I know, I know—everyone loved The Hills, but what I also know is that no one loved The Hills as much as I did. I grew up in Orange County, California, where I frequently saw the cast of Laguna Beach; was friends with Lauren Conrad's little brother, Brandon; and even went to his birthday party at their old iconic Laguna home (the one with two palm trees), where I met the LC. So yeah, I felt like kind of a big deal. Although I obsessed over all the petty drama, continuously crushed on Steven Colletti despite his minimal presence on the show, and dreamed of interning at Teen Vogue for most of my adolescent life, I can still admit that the fashion on the show was wild and worthy of a good laugh. As we anxiously await the remake of the iconic reality series, I thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of the standout fashion moments throughout the show's run.
I honestly don't think there's a better depiction of just how random the trends of the 2000s were than The Hills. Lauren, Heidi, Whitney, and Audrina faced their SoCal lives clad in extra-long camisoles, round-toe pumps, and plastic headbands of all kinds. As the show was airing, every episode was viewed as an inside glimpse at the scandalous lives of L.A.'s elite, but it was also a mood board for all the items I was going to buy at the mall that weekend. I wore the headbands, I collected those obnoxious plastic bead necklaces, and I begged my mom for a new Juicy Couture tracksuit just about every other week. So, when I playfully poke fun at the fashion during that time below, keep in mind that I also partook in all 15 of the looks you're about to witness. In other words, this story is essentially making fun of myself. Here we go.
1. Cute Cami
While working at Teen Vogue, looking cute was obviously a priority for both Whitney and Lauren. Apparently, impressing her boss, Lisa Love, required a lace ruffled camisole and flared jeans. Bold move.
2. Office Pearls
Was Lauren wearing a string of pearls with that cami? We thought you'd never ask. Here is a close-up shot of her having one of those gut-wrenching conversations in Lisa's office, wearing none other than her favorite strand of pearls.
3. Wide Waist Belt
What is one to do with a light pink babydoll dress when you feel like it just needs a little something extra? Snatch an extremely wide belt around your waist, duh.
4. Scarf + Capris + Pumps
If this isn't Lauren Conrad in an outfit, I'm not sure what is. Important things to note here include her headscarf, cuffed jean capris, and round-toe black pumps. I'll say no more.
5. Coordinating Denim Minis
Denim miniskirts were to The Hills what Levi's skinny jeans are to 2018—a wardrobe staple worn with just about anything. In this case, "anything" included cotton tank tops and graphic hoodies galore.
6. Plastic Date-Night Beads
When Lauren had a hot date with Jason but nothing to wear, she opted for a statement necklace consisting of black plastic beads and a black LBD. Did I go out and buy beads like that shortly after this episode aired? Who's to say?
7. Speaking of Dates…
Remember when Heidi brought one of her pre-Spencer dates to Les Deux for a fun night on the town? We do. Not because he was a great date, but because he wore a beanie… to a club… in L.A.
8. Unconventional Les Deux Attire
And this is what Audrina wore.
9. Crystal Vibes
Getting entertained by Spencer Pratt was no difficult task. Take him meditating with a crystal while wearing a tie-dye shirt and multiple beaded necklaces, for example. Man, I love television.
10. Extra-Long Camisoles
So far I've mentioned long camisoles twice, but that's because Lauren wore one maybe four times a week. The top was consistently styled with either low-rise jeans, oversize sunnies, or some sort of beaded necklace.
11. More Beads
But don't put it past her to style those beads with printed V-neck blouses and a high pony.
12. The Most Iconic Look of All Time
And now, the look that went down in The Hills history—when Justin Bobby wore combat boots to the beach. Naturally, Lauren brought up this outfit as a means of consoling Audrina when the grungy couple hit a rough patch.
13. Juicy Tracksuits
If there was one thing on The Hills you could count on, it was Heidi being snuggled up at home in one of her many Juicy Couture tracksuits. It's hard to tell from this GIF, but Lauren walks in wearing one from her collection as well. #twinning
14. Extra-Large Sunnies
Some incredible conversations happened while Lauren, Heidi, and Audrina were tanning by the pool and frantically texting on their sidekicks, but not without a pair of oversize, sometimes glitzed-out sunnies.
15. The Breakup Hoodie
Breakups are tough, especially with emotionally abusive Justin Bobby (aka the homeboy who wore combat boots to the beach). With this look, Audrina proved wearing a hoodie while doing so can ease the blow and make you look 10 times tougher.
Next up: Shop the most low-maintenance fall trends for the most low-maintenance shoppers.
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