Lauren Conrad is a television star, fashion designer and author of several books. Lauren grew up in the public eye as the star of MTV's hit series Laguna Beach. Her spin-off show, The Hills, was rated as one of the top shows on cable television. She recently released two book, Lauren Conrad Beauty and Starstruck: A Fame Game Novel, both of which hit the New York Times bestsellers list. She has had endorsement deals with Hasboro, AT&T, Mark Cosmetics and Sony
Lauren has started four lines since 2007 including The Lauren Conrad Collection (2007), LC Lauren Conrad (2009), Paper Crown (2011) and the Eco-Chic Collection by BlueAvocado this year. She has graced the covers of Elle, Allure, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Shape, Rollingstone and many others. In this interview, she talks about how important your personal style is in your career, why you should develop your own unique style and more.
How important do you think your personal style has been as you've built your brand and career? Why dedicate a whole book to style/beauty?
I think personal style plays a very important role in building a brand. Having strong brand recognition helps separate your business from competitors. It’s what defines you.
Beauty and style are two things that many women are constantly striving to master. I think there is a profound difference between showing someone a beautiful hairstyle and showing someone how to achieve that beautiful hairstyle. At the end of the day, women want to feel beautiful and I think my books help provide women with the tools and skills they need in order to emphasize their natural beauty and develop their own personal style.
Why should people consider developing their own unique style? How can it help them improve their work and life?
Let’s be honest—we live in a very visual society where image is important. Whether we like it or not, a majority of us tend to project who we are on the inside, on the outside. Having a strong sense of personal style helps tell the world who you are without having to actually spell it out in words.
How can improving your style and beauty improve your career? Can it hurt you if you avoid it?
When you look put together, people will take you more seriously. Who wants to hire a slob? To me that says, “I’m unorganized, scattered, and late.”
How do you manage all the aspects of your life without losing your mind?
Prioritize. There are only so many hours in a day and it is important to prioritize and delegate when you have a big workload.
What are your top career tips for young professionals?
Get experience where you can. Take internships and seize opportunities that put you in the place where you want to end up (even if they aren’t enjoyable tasks).
Set goals. Know where you want to be and constantly work towards it.
Dan Schawbel is a Gen Y career expert and the founder of Millennial Branding, a Gen Y research and consulting company. He is also the #1 international bestselling author of Me 2.0: 4 Steps to Building Your Future and was named to the Inc. Magazine 30 Under 30 list in 2010. Subscribe to my updates: Facebook.com/DanSchawbel.
