Fashion Style

Lauren Conrad is not your average reality TV alum. Thanks to her business savvy and relatable sense of style, this quintessential Cali girl who we watched grow up on The Hills has parlayed her fame into a successful empire replete with clothing, books and a growing online domain. Still only 25 years young, Lauren is a Renaissance gal already being heralded as the Martha Stewart of her generation.
Sitting down with Lauren to talk about her new line Paper Crown, Style Bistro also got the scoop on her tricks for everything from shopping to how she keeps those golden waves so shiny. Here are some snippets from our chat.
SB: Who or what inspires your sense of style?
I think most of the inspiration that I get when I'm building my own wardrobe comes from runway. I really love Philip Lim so much and I like Rebecca Taylor. I like Nanette Lepore and any designer that has that a really pretty, feminine feel.
SB: What trend are you most excited for right now?
I've recently gotten a few pairs of good flared denim. J. brand does a really good one. I love the really long, flared denim that you can wear with a platform because I'm shorter and it elongates the legs.
SB: What challenges have you encountered while designing Paper Crown?
I think when you're doing a line where every decision is your own, you do a lot of the heavy lifting. [You] fall in love with a trim and it's sold out, so you have to go searching through warehouses. You dig through thousands of buttons to find the one. I happen to love it, but it's definitely very different from how I envisioned the job when I was first getting started.
SB: Do you have any shopping tricks?
Whenever a new trend comes up that I really like, I always opt for the more affordable version of it. I usually look to Urban [Outfitters], which is great because they're really quick with their trends and they're also pretty affordable. With something like a leather jacket, a good one can run $700 dollars, so it would be better to try out one in faux leather at first to see if I really like it.
SB: Would you ever repeat an outfit?
I save everything that I really love and pack it away. [I] try to avoid rewearing anything if I know I'm going to be photographed. It's tough, but it makes me a really good friend. Most of my girlfriends wear the same size, so they can come into my closet—I borrow their stuff too, so it's only fair!