On View
Taking the Stage Gallery
Exhibition
Taking the Stage
Designed by
Potter, Betsey, American
Created by
Unidentified
Worn by
Gibbs, Marla, American, born 1931
Subject of
The Jeffersons, American, 1975 - 1985
Date
1977-1980
Medium
cotton, metal, and elastic
Dimensions
H x W x D (On form (ab)): 45 × 18 1/2 × 13 in. (114.3 × 47 × 33 cm)
H x W (Flat (a)): 45 × 13 3/4 in. (114.3 × 34.9 cm)
H x W (Flat (b)): 71 1/4 × 1/2 in. (181 × 1.3 cm)
Description
This dress (a) and belt (b) were worn by Marla Gibbs as the character Florence Johnston on the television show "The Jeffersons." The house dress and matching string belt are made from the same brown and taupe gingham check cotton.
The dress (a) is a knee-length A-line style with full length sleeves and a forward point collar. It has a concealed zipper closure at the center front, with the light brown zipper reaching from the waist to the collar. Above the top of the zipper closure, the front of the dress folds open at the center neck. There are two (2) rectangular patch pockets, one at each front hip. The set-in sleeves are straight cut with elastic at the wrist and no cuff. There is piping, in the same gingham check, along the neckline and in vertical strips on the proper left and proper right sides on both the front and back of the dress. A single gore of gingham check is sewn to the outside portion of the dress beside the piping at the proper left and proper right sides on the front and back, beginning approximately sixteen (16) inches above the hemline. Hem weights are sewn inside the dress hem, except at the front and back center panels. The dress is not lined. A rectangular white paper label is attached to the seam allowance at the interior proper left front side of the bodice that reads in handwritten black ink: "252".
The string belt (b) is a length of the gingham check cotton sewn on the bias. One end is turned and finished, while the other is unfinished but previously may have come unstitched.
Place used
Los Angeles, California, United States, North and Central America
Classification
Clothing-Costume
Type
dresses
Topic
Actors
Clothing and dress
Costume
Costume design
Design
Sitcoms
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2013.145.3ab
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd59f6e0399-d1aa-49f6-8e6d-b9fa1aad8390

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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