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Something Old, Something New: Lynda Bird Johnson

Something Old, Something New: Eight First Daughters’ Fashionable White House Weddings highlights the glamorous weddings of eight women who took their vows at the White House over two centuries and how their bridal fashion reflects both the taste of each era and their own personal styles. This exhibit was curated by Jillian Staricka, the 2023 Digital Exhibits Intern and MA student in Costume Studies at New York University.

Lynda Bird Johnson

Married to Charles Robb on December 9, 1967

Something Old, Something New: Lynda Bird Johnson

This table details the known items of Lynda Bird Johnson’s wedding ensemble. A wedding ensemble is comprised of all the garments and accessories worn by a bride on their wedding day. The wedding ensemble is part of the trousseau, a collection of garments, accessories, and personal items that a bride will take into their new marriage.

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Over half a century after Eleanor Wilson’s White House wedding, Lynda Bird Johnson and Marine Captain Charles Spittal Robb wed on December 9, 1967, in the East Room. Lynda Bird was interested in fashion during her time in the White House. She even made the International Best Dressed List in 1967, and her wedding attested to that. Geoffrey Beene, 1964 and 1966 winner of the Coty American Fashion Critics’ Award, designed Lynda Bird’s gown and her bridesmaids’ gowns. The bride and designer exchanged multiple sketches before arriving at the final result: a white Abraham silk A-line paneled dress with delicate silk floss embroidery. Lynda Bird’s wedding dress and the red, medieval-inspired bridesmaid gowns paired beautifully with the white and red poinsettias, carnations, and evergreen branches adorned with sparkling lights that were a part of the White House decorations for the holiday season. Following the ceremony, the radiant young couple enjoyed the company of 500 of their friends and family, including celebrities and former White House bride Alice Roosevelt Longworth, who told Lynda Bird that she had “never seen a prettier wedding.” In between snapshots of the newlyweds and their bridal party, the press peppered the couple with questions in the Yellow Oval Room. Due to the interest in a fashion angle, reporters from Women’s Wear Daily and other mainstream publications like The Washington Post secured a spot in the press pool for the first time at a White House wedding.

Gallery

  • Pinch to zoom

    President and Mrs. Johnson Pose with the Johnson-Robb Wedding Party

    Date: December 9, 1967

    Creator: Frank Wolfe

    Medium: Photograph

    The Johnson-Robb wedding party poses in the Yellow Oval Room after the ceremony. Along with the bridal ensemble, Geoffrey Beene also designed the bridesmaids’ red velvet dresses which were inspired by Francisco Goya’s 1787-1788 painting Manuel Osorio Manrique de Zúñiga and reflected the medieval aesthetic popularized by the 1967 film Camelot.

    Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum/NARA

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    President Johnson Descends Grand Staircase with Daughter Lynda

    Date: December 9, 1967

    Creator: Michael Geissinger

    Medium: Photograph

    President Johnson and Lynda Bird descend the Grand Staircase on the afternoon of her wedding. The President’s sober cutaway suit jacket and striped trousers stand in stark contrast to Lynda’s brilliant white silk satin-paneled gown and her fifteen-yard-long tulle train that can be seen trailing behind them.

    Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum/NARA

    2 of 6

  • Pinch to zoom

    Sketch of Lynda Bird’s Bridal Gown

    Date: December 5, 1967

    Medium: Sketch

    In this sketch for Women’s Wear Daily, the final style of the bridal gown was revealed. After the White House denied a report that Lynda Bird’s “Texas Taste” called for more embellishments, designer Beene emphasized that the silk floss embroidered flowers and delicate seed pearls were “subtle” and gave it an “intrinsic value.” After all, Beene noted, “I have lived in Texas and I have found the people there to have great taste…if it is Texas Taste, it’s perfect taste.”

    Fairchild Archive

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    Lynda Bird Johnson and Charles S. Robb Wedding Portrait

    Date: December 9, 1967

    Creator: O.J. Rapp

    Medium: Photograph

    Lynda Bird’s wedding gown, a high-necked, long-sleeved narrow A-line type dress, was made full by a center pleat down the back which allowed the fabric to sit just right. The gown was made of pearl white Abraham silk satin in a Swiss mill that was internationally distinguished for their product.

    Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum/NARA

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    Newlyweds Lynda Bird Johnson and Charles S. Robb Lead Recessional

    Date: December 9, 1967

    Creator: Michael Geissinger

    Medium: Photograph

    After a short but sweet ceremony, the newlyweds walked under an arch of sabers held by members of the Marine Corps on their way to the Yellow Oval Room for wedding portraits.

    Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum/NARA

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    Designer Geoffrey Beene with Lynda Bird Johnson's Wedding Veil

    Date: December 9, 1967

    Creator: Yoichi R. Okamoto

    Medium: Photograph

    Designer Geoffrey Beene holds Lynda Bird’s shoulder-length veil in the White House before the ceremony. The veil was made of silk illusion and attached to the coronet made of the same silk satin fabric and embroidery as her gown.

    Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum/NARA

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