Lauren Conrad: What's She Been Up To Since The Hills?

The Hills is everyone's favorite MTV "reality" show (at least it was until Jersey Shore came along), despite the fact that Lauren Conrad is no longer featured. Just like in Laguna Beach, Kristin Cavallari has taken over LC's role and just like before, the show is bound to go down the drain soon. If there's any good side to Conrad's departure, it has to be the fact that not only is Audrina Patridge getting more air time, but I heard she's getting her very own show. Independence worked for Whitney Port with The City, so hopefully the same will apply for Audrina.

So what has LC been doing ever since the cameras moved out of her house? She's been designing, writing a book, and marketing like a crazy person. Her fashion line is now sold at Kohl's (after the Kitson debacle), and her book L.A. Candy was a bestseller. Good for Lauren!

Here we have both Lauren and Audrina with Treesje patent leather handbags. Treesje is definitely one of the most underrated designer handbag brands out there, but their stuff is amazing. Lauren is carrying the Divino Grande bag, and Audrina has the Asher Grande.

It's the MTV Movie Awards!!!

Much like a lot of MTV specials (such as the VMAs), the MTV Movie Awards have grown to become a tradition to all MTV fans. Serving as an alternative to other award shows, the MTV Movie Awards allows fans to vote for their favorites (instead of an academy or panel like the Oscars and Golden Globes). This sometimes results in unexpected victories such as Wedding Crashers and Transformers winning Best Movie. I don't mean that movies such as these are not worthy of awards, but their content would probably cause the Hollywood Foreign Press to laugh in their faces if they were even on the ballot for the more prestigious award ceremonies.

Anyway, another aspect of the MTV Movie Awards that truly makes it stand out is the no-holds-barred atmosphere. Instead of the usual red carpet, this award show uses the gold carpet, and the celebrities dress accordingly. For example, the common theme of this year's fashion was skin-tight and revealing attire (as usual). Although the stars could truly have wowed everyone with some fantastically hip dresses and shoes, I was actually pretty bored by this year's gold carpet style. It seemed like most of the emphasis was on hair and makeup, and not the actual dresses. For example, Lindsay Lohan had what I consider to be perfect hair and makeup, but her dress was pretty dreadful. It was very unflattering and didn't seem like it fit her at all.



Another example, Megan Fox. Her dress looked like a bad Halloween costume, but her head shot from the event sure is fabulous.

However, there was a bright light at the end of this tunnel...Lauren Conrad. Her dress, hair, makeup, shoes, and jewelry were all simple, yet chic. She wasn't trying too hard to stand out (ahem...Lucy Walsh), which made her look very elegant among her peers, so she actually stood out for good reasons. :0)

Honorable mention goes to Rumer Willis who looked absolutely stunning in a black Hervé Léger. I don't know how old she is, but she looks very mature and sophisticated. She actually looks a little bit like TLC's Kat von Dee.

Rihanna...She Only Needs One Name.

Her full name is actually Robyn Rihanna Fenty, but she's simply known to us all as Rihanna. She's only 20 years old and she's already won over 40 awards for her music! She was born in Barbados, where she grew up singing and perfecting her art. At the age of 15, she received her biggest break when a producer heard her music, passed it along the industry, and into Jay-Z's lap. He then signed her onto Def Jam Records, which has been her label ever since.

Although Rihanna is known as a musician, I really feel that it's her bold style that's truly revolutionary. Whether it's the hair, the shoes, the clothes, or the makeup, Rihanna's style is always memorable (for good reasons). If there's one thing I've noticed in terms of her red carpet attire, it's that shorter and tighter is better. The majority of the dresses she appears in are babydoll or body-hugging, form-fitting minis.

For example, here she is in a white Dolce & Gabbana babydoll at the MTV VMA's.

...And here she is at the BET Awards, again in white, but this time it's a sizzling Hervé Léger.

However, although Rihanna seems to favor minis, she can look just as dazzling and sexy in a floor-length gown. Case in point, this hot pink Armani Prive made her stand out at the MTV VMA's red carpet, which is becoming harder and harder to do.

Here she is in Chloe sunglasses sporting the shades+fedora trend.

$300.00

Not only does she wear glamorous attire, her hair and makeup adds to her style. Here, her dark red lips and cat eyes evoke a sense of old-Hollywood glitz.

She even jumped on the shorter-than-sort hair bandwagon waayyyy before Katie Holmes.

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Even when she's not decked out in full red-carpet swank, Rihanna knows how to look trendy. Here she is in a navy button-down sweater, dark skinny jeans, metallic Michael Kors flats, and a metallic handbag.

$295.00

Simpson Revolution!

• Well the new's just in...Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz are now officially married and expecting. Wow. This is quite the drastic turn of events considering that just a couple of years ago it was Jessica Simpson living in wedded bliss and Ashlee was just "Jessica's sister" who acts/sings/dances/whatever Papa Joe Simpson tells her to do. The tables have turned and now Jessica is alone and lonely (Tony Romo dumped her), and little sis Ashlee is going all domestic. In case it's not obvious, I prefer Ashee to Jessica...anyday. Anyway, I'm gonna stop ranting about how Ashlee's superiority and just talk about the clothes.

• Ashlee Simpson is the definition of the term "metamorphosis." Why, I remember just a few years ago she played the sassy but kind-hearted Cecilia on 7th Heaven. Now, she's all rock & roll and black nail polish. To be fair, I should mention that during her MTV reality show The Ashlee Simpson Show she revealed that her darker, more mysterious side is truer to her personality. She immediately dyed her hair black, and her nails, as well. Kudos. I definitely prefer the more down-to-earth personality that she has been able to embrace thanks to her new look and style. This initial "dying of the hair" ritual was just the first of many ploys to morph her look and face. She's been platinum blonde, back to black, bronde, and now redhead, had a nose job, a new chin. Throughout all of these drastic changes, she's remained chic and stylish. Rock on.

Check out Ashlee before the plastic surgery, and after

Here she is rocking the bronde hair and a BCBG dress at the 2007 VMA's.

For the 2008 Kids' Choice Awards, she managed to look very sophisticated (almost too sophisticated for a kids' event), in a strapless Alexander McQueen dress, bright orange wedges, and Chanel accesories.

Now for classic Ashlee Simpson... sweatshirt with the hood UP, skinny jeans, punk-looking shoes, eyeliner, and an oversized bag. I like. Here she is in True Religion jeans, and a COAT...in LA!!! Oh the lengths people will go to look cute these days.

And finally...the hair transformation. I've already mentioned that Ashlee dyed her hair from blonde to jet black on her MTV show, but then she drastically dyed it to platinum blonde.

Then to bronde...

Then to a brownish reddish...

One of these days, all of her hair will fall out due to sheer frustration.

Glamour + Style + Drama = MTV's The Hills!

MTV's The Hills stars Lauren "LC" Conrad, Heidi Montag, Audrina Patridge, Whitney Port, Spencer Pratt, Stephanie Pratt, and Lauren "Lo" Bosworth. The show is narrated by Lauren Conrad, and it follows the in and outs of the Los Angeles social scene, according to the cast's experiences. In other words, we can watch what it's like to be young, rich, and beautiful in LA. Captivating.

All sarcasm aside, this "reality" show is a guilty pleasure aimed at America's youth. However, EVERYONE seems to be obsessed with The Hills. I even heard presidential nominee John McCain mention that he's watched the show! I was appalled. Perhaps it's because the villainous Heidi publicly made a pro-McCain endorsement. That's what I call priceless publicity. She may have lost him the election. Anyway, this blog is about fashion, and fashion is what I'll give you.

Besides the contrived drama and insanity that draws viewers into this show every week, the fashion is hard to ignore. It seems like the cast members go out bar and club-hopping on a nightly basis. As a result, they're always videotaped looking extra glamorous and trendy. Let me give you a breakdown of everyone's individual style on MTV's The Hills....

Lauren Conrad: She is the main character of the show, and main fashionista. She has to be. Everyone knows that LC is a fashion student at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Not only that, but she spent the first two seasons of the show working as an intern for Teen Vogue alongside Whitney. She also debuted her very own fashion line on the Tyra Banks Show. It's literally part of her job description to look good, and she accomplishes this task beautifully. The Lauren Conrad look consists of many staples, the first being an everpresent headband. The next aspect is the oversized tote...preferrably a Laurnen Conrad original design. For example, here she is sporting an L: Lauren Conrad for Linea Pelle handbag. Très chic.
$350.00

One word: sunglasses. I don't know if she's trying to hide, or if it's just that sunny in LA, but Lauren sure does wear oversized sunglasses A LOT!

Lauren also embodies a relatively new celebrity hair trend--bronde hair (brown + blonde = bronde). Listen closely because I'm about to reveal Lauren Conrad's deepest darkest secret...she's not a natural blonde! That's right. All of the footage from back in her Laguna Beach platinum blonde days is a big fat lie. Lauren Conrad is a brunette. Thankfully, she's allowing some of her natural essence to show through by keeping the brown roots, and adding skinny blonde highlights. Perhaps one day, in her distant, post-MTV future, she'll free herself of the blondeness altogether. Fingers crossed.

Heidi Montag: Heidi is the resident villain of the hit reality show. She's famous for falling in love with her loser--I mean, lovable boyfriend, Spencer Pratt, and ditching all of her lady friends. Together, Heidi and Spencer make up the media juggernaut/nuisance often referred to as "Speidi. " The sound of her voice makes me wanna vomit, but her style brings a smile to my face. I'll give credit where credit is due...Heidi Montag is a swell dresser. She even has her very own clothing line (copycat), named Heidiwood. Original.
Heidiwood $29.95

Audrina Patridge: Audrina is without a doubt the resident bad-girl. She's cool, she likes rock & roll, and her hair is so not-blonde, it's black. This is why Audrina is my favorite. When she's not Justin Bobby's arm candy, she has a very laid-back, approachable style. It seems like she also single-handedly brought back the hoodie.

Yves Saint Laurent $995.00

And now, the supporting cast...

Spencer Pratt: Don't get me started.

Stephanie Pratt: Eh. She's clearly only friends with Lauren on the show for more airtime. Smart girl. She's also a student at FIDM, but her style is bollocks compared to LC's.

Whitney Port: Another Teeen Vogue intern/fashionista. This girl is absolutely attuned to the latest trends in fashion, so I give her look an A++. Not to mention, her figure is extremely model-esque. If she wasn't so into working behind the scenes in fashion, she could easily have a successful modeling career. Lucky.

Last but not least, Lauren "Lo" Bosworth: Lo is LC's friend from waaaayy back when, but whenever I see her on the show, I have to remind myself that she is the same age as LC...not 10+ years older!!! Although I can appreciate her sophisticated "mom-chic" look, it can be overbearing. However, I love her personality, so I'm gonna show her wearing a cute, chic outfit, instead of the many trainwrecks she dons.
Marc Jacobs $184.00