Jen and I went to New York in early August and spent one and a half hours with Helen Gurley Brown. Helen Gurley Brown, as most of you probably know, masterminded Cosmopolitan Magazine into a worldwide brand and best-selling newsstand publication that every bonafide single woman and wanna-be-single married woman absorbed word for word. Each issue heralded a new opportunity for millions of women to jumpstart their education in the office and the bedroom. Helen dished out dating protocol, recipes for great sex, tips about getting a head and giving it. Thank you Helen!
Our meeting was set for 5:30 p.m. Jen and I were sitting in Helen's spacious office on the 37th floor of the Hearst Tower. It was bright and sunny, and tricked out with leopard carpet, pink french-style armchairs, a plaid chintz sofa, lots of photographs featuring Helen with her movie-producing husband, love of her life David Brown and various other celebs. We were in the company of greatness.
Helen is not as spritely as she once was, but she's swift in mind and her humor fine-tuned. She spoke thoughtfully and from the heart. We shared FLASH with her, and she liked the project calling it "worthwhile" and an "important endeavor." At one point, she gazed curiously at Jen and smiled warmly. "You're beautiful," Helen told Jen, adding a generous compliment about Jen's sensational bosom!
Jen was wearing a stylish white shirt, which had an eyecatching button-down trail to her cleavage. All Jen's curves got their due. "A well endowed woman should always show her cleavage," Helen advised. Jen hung on every word thereafter! When the grande dame soothsayer of sexual attraction compliments your bosom, it don't get much betta than that!
We were certain Helen would have a good underwear story and invited her to write something for "The Diaries." We await her contribution.
In the meantime, here are a few HGB one liners taken from her 1982 book "Having It All: Love, Success, Sex, Money."
"One of life's top ten (top five?) pleasures is shopping for the lingerie... you're going to wear with him, but you're really shopping to shore up your confidence as much as for his delectation."
"I had the most beautiful lingerie -- ivory satin peignoirs with clouds of maribou, jeweled mules, empire waisted black lace nighties, and I just loved whooshing around in them."
(and this has nothing to do with underwear or lingerie, but this is very funny, and i just love her matter of factness.)
"There is no better way to get to know someone than to have an affair...it can save a year of lunches."
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