September 29, 2024
Sweet Transvestite
August 30, 2024
Dancing at the YMCA
August 4, 2024
Chelsea Popsicle
September 29, 2024
Sweet Transvestite
August 30, 2024
Dancing at the YMCA
August 4, 2024
Chelsea Popsicle
Stop this day and night with me and you shall possess the origin of all poems… Do you recognize this geometric structure? I am sure every West Villager does—it is instantly recognizable! It is of course the New York City AIDS Memorial at Seventh Avenue and West 12th Street. Unveiled for World AIDS Day on December 1, […]
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Keith was an awfully good sport about being comedic fodder for my Catch and Release foray into fiction. When I saw this exquisite jacket from Engineered by Andrea T, I immediately flashed on Keith Richards—he would totally wear this jacket! Check out the glimmer of chartreuse silk lining. Simply gorgeous! So I decided to design this month’s quirky […]
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George called me the other morning and said he had thought about me when he woke up. “You’re like a steel cube. You only do what you want to do.” I quite liked this image. “I think you should marry a rich man and bump him off.” Impressive—he’s really starting to get me! But his […]
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I looked at dozens of apartments in the Village in 2017 when I was searching for my dream New York home. One of my favorite apartment viewing experiences was a co-op with loft bed that caught my eye on StreetEasy because it had a vintage chocolate poster on the living room wall. When I viewed […]
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George must have watched Marilyn Monroe in How to Marry a Millionaire a few too many times. He always wants to talk about why I’m still single and what type of man would be suitable for me. “You’re beautiful and smart. You should marry a millionaire.” I always say, “I’m waiting for you to ask me.” The […]
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An early casualty of the pandemic, Gato at 324 Lafayette Street closed in March 2020. Owner Bobby Flay said, “As of March 16th, I am closing my restaurant Gato because of the obvious and unprecedented circumstances threatening our world. I wish everyone well.” As businesses boarded their windows, artist Sino began painting murals of his mythical Frank Ape art […]
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My publisher George thinks his dating stories are better than mine. “Men can roam more freely than women. I’ve been all over the world.” He told me he dated a French woman (in France), the heiress of a famous line of Armagnac. She lived in a castle, and sadly rejected his offer of marriage, which […]
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My love affair with New York began in Washington Square Park. I parachuted into the Washington Square Hotel on my first trip to New York in 2014, drawn by the fact that the Rolling Stones and both of the Dylans had stayed there. Within minutes of ditching my bags, I was walking past the park on my way to […]
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Dear Readers! This is the start of many fun stories about my dating adventures. It is a serialized account of why I prefer to “catch and release,” and I hope you’ll get a giggle. Many girls dream of their wedding day. Not me! I dreamed of twirling in glamorous gowns and going to glittering galas […]
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When I was a little girl, I loved playing dress up. In Canada we had a show called Mr. Dressup that was on every weekday morning from the time my family got a television until the mid-90s. His puppet friends Casey and Finnegan were part of the fun, but the moment I liked best was […]
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I don’t know about you, but I’ve felt like flying since we got the news on November 7 that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have been elected the leaders of our country. The cheers, honks, and bells ringing through the streets of the Village made New York seem like herself again—electric and alive. And now […]
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This column is for all of you who have a favorite old sweater that you want to hang onto, even though your main squeeze pressures you to get rid of it and has tried three times to donate it to Goodwill. This quirky look is a real mash-up of styles and periods, but my vintage […]
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Mask and dress art by Engineered by Andrea T. Photograph by Philip Maier. A while ago I told you about a stop-you-in-your-tracks dress by Engineered by Andrea T, based on a painting called Dominion Day by James Kerr. Recently when Andrea told me she was making couture face masks, I immediately asked her if she […]
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West Village model Karen Rempel in bespoke dress and mask by Engineered by Andrea T. Fearless Girl also wears mask with bow by EAT. Photo by Tess Malone. You might wonder how a simple dress relates to women’s empowerment. This month’s photo series is an all-woman effort, featuring this stunningly simple bespoke dress by Engineered […]
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Engineered by Andrea T is the design studio of transformation artist Andrea Thurlow, a designer and bespoke tailor with a flair for the dramatic. She creates striking evening wear, day wear, and Broadway costumes with a personal aesthetic using top-quality natural fabrics and an engineer’s precision methodology. My favorite piece by Andrea T is a […]
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A killer look often starts with one piece to build on. I put this style together around these luscious cherry wine trousers, which I found for a luxe change-of-season steal at Tiziano Zorzan on 8th Avenue. Tiziano has 3 locations in the West Village, where you can find exclusive capsule collections designed and made in […]
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The First Monday in May Everyone who loves fashion knows that The First Monday in May is the highlight of the year, when the glitterati put on their most fantabulous creations and head up the red carpeted steps into the Met. (Check out the wonderful film Ocean’s 8—which premiered at Alice Tully Hall in 2018—to […]
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In these days of social distancing, I couldn’t get my dear friend Dusty to take my picture. So this month’s column is my first selfie, taken using a mirrored elevator. And of course with all clothing stores closed, I needed to call on the contents of my fab four closets to put together my Corona […]
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Dear reader, I hope that you and your loved ones (both skinny and furry) are home safe, and enjoying some close time together, catching up on some of those things you’ve been meaning to do. This home time is a time for reflection, and a pause to look at the changes in NYC. This is […]
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This month’s look is a mixture of old and new, with contrasting textures and colors. The centerpiece is the striking, shiny black PVC pants by Andrea Thurlow of Engineered by Andrea T. I love their sleek edginess. The next step in putting this outfit together was to hunt through my closets for the perfect shoes […]
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With spring still a distant wisp of hope, bright colors can help us bridge the gap in the dead of winter. What a great opportunity to wear this delicious electric-toned dress by Andrea Thurlow of Engineered by Andrea T. Notched cap sleeves and slim pencil skirt bring a hint of Forties elegance to Andrea’s modern […]
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A friend recently told me about a new book by Sofia Din MD, Do We Really Need Botox? Handbook of Anti-Aging. I read the book, and I am flummoxed about what to tell you. The book offers overviews of various “anti-aging” options, including eating right and exercising. But the premise itself is questionable to me. […]
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You might not recognize me this month with my new hair color. Even though the color has changed with each month of this column, this time it is a real surprise. Brunette! When she first saw it, my friend Rhonda at LifeThyme said, “Karen, what happened, your hair is normal!” She was shocked. The brunette […]
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My first commercial print modeling gig has born fruit on Sixth Avenue on the Juice and Joy sandwich board! Lots of friends have mentioned seeing me on the TV screen inside the cozy juice bar on Sixth. Now I’m out on the sidewalk as well. Minor fame in the West Village! Many thanks to Mo […]
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Having trouble getting in the spirit this holiday season? I hope that Karen’s Kinky Christmas outfit, complete with Grinch-green wig, will put you in the mood for some holiday hijinks. Come on, tell Karen, have you been naughty or nice? I have a holiday gift for you if you can guess what I am holding […]
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The dearly awaited December issue of Vogue came out, and there was Phoebe Waller-Bridge on the cover. OMG, this was the issue I might be in! Even though, as I wrote previously, it seemed chances were very slim that I was in the shot, HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL. When my friend Simitra sent me a text […]
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So inspiring! I just finished Anna Wintour’s Master Class on Creativity and Leadership, and my heart is bursting with creative ideas. There were so many inspiring photographs of fantastical scenes in the class, and style tableaux that my eyes literally wanted to drink up. So many details—such richness and beauty—that I wanted to keep looking […]
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I never thought I would be the mother of a gorgeous group of Kardashian stunners! But last week I got an email asking if I was available to do a shoot with The Face magazine. Of course I said yes, and a couple of days later, there I was on a set in mid-town. You […]
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You might have guessed based on my personality and love of unique expression that I am a big fan of David Bowie. He’s definitely an influencer on my quirky style. I’ve previously mentioned conducting the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra dressed as Bowie. You may not know that I also ran the New York Marathon dressed as […]
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The Shot That Never Was… Being Discovered… It was like a fairytale. I was walking up 6th Avenue after Barre3 class, a bag of groceries slung over my shoulder, on my way to meet my friend Robin Hirsch for a glass of wine at Spain Restaurant on W. 13th Street. It was raining fairly heavily, […]
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I had a fantasy dream come true on a recent Sunday, modeling couture designer Engineered by Andrea T’s gorgeous creations on Bleecker Street. Which is your favorite? Red dress with purple accents – eye-popping color! Mod winter-white dress with “grass” vinyl print on hem and straight black stripe down the front center line Garnet red […]
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I saw the Pierre Cardin Future Fashion exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum, and loved his fascinating future-forward clothes. Cocktails at the Norm The exhibit was very dimly lit, to protect the fabric, so unfortunately these photos are all somewhat dark. Anyway, I thought it was worth the trip to Brooklyn, because it’s a fun […]
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I attended the opening of the new Pace Gallery in Chelsea this week, and had a great time checking out the 7 floors, including outdoor terrace with great views of Chelsea and downtown Manhattan. The event was covered in the New York Social Diary, in a fantastic article by Jill Krementz. Patron of the arts […]
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With her dark hair curving against her alabaster cheek in a 1920s bob, and her signature hat, Linda Zagaria is instantly recognizable. Influenced by the stars of the silver screen, her elegant dresses and constant pearls evoke the era between the wars. Her passion for the Art Deco period led her to assume the role […]
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Diana Broussard is a creative force of nature. She’s a true pioneer in fashion design, from Calvin Klein’s eponymous underwear for women to the latest in wearable tech—exclusive, sleek handbags with customizable video displays. She has worked with some of the biggest names in the business, including Dior and Gucci, and started her own line […]
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Karen’s Quirky Style is all about expressing our inner joie de vivre through color and fun combinations of clothing and accessories from different sources and time periods. I love walking down the street and seeing people’s faces light up with delight at the unexpected sight before their eyes. (Namely, moi. Haha.) The outfit I’m wearing […]
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The Met has a new exhibit in The Costume Institute‘s “Fashion Wing,” called Camp: Notes on Fashion. The above was my favorite quirky look in the exhibit. I like the mashup of elements: Mannequin holding baby Mannequin wearing glasses Plastic rainhat Chiffon ballgown with yellow birds on it
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Check out this stunning dress at Balmain on Rue Saint-Honoré. The pleats and folds in this ivory satin asymmetrical number are exquisite. That’s me in the mirror in a magenta raincoat and fantastic pink satin sneakers by Diana Broussard. (A French designer in New York.) Style Notes My colorful tote is by Tiziano Zorzan, an […]
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So exciting to see the Chanel shop in Paris. You know I love quirky style, but this look says Chanel is past it. That white dress under the classic Chanel suit is ugly, I’m sorry! Adding expensive accessories doesn’t redeem the ugliness. IMHO. But the make-up “glasses” on the mannequin is a cool touch… How did […]
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Everything old is new again, but the newest introduced at Paris Fashion Week this year is Le Petit Chiquito by French designer Simon Porte Jacquemus. It’s beyond the tiniest handbag you’ve ever seen, with room for ONE of these items: a single mint or piece of gum a housekey a folded-up twenty for cabfare Now […]
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Fall is in the air—my favorite time of year. What a great opportunity to wear this delicious jewel-toned dress by Andrea Thurlow of Engineered by Andrea T. You may recall the story about the “Dominion Day” dress in the July issue of WestView. Andrea made this dress using extra yardage of the “Dominion Day” custom […]
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The drag queens and fashionistas in the West Village will laugh when you hear about my awkwardness with ballgowns. I may have worn a ballgown when I was seven years old and playing dress-up with my neighbor friend’s lovely box of treasures. Certainly I dressed my Barbie in lovely floor-length gowns when I was a […]
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This guy is carrying the opposite of a mini handbag! Hobo pants and carpetbag evoke an early quirky era. But is that a Patek Phillipe watch? Quirk-o-rama! Photo by Rosanna Magarelli. On location in Geneva with my gal pal Rosanna, we are staying at Hotel N’vy, which is stuffed with quirky artwork from European and […]
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Confession time. I’m a shoe fanatic! I have a friend who decides what she’s going to wear on a given day based on which pieces in her remarkable jewelry collection she feels like displaying. For me, it’s all about the shoes. I will often pull together an outfit based on which of my dearest pair […]
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For me, having fun with fashion is about finding pieces I love at the most unexpected moments, and then combining them with old favorites to come up with an entirely new, unique look. I call this “Karen’s Quirky Style”: You won’t find these ensembles in Vogue They don’t cost a mint No one else wears […]
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The National Arts Club celebrated Jo Weldon’s new book, Fierce: The History of Leopard Print, in March, with a leopard-spotted event that had stylish New Yorkers turning out in truck-loads of faux pelts adorning every imaginable garment from boots to hats. Touted as a “neutral,” leopard prints might have been invented as nature’s camo, but […]
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I met actress Bettina Schwabe at a party for an investor club at VNYL in the East Village. She asked me where I got my jewelry, so I’m dishing a few secrets here to share with you… Style Tip Style doesn’t have to be expensive. One of the signatures of Karen’s Quirky Style is to […]
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I saw Advanced Style at the Vancouver International Film Festival in 2014, right before my first trip to New York, and writer Ari and writer-director Lina were there to talk to the audience. All the women in the audience showed up wearing their couture and outlandish rigs, and it was a celebration of our unique […]
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