Karen Elson

“I just love vintage. I have far too many vintage dresses.”

“I was always the weirdo at school.”

“I constantly have a devil on my shoulder telling me that what I'm doing is really horrible, and then somehow the lightning strike happens, and everything comes together.”

“Being a model, you're always the product of somebody else's vision.”

“If I wasn't a model, I would never have been around interesting musicians, even had the financial capabilities to say, 'I don't have to work right now. I can sit and make my record.'”

“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.”

“Research on the Internet, research what people say about the vintage stores, look online to see if customer service is good because that's really important. Also to see online what other customers say.”

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

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

“I think Jennifer Lawrence is a brilliant role model for young girls, not some of the models that I see on the runway.”

“If a model is going to make some shoes, she's going to make them comfortable.”

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

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

“I've been writing songs since I was at least 20. That's what I wanted to do before I became a model.”