Karen Elson Quotes

I had a diary full of lyrics and whatnot and a little voice recorder of guitar riffs.

I don't want my children to ever think that food is taboo.

I love Jen Meyer - she's a dear friend, and Tabitha Simmons as well.

I was always the weirdo at school.

You don't just wake up one morning and decide to become a singer-songwriter.

It's time to give back; you know, I've lived in this beautiful world of fashion for so long, and it's time to really get my hands dirty and get in the trenches and see the world for what it really is.

As a model, I am at the mercy of everybody else. It's much more of a situation where I go to work, put the clothes on, get in front of the camera, and then go home. But in that process, I never really have control over any of it.

I knew I had more in me than just standing up and having my picture taken ... Being in the studio, I have to have an opinion.

There was this moment, particularly after I had my first child, where I felt like, 'I don't know if I'll ever make a record, or if this is always going to be something just floating around in my head.'

I would go home and be this insular girl who listened to music and brooded in her bedroom.

As scary as it is, I like making real, direct eye contact with people from the stage. In a sense, it's like modeling: that feeling of locking in and projecting some kind of emotion to try to captivate people.

I feel Dress for Success is basically about empowering women who were in a disadvantaged situation. The act of wearing a suit when she's walking in the door, it's so powerful - it's about gaining control of their lives and situations.

Obviously there are going to be a lot of skeptics. I only hope I can prove them wrong and give the idea of model-slash-anything a genuine chance.

I feel like somehow I'm living my life mentally in reverse. It's taken me to my 30s to feel relaxed and comfortable in my skin. I think I'm going to be dancing on tables when I'm 50. I really hope I am.

I am obsessed with the Great Depression and with former showgirls - and the Victorians - the idea of wistful, dark romance.

At some hotels, I feel like I have to be dressed to the nines - perfectly eccentric - to walk out the door.

Trends come and go, and style evolves. It's important to have pieces of jewelry that are timeless and look chic despite ever-changing fashions.

Even though I have lived in the States since I was 18, in my head I am still very British, and I do have this romance for towns in Middle America that nobody gets to see.

I was afraid of being judged too harshly. But I'd let those fears overwhelm me for far too long.

I've been in a New York City-based cabaret for the past seven years called The Citizens Band. It's possibly one of the most brilliant things I've ever been involved with.

I tend to sort of over-accessorize, but to feel empowered, I strip it all down and become minimal so that it's almost counterintuitive.

The interesting thing with fashion is that it's really a massive daydream.

It's just this huge sense of relief I have with myself right now ... It took me to be 31 to go, 'Wow, I'm really happy being a model.'

I like those stories that capture the brutality of life, but there's still some kind of melancholy romance.

I'm a fan of creating the mood and vibe with flowers, candles, and music. I love making my guests feel like it's not formal and they can relax in my home.