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Before Lauren Conrad starred on The Hills and became a style icon, she was on the MTV hit Laguna Beach. One reason she thinks Laguna Beach has had a lasting cultural impact is the fact that everyone can relate to being a high school student and going through that major milestone in life. “I think it’s that moment in life where everything’s about to change,” Conrad said. “You’re about to leave your hometown, and it’s exciting, and it’s scary, and I think that so many people could relate to that.”
For the latest episode of The Who What Wear Podcast, Conrad shares where she was getting fashion inspiration from while filming the show, whether she thinks you could create a show like Laguna Beach today, the Y2K trend she still loves, and more.
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For excerpts from the conversation, scroll below.
Laguna Beach was only for three seasons—and you and the original cast were only in it for two—but the show had such a lasting cultural impact. Why do you think the show has held our attention for 20 years?
I think it’s that moment in life where everything’s about to change. You’re about to leave your hometown, and it’s exciting, and it’s scary, and I think that so many people could relate to that.
If Laguna Beach existed today, in what ways do you think it would be the most different, especially considering the inevitable involvement of social media, influencer marketing, stylists, all that jazz?
I don’t think you could create the same show today. I don’t know what it would look like. I think part of the appeal of this show is we didn’t know what we didn’t know. We didn’t know to not be ourselves or to filter ourselves. There were obviously no stylists or makeup artists there. We were just throwing on tank tops and showing up to film. I think that’s what makes it feel so authentic.
We weren’t doing it necessarily to launch a brand or do anything that a lot of people do today, which is smart and I get, but we didn’t even know that was an option. A lot of us were just stoked to not have summer jobs and also—we talk about this all the time—didn’t think it was ever gonna air. This was just a cool experience that we did, and we thought it would just be a fun little project.
I genuinely don’t think we would have been layering our tank tops as confidently as we were without seeing you and your friends and what you were wearing on Laguna Beach in the early 2000s. I’m curious. At that time, where were you getting fashion inspiration?
My friends. We were all just dressing alike. There were a couple local boutiques that we would all shop at. We would just wear a pair of Miss Sixty jeans, maybe a studded belt, layer a couple tanks, Rocket Dogs—done. I don’t think we were even thoughtful about the way we were dressing. We weren’t like, “This is going to be on TV. We should take some time to get ready.” Half the time, we’ve just rolled out of bed. We’re teenagers.
Rocket Dog
Crush Platform Flip Flop Sandals
What’s one trend from back then that you feel like you still wear today or would wear today and enjoy?
I’ve always worn Ugg boots. Uggs were huge.
There are low-rise jeans, big sunglasses, flip-flops.
I actually always love big sunglasses. I’m funny. I commit to a style because I have to get special lenses put in them for migraines. I’ll find a style I like, and I’ll buy it in several colors, and I get all the lenses. Then every few years, I update it.
Right now, I’m smaller. It’s mostly because I play a lot of tennis, and I want to be able to play in them. But I’ve always loved the bigger, the better. I love a giant sunglass.
DIOR
Wildior BU Cat-Eye Sunglasses
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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