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Red and yellow dress worn by Janet Jackson as Penny Woods on Good Times

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Object Details

Designed by
Rita Riggs, American, born 1930
Manufactured by
Sears, Roebuck & Co., American, founded 1893
Worn by
Janet Jackson, American, born 1966
Description
Red and yellow dress worn by Janet Jackson as the character Millicent "Penny" Gordon Woods on the television show "Good Times." The dress is made to appear as two separate pieces - a yellow long-sleeved shirt with a high ruffled collar under a red floral-printed jumper - though they are attached as one item. The sleeves are loose and gathered at the cuff with elastic. A decorative band of thin blue rickrack, red floral print cotton matching the jumper, and yellow cutwork embroidered trim with a scalloped edge is sewn around each sleeve between the elbow and the cuff. The same blue rickrack and yellow trim is sewn around the edge of the jumper sleeves on the upper bodice. There are three (3) small black plastic buttons sewn at the center front chest for decoration. The jumper is made of a red cotton printed in a small floral design of yellow and dark blue flowers with green leaves and stems. It has a smocked lower bodice and a full skirt that ends above the knee. A band of the blue rickrack and the yellow trim is sewn around the skirt approximately 7 1/2 inches above the hem. The garment closes at the center back with a red zipper and it is not lined. A white clothing tag with green printed text is sewn at the center back interior neck that reads: "REGULAR 12 / MACHINE WASH WARM / TUMBLE DRY / SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO.".
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
December 1977
Object number
2014.26.3
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Type
dresses
Medium
cotton, trimming, elastic, metal zipper, and plastic buttons
Dimensions
H x W x D (On form): 31 1/2 × 19 1/2 × 13 1/4 in. (80 × 49.5 × 33.7 cm)
Place used
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
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Topic
African American
Actors
Children
Clothing and dress
Comedy
Costume
Costume design
Design
Families
Sitcoms
Record ID
nmaahc_2014.26.3
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5fb76e564-7b60-40d3-81e9-b07cdace747b

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