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It’s hard not to love Lauren Conrad.
We have had the chance to watch her go from the sometimes-desperate high school girl to modern day mogul.
Conrad’s story is very different from many of her reality costars.
We dug through interviews with Conrad and her reality friends throughout the years to see her transformation.
Born February 1st, 1986 in Newport Beach, California, Lauren Conrad was the ultimate California girl.
She had blonde locks from the beginning, and she was probably just too adorable to say no to.
“I was a little towhead.
I was the first baby in the family,“she toldAllure.
“My dad had a bunch of brothers and sisters, and I was a little spoiled.
I was a little bit of a brat, but I’m glad I looked sweet.”
By the time she reached school, Conrad was already coming into her own fashion sense.
And she has no trouble finding the humor in her nineties looks.
Inan interview withElle, she shared that she’s always wanted to go into the fashion industry.
Pretty funny, huh?”
Conrad also occasionally shares some childhood pics on Instagram.
The teens were thrust into the public sphere as one of the first reality shows.
They even preceded other franchises like Bravo’sThe Real Housewives.
Conrad sported the typical Orange County tan and blonde hair.
“That’s Orange County hair.
It’s really bleached and straight,“she toldAllure.
“And a lot of sun on my skin.
Now I’m always wearing sunscreen.”
As crazy as filming a reality show must be, Conrad came across as a normal teenager.
A normal teen living in a mansion on the beach, but still a normal teen.
She laughed and gossiped with her girlfriends, while pining after that unrequited love.
She even skipped the occasional class.
Cast member and friend Dieter SchmitztoldTimein 2014 that Conrad is as sweet as she seemed on the show.
“Lauren’s one of my best friends.
She hasn’t changed at all since we were kids,” he shared.
“She’s still the same, kind person I knew growing up.
We still see each other occasionally, and she hasn’t changed a bit.”
I was team LC all the way.
Years later, Cavallarispoke withBuzzfeedabout the drama.
“I think because of the show, the rivalry between Lauren and I sort of escalated.
We were never friends.
We just weren’t,” she shared.
“I didn’t hate her beforeMTVcame and the way it sort of turned into.
And that’s because I felt like she was trying to steal my boyfriend.”
Unlike onLaguna Beach, Conrad was no longer just one of many cast members in her new showThe Hills.
This was her own show documenting her transformation.
shewrote in her blogrecently.
She turned things around at work after skipping Paris and continued to take advantage of every opportunity.
She ditched the boyfriend and nurtured new friendships.
She also struggled with an old friendship.
“I spent years pretending to like her for a living,” Montag toldUs Weekly.
“It was literally my job to deal with her, and it wasn’t pleasant…
I had nothing to do with her problems.
I even tried to help her.
She toldMTVthat she was ready to leave the drama behind.
It also freed up her time to focus on her true love: fashion.
She has even collaborated withDisneyfor special lines inspired by the classic movies likeCinderellaandAlice in Wonderland.
This was also the year that Conrad worked on transforming her body and even posed in a bikini.
“I don’t usually take bikini photos,“she toldAllure.
I was proud of being in shape, so I didn’t have a problem with it.”
In 2010 Conrad became a#1 New York Times bestselling authorwith her young adult novel,L.A.
The book was about a nineteen-year-old girl living in L.A. who is approached about doing a reality show.
“She did do a pilot.
We would love her on our internet!”
The show had planned to be a documentary of Conrad’s life and business.
Conrad shared business tips such as how to truly engage with your audience and the power of connection.
In this article she owned her success and made no apologies.
Quite a shift from the quiet teen waiting for Stephen Colletti to call her back!
“I really loved the shoots.”
Now that she is the one calling the shots, Conrad still stays true to herself and her style.
“I almost always want to wear everything I design,“she toldTeen Vogue.
Conrad shared that she starts each collection with a story that inspires her.
And the hardest part about a booming career in the fashion industry?
That was also the year Tell graduated from law school.
TelltoldUS Weeklythat Conrad helped him get through the sometimes grueling workloads of being a law student.
But the best part about that year?
Another great part of 2014?
Throwing down$8.5 million for her dream mansionin Laguna Beach.
Inan interview withGlamour, she talked about evolving her style as she entered her new phase of life.
“I probably won’t actually follow that rule though.”
In October 2013, the friends started The Little Market.
Her next chapter: motherhood
Happy New Year!
Conrad and her husband are expecting their first baby in 2017, and she seems thrilled.
In herphoto caption on Instagram, she wrote, ““Happy New Year!
I have a feeling 2017 is going to be the best year yet…” We agree LC!
