Lauren Conrad Is "So Jealous of People Who Completely Love Their Bodies"

Madly in love and newly engaged? Check. Proud owner of a brand-new house in L.A.? Check. Two booming fashion lines, best-selling books, and a destination website under her belt? Check, check, check. At 27, Lauren Conrad seems to have figured everything out. Follow her lead, and channel your own inner LC.

There are cameras everywhere at Hollywood's Siren Studios, but today they aren't aimed at Lauren Conrad. A blonde model dashes in and out of a dressing room, changing into one pretty frock after another, designed by Conrad for the 12th season of her Paper Crown line. The photos will preview her work for the nearly 200 retailers that sell the line, which debuted in 2011.

When the star herself emerges, she's in head-to-toe black and flats, her hair gathered into a high, messy ponytail. Nibbling on a piece of turkey jerky, she jumps right in, straightening hemlines, fluffing skirts, and rushing back to scroll through photo selects.

Since MTV's Laguna Beach and The Hills, Conrad has taken "every opportunity that came [her] way, not knowing how long they would be around," she says. She has managed to turn her name into a bona fide brand, with two fashion lines (Paper Crown and LC Lauren Conrad for Kohl's) and a popular lifestyle website, LaurenConrad.com. She's authored books on style and beauty and six novels, three of which hit number one on the New York Times best-seller list.

"This year, I've gone to a ton of showers and weddings," Conrad confides as her model wriggles into one of her soft, signature dresses. "So I wanted to design a line that was comfortable, feminine, and romantic." Does she have weddings on the brain, perhaps? After all, Conrad just got engaged to musician and law student William Tell, 33. First, he asked Conrad's parents for her hand. Then one night while she was upstairs getting ready to go to dinner, he filled their Laguna Beach home with candles and twinkly lights. "I had no idea it was coming," she says. "I thought he would wait until he finished law school." Nor did she have input on the ring, a round diamond solitaire set in rose gold. "He didn't even ask my friends, which was a bold move," she says. "He said, 'I know you, and I know what you like.' And I love it. It's perfect."

Conrad retains the grounded outlook on life that made her a de facto therapist to, first, her friends and, later, the millions who flock to her online Ask Lauren column. Now Conrad serves up some sage and surprising advice just for Cosmo readers.

strong>On Love:

You're engaged! What would you say to readers who feel pressure to get that ring?
You have the rest of your life to be married. Enjoy falling in love. When girls get caught up in the timeline, it becomes more about the wedding than the marriage. You should be with someone with whom you could elope this weekend and be happy.

What tells you it's time to settle down with one guy?
William hates it when I say this, but he really is a very nice guy, and when you meet a nice guy who also manages to keep your interest, that is the dream. When I was dating, I went on lots of first dates. By date two, if I'm not into someone, I'd rather spend my night with girlfriends or my family. If you're going to settle down, it should be with someone you can't stop thinking about. Especially if you're in your 20s. If I were single in my 60s, I would totally settle. I would!

How open can you be about your sex life to your girlfriends?
I've blabbed; everybody has.It is important to have a few friends you can talk to openly, but you need to be respectful. Are you telling a friend something that would embarrass your partner? This person might be someone you're with for a long time…then everyone knows you married foot-fetish guy! 

Is it OK to write an ex on Facebook?
It depends on why. Maybe just Facebook stalk him and look at his photos [laughs]!

So checking up on an ex is okay?
Everybody does it. If you've been serious with someone, you kind of wonder, what if? But you have to be careful not to accidentally Like his photos.

On Looks:

What's one trend you're liking?
A pop of color on the eyes, either something fun on the lid or underneath. Youhave to pick one color or it looks a little crazy.

What's your five-minute beauty routine?
A lightweight foundation, blush, and mascara. For an errand, just sunglasses.

How do you create a natural look?
It's about sticking to three or four products, and a cream blush as opposed to powder—it gives you that natural glow.

Any tips on mixing prints?
Non-print prints, like a dot or stripe, are best with a busier floral print.

How do you mix up a daily uniform?
Shoes, an armful of bracelets, or a fun jacket. But I don't find anything wrong with uniforms. I think they're nice.

On Friendship:

What defines a true friend?
Back when I was single, I was living with one of my best friends, Jill. I knew a boy I liked was going to be out at this bar. When I came home, she was already asleep. She got out of bed, put on her makeup and heels, and went out with me. That's a best friend. Of course, I ended up dating that guy only for a second. I should have let her sleep!

What should you do if your boyfriend is jealous of your friends?
The best guy you can date is one who says, "Have them all over here, and I'll disappear." The same goes for you: You want to be the cool girlfriend who encourages him to spend time with his friends. Then he's more likely to want to spend time with you.

Should you stay out of it if one friend cheats on another friend?
If I couldn't pressure the one who cheated to come clean, I would probably tell. You can be a good friend to only one person in that situation. It should be the person who was wronged.

What's the biggest mistake you've made with friends?
Being on television all those years, I got to view my own behavior. One thing I realized is that I was too hard on my friends when it came to guys. Instinctually, I wanted to protect them. But then you come off as judge-y and people are reluctant to come to you with a problem. I had to cut "I told you so" from my vocabulary.

On Body Love:

How do you fit in a workout when you are so busy?
Whenever I can combine some sort of physical activity with work, I will. I do a lot of hiking meetings. And when I know I'm going to be busy, I focus more on my diet and eat cleaner and less.

What exercise class or routine has changed your body more than anything else?
The only thing that really changed my body was spending time in the gym with a trainer, doing a lot of low-weight, high reps. Last year, I took a beginner's ballet class and went and bought a pair of ballet shoes but looked like a damn fool the whole time. There were a lot of laughing ballerinas. I was so sore the next day, I couldn't move!

What is the best way to fall in love with your own body?
I'm so jealous of people who completely love their bodies. I think most women have trouble areas as well as areas that they like. So you play up your favorite parts and learn to dress around the others. I used to hate my legs, but now I always wear minis. It was an accident. In an effort to look taller, I started wearing really high heels with shorter skirts and ended up showing off my legs a lot.

On Business:

What's your advice for girls just starting out in the business world?
Your first job probably won't be a great one, so think of it as getting paid in experience. Sitting in a classroom and learning about a subject is very different from working in an industry, so it's OK to take a job and realize you're not as interested as you thought you would be. I did TV until I didn't enjoy it anymore, then I stopped.

As a young businesswoman, how do you get people to take you seriously?
You have to prove yourself first. A friend recently told me she felt like she wasn't getting the respect she deserved at her new job. I said, "Use that as motivation to work harder." When I started working in fashion, it took me years to get magazines to feature my clothes and treat me as a designer. It's not something that can be earned immediately.

For more with Lauren Conrad, click here to get the issue!

Photo credit: Matt Jones