The Real Reason Lauren Conrad Wore So Many Headbands On The Hills

Calling all Lauren Conrad fanatics: On Thursday, you’ll be able to shop the reality star turned lifestyle blogger and fashion designer’s sophomore LC Lauren Conrad Runway Collection for Kohl’s. “I love designing a second collection, because you know so much more; it’s great to see what customers responded to, and what they want more of. I learned that my customer really loves a moto jacket, so we brought it back in three colours.” Conrad calls her second Runway designs “more elevated, with more luxe fabrics and more fashion-forward silhouettes; and moodier, deeper tones. The first collection was more bright, light, and ethereal.” (The Runway line is pricier than her LC Lauren Conrad collection, also at Kohl's.)

Some of us who go way back with LC (via our TV screens, at least) — if you got acquainted during the mid-aughts Laguna Beach or The Hills years that made the SoCal teen famous — will remember there were some timely trends she wore that were enviably fresh AF back in, say, 2005. Conrad indulged us in a trip down memory lane in terms of her small screen fashion choices from back in the day: “There was a lot of camis. So, so many camis, and I wore a lot of shorter-than-capri-length denim — almost more of a pedal-pusher-length,” Conrad said. “I’m really into cropped styles now, but I wore a lot of mid-calf denim. I definitely don’t need that to make a comeback.”

On the accessories front, “I wore way too many headbands; just way too many scarves and really thick bands,” she said. “I recently found out that behind the scenes, [The Hills' producers] were trying to figure out how to get me to stop wearing headbands.” The rationale for all the ‘do accessorising was quite pragmatic: “I was just always too late on getting my roots done, so I wore headbands to cover my roots up.” So, did Gossip Girl’s Blair Waldorf inspire LC's headband bender, potentially? “No, I was wearing headbands before her,” Conrad explained with a laugh. As for other accessories worn on repeat, “I wore tons of hobo bags, too; I still love a hobo, but a more updated version,” Conrad said. “Let’s just say I emotionally blocked a lot out,” she added.

Conrad’s latest designs range from $44 to $150 (around £33 to £114), and the pieces will be available in sizes XS to XL and 0 to 16. She won’t be trotting them out at NYFW, though. This time around, she’s having a pop-up store at The Americana at Brand shopping center in Glendale, CA. from September 8 to 15, instead. (The full collection will be available online, as well.)

But showing at Fashion Week was, unsurprisingly, total bucket list material. “I can’t believe Kohl’s even let me do that! It was such a gift. I’ll never forget the experience — it’s just a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Conrad recalled. It was a lot of work, but it was fun. I was so nervous. My heart was racing, I was so stressed; it’s a big deal to put yourself out there like that.” How did Conrad calm herself down? “I didn’t! I mean, maybe with Champagne.” And, yes, Conrad has spotted people wearing her designs: “The ultimate compliment — I freak out anytime it happens.” (She doesn’t, however, go over and say anything to her customers when she spots her designs in the wild.)

Click through to check out all of Conrad's latest designs. Now, excuse us while we dig out our scarf headbands and calf-skimming jeans for old time’s sake.