The Order of “Q,” 1965

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Before we begin speculation about this puzzling photo, let’s take a look at the clothes.  The year is 1965. The women look to be in their late forties to early sixties.  Three have taken to the sheath dress style of the decade, in neutral colors of black and beige.  The one with the big white collar on her black dress is following longstanding advice about bringing light to the face.  That used to be done with white lace, but she has updated the look with a big satin boat neck. Standing out here is the woman on the right in her pink dress with a “fit and flair” structure.  In this group of more restrained styles, it looks like she borrowed her daughter’s prom dress.

Three have skirts just below the knee.  The one on the left has decided that a longer look is best for her. We can’t see all the shoes, but they appear to be medium high spiked heels.  The woman on the right wears a sparkly pair.

Pink is apparently an important color to this group.  The background of the center photo is pink, the woman on the left sports a pink ribbon, and of course there is the exuberant pink dress on the right.

Can anyone know what’s going on here? Try outs for “Queen for a Day?” A celebration of the new leader of the Order of Q? I would love to hear your thoughts.

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6 Responses to The Order of “Q,” 1965

  1. Julie-Ann says:

    I’m wondering if it is an awards banquet for a Mary Kay group (given the preponderance of pink). I bet the woman on the far left is the same woman as in the photo and that she is the director (or the level above director) of the group.

  2. JS says:

    The woman in the portrait looks like a younger, thinner version of the woman on the far left. Of course, it doesn’t make a lot of sense that the entire group would be posed in front of her portrait.

    A group for Jennie Q?

  3. Nann says:

    The woman second from left has a pin/badge on her collar. Perhaps it is a sorority of some kind? (I’m a casual scholar of women’s organizations, though, and neither the portrait nor the badge is familiar.)

  4. Nann says:

    Oh, I think I have it! I’ll be they are members of the Quota Club, a women’s service organization. https://quotainternational.org//

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