Leslie Browne: A lady-who-lunches

Press, 5 December 1989, Page 25

Leslie Browne: A lady-who-lunches

LESLIE BROWNE met a friend in London recently who imparted a slice of philosophical wisdom she couldn’t get out of her mind. “This is not the dress rehearsal; this is the real thing.” “So I decided it was time to enjoy myself. I no longer rush into work at crack of dawn, work flat out all day, crawl home exhausted, slave over the stove — honestly, I feel tired even thinking about it. Long hours in offices, long hours as a sales rep, horrendously long hours when I had my own business. It was such a relief to give it all up.” This is obviously not today’s career woman we’re talking, to. No power dressing and executive suitcase for Leslie Browne.

“Not any more. Today I help my husband Aussie with his business, we travel a lot, I’ve discovered gardening, I go to the gym at least four times a week, we eat out a lot — and I have lunch with my girlfriends a lot.” Leslie Browne, if “this is your life,” you are a lady-that-lunches! “You’re right. And I love it.”

There is nothing hypocritical about Mrs Browne. Here is a perfectly happy sybarite enjoying as many of

life’s luxuries as come her way. She is even happy to laugh at some of her more excessive pleasures. “I love getting dressed up for special occasions even when it’s a bit over the top. Like the time we flew Concorde to New York from London and Aussie and I turned up dressed to the nines to find practically everyone else on the plane wearing tracksuits. “There I was in my Brigid Brock leather suit sliding off the leather upholstery when we took off and landed. I now travel in more simple style!” Leslie’s other consuming interest at the moment is a horse.

“Some friends and I have purchased a two-year-old Te Rapahae filly. It’s being trained by Jan Hay in Ashburton and we’re all hoping for big things as it’s one of the Magic Million fillies.” Following the horses doesn’t mean to the Brownes traipsing round country race meetings. “We were recently guests of Fosters Breweries at the Melbourne Cup. That was definitely a dress-up occasion and I was flying the Christchurch flag in my Barbara Lee suit and Dollie Vardin hat. I was even interviewed by an Australian magazine about my Cup

Day clothes.” Leslie Browne wears Barbara Lee whenever she can.

“I find they fit me 'so well (she is a size 8) and they have a very European flair. My friends in America and Hong Kong are always impressed with them too.”

She is quite serious about her fashion preferences. “Apart from Barbara I have a favourite designer — Ivy Chan — in Hong Kong. I own at least 45 pairs of shoes. I’ve been known to buy 15 designer t-shirts at a time. I prefer black, cream and navy, in fact any shade of blue. I avoid bright colours because I don’t think they work well with blonde hair. I like long jackets arid short skirts. And I keep my clothes for years and years. “I always wear makeup, even at the gym. And though I do have, quite a few casual clothes I do not own a pair of sneakers and the only jeans I eVer wear are black Levis.” . A.,

Next time you are lunching ip a restaurant and there’s a small, bioride, vivacious woman dressed for the occasion, looking a million dollars and enjoying herself hugely it will probably be Leslie Browne.