Inc. Nonqualified Formula Stock
Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors, as amended (collectively, the "Plans").

     In rendering the opinion expressed herein, we have examined the following:

         (i)   the Plans;

         (ii)  the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company and all
               amendments thereto;

         (iii) the Bylaws of the Company, as amended;

         (iv)  minutes of meetings or unanimous consents in lieu of meetings of
               the Company's board of directors and stockholders; and

         (v)   such other corporate records and documents, certificates of
               corporate and public officials and statutes as we have deemed
               necessary for the purposes of this opinion.

     In such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the
authenticity of all corporate records, documents and instruments submitted to us
as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to
us as conformed, certified or photostatic copies thereof, and the authenticity
of the originals of such photostatic, certified or conformed copies. We have
assumed compliance both in the past and in the future with the terms of the
Plans by the



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Tandy Brands Accessories, Inc.
January 7, 2000
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Company and its employees, officers, Board of Directors and any committee and/or
trustee appointed to administer the Plans.

     Based upon the foregoing and in reliance thereon, we are of the opinion
that the Shares, when distributed pursuant to and in accordance with the terms
of the respective Plan, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable
shares of Common Stock.

     This firm consents to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as
Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not
admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required by
Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

                                       Very truly yours,

                                       WINSTEAD SECHREST & MINICK P.C.


                                       By: /s/ Darrel A. Rice
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Darrel A. Rice