Dress worn by Isabel Sanford as Louise Jefferson on The Jeffersons

Object Details

Designed by

Betsey Potter, American

Created by

Unidentified

Worn by

Isabel Sanford, American, 1917 - 2004

Subject of

The Jeffersons, American, 1975 - 1985

Description

This dress was worn by Isabel Sanford as the character Louise Jefferson on the television show "The Jeffersons." The maxi dress is made of a synthetic knit fabric in a brown, rust, and beige design of speckled stripes bordering scallops that alternate facing up and down. The collar is a v-neck in both the front and the back, and is bordered with two strips of synthetic knit fabric in solid brown and rust. The same brown fabric is sewn at the hem in a four (4) inch wide band, that is folded to the back to form a doubled layer and quilted with five (5) horizontal parallel lines. On the exterior center front, a length of the dress fabric is attached to make a small faux belt, which serves to cover the fabric gathered by the interior elastic. This exterior strip is held on both sides by two (2) gold-colored metal buckles covered in clear and light yellow rhinestones. On the back, the dress closes with a dark brown zipper that runs up the center back from the waist to the collar, with an additional closure of a single hook-and-eye at the center back collar.

Orange elastic is stitched to the interior of the center front below the bustline to create a gathered empire waist. The elastic is covered by orange chiffon where it is attached. The length of orange elastic reaches beyond the stitched front portion, being long enough to reach around to the wearer's back waist for additional bust support. No back closure method is apparent on the elastic except for dark brown threads, indicating the elastic was sewn closed after the dress was put on by the wearer. The dress is not lined. An off-white fabric label with black embroidered text is sewn to the interior proper left side of the neck that reads: "THE WARDROBE WING / HOLLYWOOD CALIFORNIA". Three (3) off-white fabric labels are sewn into the side seam just above the hem detail including a retailer's label for "I MAGNIN", care instructions, and sizing.

Credit Line

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

1979

Object number

2013.145.2

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

Type

dresses

Medium

synthetic fiber, metal, rhinestones, and elastic

Dimensions

H x W x D (On form): 55 1/2 × 19 1/2 × 18 in. (141 × 49.5 × 45.7 cm)

H x W (Flat): 56 1/4 × 15 in. (142.9 × 38.1 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

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Topic

African American

Actors

Clothing and dress

Costume

Costume design

Design

Sitcoms

Record ID

nmaahc_2013.145.2

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd509f2423e-138c-4c2a-b698-6554c2b2299e