Skip to main content Skip to main navigation
heart-solid My Visit Donate
Home Smithsonian Institution IK development site for ODI
Press Enter to activate a submenu, down arrow to access the items and Escape to close the submenu.
    • Overview
    • Museums and Zoo
    • Entry and Guidelines
    • Museum Maps
    • Dine and Shop
    • Accessibility
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Group Visits
    • Overview
    • Exhibitions
    • Online Events
    • All Events
    • IMAX & Planetarium
    • Overview
    • Topics
    • Collections
    • Research Resources
    • Stories
    • Podcasts
    • Overview
    • For Caregivers
    • For Educators
    • For Students
    • For Academics
    • For Lifelong Learners
    • Overview
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Make a Gift
    • Volunteer
    • Overview
    • Our Organization
    • Our Leadership
    • Reports and Plans
    • Newsdesk
heart-solid My Visit Donate

Dress and belt worn by Marla Gibbs as Florence Johnston on The Jeffersons

African American Museum

This media is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Open Access page.
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer

    Object Details

    Designed by

    Betsey Potter, American

    Created by

    Unidentified

    Worn by

    Marla Gibbs, American, born 1931

    Subject of

    The Jeffersons, American, 1975 - 1985

    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.

    Credit Line

    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

    Date

    1977-1980

    Object number

    2013.145.3ab

    Restrictions & Rights

    No Known Copyright Restrictions
    Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

    Type

    dresses

    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)

    Place used

    Los Angeles, California, United States, North and Central America

    See more items in

    National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

    Classification

    Clothing - Costume

    Exhibition

    Taking the Stage

    On View

    NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 054

    Data Source

    National Museum of African American History and Culture

    Topic

    African American
    Actors
    Clothing and dress
    Costume
    Costume design
    Design
    Sitcoms

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd59f6e0399-d1aa-49f6-8e6d-b9fa1aad8390

    Record ID

    nmaahc_2013.145.3ab

    Discover More

    Poster saying the war is over as a woman stands with outstretched arms surrounded by white doves

    1975: A Year in the Collections

    Becky Sharp's gown from the play Hamilton.

    Best Dressed: Fashion Trends and Famous Wearers

    Apple II 1977

    1977: A Year in the Collections

    arrow-up Back to top
    Home
    • Facebook facebook
    • Instagram instagram
    • LinkedIn linkedin
    • YouTube youtube

    • Contact Us
    • Get Involved
    • Shop Online
    • Job Opportunities
    • Equal Opportunity
    • Inspector General
    • Records Requests
    • Accessibility
    • Host Your Event
    • Press Room
    • Privacy
    • Terms of Use