Fashion Style

By Blaine Zuckerman
Lauren Conrad seems to have found the trick to making great clothes. “Design selfishly,” Conrad, who has a self-titled collection for Kohl’s as well as her new Paper Crown line, tells PEOPLE. Her motto for creating each season’s signature look? “You know what you’d want to buy — design it.” Simple enough.
“I love floor-length pieces in pretty fabrics,” continues the former reality star, who created a resort collection for Paper Crown full of maxi dresses in a variety of silhouettes. But for fall, she’s feeling leather — faux, that is. “You can find an alternative to leather or fur, so use it,” she says. “I like that faux leather has more stretch, so we did a legging, which I love.”
There’s a continuity in each season for each line that comes from Conrad’s own vision. “The look is soft, romantic, pretty,” she explains. And she’s also figured out that style isn’t just about looking good. “Dress in what makes you feel good about yourself too,” she advises.
The California girl isn’t only involved in fashion these days; she just finished a stint as a guest writer on Forbes.com and recently announced plans to launch a beauty line based on her popular new website, TheBeautyDepartment.com.