Jill Johnson/JPI

She’s a successful TV star, fashion designer and fiction writer, but she hasn’t written a book on style — until now. Lauren Conrad will unveil her top style tips in Lauren Conrad Style, to be published by Harper Collins in the fall of 2010. The book will not only feature new and never-before-seen photos of the fashion icon, but the former MTV “Hills” star will show readers exactly how to interpret her classic and cool style into their lives. “I am really excited to write a style guide,” said Conrad, who designs an affordable clothing line for Kohl’s, in a release. “I think fashion should be fun and reflective of who you are. When you wear clothes you feel good in, it shows in everything you do. I know this guide will offer simple, practical tips to help anyone look fabulous.” This year, Lauren released her first book L.A. Candy, which was a #1 New York Times bestseller; her follow-up novel, Sweet Little Lies, goes on sale Feb. 2, 2010 (for more information on Sweet Little Lies and Lauren’s 10-city book tour, go to harperteen.com). Tell us: Are you excited for Lauren’s new style book?

With her latest label, LC Lauren Conrad for Kohl’s, already in stores, Lauren Conrad is getting ready to celebrate — Hollywood style. The designer has teamed with famed stylist Britt Bardo and L.A. event planner Jeffrey Best to create the perfect party setting to spotlight her new collection. Watch as Lauren and her superstar team dress the models and pick the venue. (We vote for the beach!) Tell us: Have you bought anything from the LC Lauren Conrad collection yet?

Tony DiMaio/Abaca

Lauren Conrad might have left The Hills behind, but if there’s one thing she’s unlikely to abandon, it’s her signature L.A.-cool style. And with her LC Lauren Conrad line having just launched in Kohl’s stores, the star is excited about sharing her West Coast flair with the rest of the nation. This past weekend, Lauren joined volunteers from Kohl’s Department Stores in an environmental clean-up event, clearing trash from Santa Monica Beach with the goal of filling up her garbage bag while dishing the dirt on her new line. “I think that for the Kohl’s line we wanted a very California brand,” she told PEOPLE. “We were able to make the California-look very accessible everywhere.” And it’s an untapped market that she was more than happy to help fill. “I see [the style] everywhere. I see it all over the country, and people are kind of catching on,” she explains. Although she had already run her own boutique label, she found that designing for a wider audience required some adjustments in her approach. “You have to keep in mind that you’re designing for a large range of people. You’re designing for different body types, different lifestyles, different weather,” she explains. Click here to check out Lauren’s line for Kohl’s. Tell us: Are you planning to stock your wardrobe with Lauren’s new looks? –Reporting by Jessica Wedemeyer

She might have halted production on her eponymous designer clothing line, but Lauren Conrad is back in stores with her new lower-priced line LC Lauren Conrad for Kohl’s. Watch as the reality star takes you through her California cool fall collection for Kohl’s. See something you like? Shop Lauren’s new line exclusively at Kohls.com. Tell us: Are you excited for Lauren’s line for Kohl’s?

CHECK OUT LAUREN AND MORE STARS AT N.Y.C. FASHION WEEK!

Jeff Vespa/WireImage

While most bloggers don’t lead the most glamorous lives, WhoWhatWear.com creators creators, Hillary Kerr and Katherine Power celebrated the launch of their style guide, Who What Wear: Celebrity and Runway Style for Real Life with trend-setting celebs like Jessica Alba, Lauren Conrad, and Emma Roberts at Sunset Towers in Hollywood. While some celebs got their hair and makeup done by Maybelline and Garnier, Conrad, clad in BCBGeneration, took time to flip through the new book. Alba, on the other hand, twirled in her Prada dress to tunes spun by Samantha Ronson. But, Alba did stop to chat with PEOPLE about why she was there. “I check out the site every other day,” she said. “They cut all the B-S out. I can go there to find out what the latest trend is.” Those trends, according to Power, include, “winter shorts and leather leggings,” for the fall season. “I’ll be wearing my leather leggings the most,” she said. You can pick up your copy of the book at shopbop.com, $19. –Susan Yara

Courtesy of Shape Magazine

She might be a bona fide California beach girl, but even Lauren Conrad admits to slacking in the exercise department sometimes. For her second Shape cover (her first was January 2008), the New York Times best-selling author chats about her romance with actor Kyle Howard and her new clothing line for Kohl’s while sitting pretty for three very different cover shots. At the beginning of her relationship, Lauren admits to getting soft around the middle. “I call it the ‘boyfriend layer’,” she tells the magazine. “We were having more romantic dinners out, and I was exercising less.” So what’s a girl to do? Take your dates to the gym, of course! “I just ask Kyle, ‘You feel like working out?’ It’s more fun than hitting the gym alone,” says Lauren. The couple spends most of their time outdoors anyway. “We like doing outdoor stuff: tennis, bike riding, kayaking, stand-up surfing, hiking in the canyons around L.A.,” says Lauren. And when the happy couple isn’t exercising together, Lauren is busy working on her newest adventure in design, LC Lauren Conrad for Kohl’s, which will hit stores in October. Her line of affordable and flattering jeans and blouses will be perfect for every shape. “It’s all about finding silhouettes that highlight the best parts of your figure,” says Lauren. As an added bonus, Lauren took three lucky Shape readers with very different body types shopping and shared some fashion advice with them. Pick up the September issue of Shape to hear more of Lauren’s advice on dressing for your body and working out.

CLICK HERE TO SEE TWO MORE SHAPE COVERS FEATURING LAUREN!

Courtesy of Shape Magazine

Courtesy of Shape Magazine

Courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar

We already got a sneak peek at Lauren Conrad’s brunette tresses when she was spotted on the set of a photo shoot for Harper’s Bazaar and now, the images are out! The fashion magazine had the California girl change up her signature blonde hair for a day-long experiment. But even a wig wasn’t enough to disguise the famous reality star. “I think initially the wig threw people off, but they figured it out. I felt like it only disguised me for a moment, and then it made me feel like I was hiding, which made me feel silly,” Lauren tells Harper’s. Lauren might have considered dying her hair dark to keep the Hills producers from for coercing her to come back on screen, but “I went into a wig store and tried on a brown wig, and they all laughed at me. All these women [who worked there] were like, ‘You look like Hannah Montana.’ So after a day in her dark wig, Lauren’s verdict was in. “Day to day, I can only do blonde. Everything else makes me look sort of plain-Jane.” Pick up the August issue of Harper’s Bazaar to read more about of Lauren’s day as a brunette. Issue hits stands July 21st. Tell us: Do you think Lauren looks good as a brunette?

CLICK THROUGH TO SEE HARPER BAZAAR’S AUGUST COVER WITH KATE WINSLET!

Courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar

Ramey

Lauren Conrad is a California blonde through and through — except this weekend, when she tried out a short brunette bob created by star hairstylist Ken Paves while shooting in Los Angeles. Conrad took to her Twitter page to tell fans about the experience, twittering “Just finished our shoot. I got to wear a brown wig all day. It fun… Kinda like playing dress up.” The star struck poses outside the Marc Jacobs store in West Hollywood for Harper’s Bazaar looking a bit more Posh than her normal self. As sophisticated as Lauren looks as a brunette, we have to say that we prefer her with her normal long blonde locks. Tell us: What do you think of Lauren as a brunette? Should she dye her hair for real?

Matt Sayles/AP

She may have put her signature clothing line on hiatus, but that doesn’t mean that Lauren Conrad is taking a break from designing. The Hills star has just announced that she is teaming up with Kohl’s to bring fans her California cool style at more budget-friendly prices with the LC Lauren Conrad collection. Just how affordable will the new line be? The designs will range from $20 to $60 — a steal compared to her first eponymous line, where jersey dresses ran as much as $200. “Partnering with a successful national retailer like Kohl’s supports my mission to make great clothing accessible to young women everywhere,” Lauren said in a press statement. LC Lauren Conrad will launch with just apparel at 300 Kohl’s stores and kohls.com in October 2009, but may expand into footwear, jewelry, handbags, intimates and sleepwear at a later date. Tell us: Will you buy from Lauren’s collection for Kohl’s?

Matt Sayles/AP

This Monday, Hills star Lauren Conrad’s rep confirmed to PEOPLE.com that the star is putting her eponymous clothing line on hiatus in light of the current economy, and today the L.C. is taking to her MySpace page to blog about the decision. Listing her current mood as “excited,” the star says, “A few days ago a statement was released to the showrooms that carry my clothing line. It asked them to let the stores know that I was planning to take a couple seasons off from my line so that I could make some changes that I felt were necessary.” But, she clarifies, “As a result, a lot of people were under the impression that my line was being discontinued or had been dropped. This isn’t the case at all. The truth is I was the one who asked to take a couple seasons off.” The star goes on to explain that she decided to put the collection on pause to apply the industry knowledge she acquired over the past year. She also addresses a criticism that has been targeted at the collection, saying that she wants to make production changes that will lower the price point. So when can we expect to see the collection back in stores? “I have spent the last couple weeks working on designs for spring,” she says, “which is when I am planning to bring the (new and improved) line back.” Tell us: Are you looking forward to seeing Lauren back in the design game in 2010?

Clark Samuels/startraks

Looks like the recession’s heading for The Hills. The New York Post reports that designer Lauren Conrad is putting her eponymous clothing line on hiatus, citing the current economy. The line, which launched in 2007, suffered from reports of slow sales last year, with retailer Kitson dropping the collection. The Post says that the reality star has put a hold on shipments and that some showrooms received a message stating, “In light of the economic climate, Lauren has decided to rethink her line.” PEOPLE.com spoke with Lauren’s rep, Nicole Perez, who confirmed, “She’s taking a few seasons off so she can rework the line — but it will be coming back with Lauren [continuing] as the designer.” A source also tells PEOPLE.com that L.C. will be looking into different fabric options and possibly moving beyond her signature jersey, which dominated previous collections. Check back with PEOPLE.com for more updates from Lauren about the future of her collection. Tell us: Have you ever bought clothing from L.C.’s collection? What do you think about her taking the line in a different direction?

courtesy Divine Rights of Denim

She might not be launching her own eponymous line like her Hills costar Lauren Conrad, but Audrina Patridge is making a mark in the fashion world by striking a pose for Divine Rights of Denim. The reality star is the face of the line’s Spring/Summer ‘09 ads — which she also helped merchandise and style. Audrina’s ads will be hitting magazines starting in March issues, but we’re bringing you this exclusive image — just for PEOPLE.com readers. Divine Rights of Denim is already a star-favorite brand, with everyone from Audrina and Lauren to Jessica Alba having been spotted in the label. But with prices mostly under $100, the jeans are also a possibility for the non-celebs among us. Shop the line and check out other celebrities in Divine Rights of Denim at ardenb.com. Tell us: What do you think of Audrina’s ad?

Andy Fossum/Startraks

Lauren Conrad couldn’t help but feeling “so nervous!” before her already-successful eponymous line’s show as part of Spring 2009 Mercedes Benz LA Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios last night. Clad in one of her own flowing black maxidresses with perfectly coiffed hair by the backstage team from Warren-Tricomi Los Angeles, the Hills star told PEOPLE that this show is “really girly and fun. I just wanted to have fun with it.” But, the star still took out time for charity. “This show is sponsored by mark and specifically the m.powerment campaign. All the models [are] actually wearing the Have a Heart necklace that we did, and we’re giving $250,000 to seven different foundations, and what’s really cool is they brought some of the girls here from some of the foundations. That’s what it’s all about.” Also in the audience, BFF Lo Bosworth and rumored Conrad amour Kyle Howard, who told PEOPLE he’s “super excited” for Lauren. And even though Whitney Port couldn’t make it, her support came through earlier in the day. “Whitney wrote me a really long message this morning that was the sweetest thing. I mean we’re just really supportive of each other.” says Conrad. See highlights of Lauren’s collection in our video.

INF

Following in the fashionable footsteps of her Hills co-stars, Audrina Patridge has inked a deal with Divine Rights of Denim not only to co-design a line, but be the face of it as well. Audrina has already proved that she is more of a jeans and T-shirt type of gal than her fashionista former roommate Lauren Conrad, and she already has a favorite pair from the brand — the skinny “Lust” style in black stretch. Unlike Lauren’s higher-priced line, Audrina’s denim collaboration will likely be more affordable — Divine Rights of Denim jeans normally start at $58. Audrina’s line and her ads will be coming out in November. Tell us: What do you think of Audrina turning designer?

Matt Sayles/AP

Lauren Conrad gave ETonline.com a little bit of a sneak peek on the dress she created for one of this year’s Emmy Awards presenters. The designer reveals that she chose to do the gown in green to go with the theme of this year’s show. The Hills‘ star also added a diamond broach to the dress to symbolize the Emmys’ diamond anniversary. And while Lauren won’t be matching her on-stage creation exactly, she does reveal that her navy gown is made of the same fabric and will also have diamond broaches on it. We can’t wait to see what Lauren has planned. Tell us: Are you going to tune in to see Lauren’s creation?

Chris Weeks/WireImage

Lauren Conrad confirmed to PEOPLE that she will be designing at least one dress for
next month’s Emmy Awards, calling it a “huge compliment”. “I’m doing one. I may be doing two,” she said Saturday in Las Vegas before hosting a night at Christian Audigier The Nightclub. The designer of the Lauren Conrad Collection will be dressing the show’s “trophy girls” who bring the awards on stage for the eventual winner. Conrad elaborated, “It’s a huge compliment to be asked to do that, and it was really amazing to be taken seriously.” The invitation to design the dress is a major victory for Conrad who has been chastised by some who recently said she isn’t involved in her clothing line. “I didn’t even really respond to the rumors because they were so silly,” she said. “It was someone who knew how important the line is to me and knew that that would hurt me.” Dressed in BCBG, The Hills star also squashed rumors that she is dating My Boys actor Kyle Howard. When asked is the two were dating, she laughed, saying “No, but I do know him, yes.” — Mark Gray

Frazer Harrison/Getty

With an already successful casual clothing line of flirty dresses, soft camis and playful skirts, Lauren Conrad is getting ready enter the world of eveningwear. The Hills resident designer is set to create a one of a kind red carpet gown for the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards trophy girls, marking it the first time in Emmy history that a celebrity designer was asked to create a gown for the women who will hand out the Emmy statuettes. “I am so excited that the Academy has asked me to design a dress for this year’s Emmy Awards,” says Lauren. “I will be doing a red carpet look that still reflects the simple classic design of the Lauren Conrad Collection but with a black tie twist.” The Emmy dress is being made especially for the awards and, sadly for the rest of us, will not be part of her Lauren Conrad Collection. Tell us: Are you excited to see Lauren’s design? Do you think she is a good choice for this role?

Matt Sayles/AP

We’re always up for hearing style tips, especially when they come from one of Hollywood’s hottest fashionistas. We caught up with Lauren Conrad at the VH1’s Rock Honors party recently, and while the reality star was mum about what’s next on The Hills, she did reveal her top style secrets to PEOPLE — starting with the very dress she wore to the event, an Elizabeth and James frock, created by fellow Hollywood designers Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. “Honestly, I just love the fit of all their stuff,” she says. And while L.C.’s known for her always put-together look, when it comes to that famous visage, “less is more with makeup,” she emphasizes. “I almost never wear eye shadow. I think I have some on today because I just came from a shoot.” And her face isn’t the only thing she likes to show off to its full advantage. “We’ve been spending all our time like by the pool,” she says — and always in a bikini. The development of her personal style extends beyond her closet to her fragrance wardrobe as well, moving past her seventh-grade obsession Ralph by Ralph to wearing “Like five different kinds. I usually wear Clive every day. Or Marc Jacobs. Or Dior.” Tell us: What are your own personal style secrets?

Clark Samuels/startraks

Lauren Conrad may be expanding her eponymous design line — recently previewing Holiday, Fall/Winter and Resort collections as well as discussing a possible shoe line — but not everyone is buying it. Kitson owner Fraser Ross has dropped Conrad’s line from his well-known Robertston Boulevard boutique, citing flagging sales coupled with a lack of support on Conrad’s side. Ross tells PEOPLE, “Celebrity clothing lines are a tough sell as it is, and you have to promote your line just as you would an album or a TV show.” And as Ross points out, it’s not that Kitson is inaccesible for Conrad. “Lauren has been on Robertson three times since her clothing line launched but she couldn’t pop by to say hello to the sales staff that sell her line to her fans.” Ross’s advice to Conrad on how to succeed in fashion reasonates to all of her fellow celeb designers. He explains, “You have got to make your clients and customers happy because you are competing against a lot of talented designers in the industry.” Tell us: Have you bought L.C.’s clothing line?

Mark/PRNewsFoto

She’s a successful reality show star, budding designer, and the face of Avon’s mark Cosmetics. And this fall, The Hills‘ Lauren Conrad is giving back with a charity necklace to help young women. The $22 Have a Heart pendant will benefit the Girls m.powerment Campaign, with a full 100% of net proceeds from each sale going directly to the group. “The design came from a vintage necklace,” Lauren revealed at a launch event last week in N.Y.C. And, mirroring the star’s own signature style, “It’s understated, with just a little detail to it.” Click here to learn more about Lauren’s relationship with mark — and be sure to check out her favorite products of the month. We’ll keep you posted on when you can do your part by picking up the chic and charitable chain.