Lauren Conrad's Paper Crown Line Has Officially Launched: A Look Back at the Top 10 Trends Set by LC

Lauren Conrad's role in fashion has gone from the Cali girl everyone wanted to dress like to a budding designer with some actual talent--her latest line, Paper Crown, hit stores Saturday. While on The Hills, millions of viewers watched Lauren Conrad cry over boyfriends and fight with Speidi. But what we were all really paying attention to--subconsciously or not--was the Laguna Beach native's easy to emulate style. Even with her reality days behind her, Conrad continues to inspire and fuel beauty and fashion trends. We've rounded up ten of LC's signiture looks--from the ever popular side braid to her new tie-dyed ombre tresses (and matching nails).
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Lauren Conrad's role in fashion has gone from the Cali girl everyone wanted to dress like to a budding designer with some actual talent--her latest line,

On her new beauty website, the Beauty Department, Conrad lists ombre hair and nails as her latest obsession. The ombre look is all over Hollywood right now, but few have managed to master the look quite like LC.

Maxi Dresses

Way before this season's lengthier hems, LC did the maxi as part of her relaxed Cali-girl look at New York Fashion Week in 2008 to show her Lauren Conrad Collection.

Winged Liquid Liner

It's not the first cat eye ever done, but she definitely pulls it off better than most, without a stitch of eyeshadow to counter.

Oversized High Buns

A sky-high ballerina bun is her go-to event look when she's not sporting the signature wavy middle part--she even sports it on the cover of her book, Lauren Conrad Style.

Cuffed Denim

Cuffed jeans paired with a tank and flip flops may sound like a no brainer, but after Conrad wore the look in pretty much every episode of The Hills' first season, this west coast uniform went national.

The Middle Part

The Kardashians are practically poster children for the middle part. But imitating LC just seems more plausible to the average gal. So when Conrad changes her hair, we all feel like we can pull it off, too.

Black Nail Polish

Before The Hills black nail polish was for emo kids and goths. Who knew dark nails could look so cool paired with feminine attire?

Thick Headbands

Conrad is no Blair Waldorf, but man did she love her head gear. Aside from her Chanel bags, we're pretty sure headbands--whether a scarf or a thick black band--were her favorite accessory in her reality days.

Plaid Shirts

Plaid button-downs saw a surge in popularity a few years ago, and Conrad was on the bandwagon. A plaid shirt with jeans was her go-to off-camera look.

The Sidebraid

Simply put, no one does it better.

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After MTV dropped Lauren Conrad's reality show for being "too high brow," Conrad lost a lot of potential publicity for her forthcoming contemporary line, Paper Crown. The show was to follow the making of Paper Crown, a la The September Issue (not The Hills). We wondered what would become of Conrad's Paper Crown without the help of MTV, but a fall 2011 landed in our inbox late last night, so it looks like the collection will be in stores come fall. The collection is sweet, just like Conrad, and we could picture her in every piece--which, considering her sizable fan base, is a very good thing. Judging from the look book, Conrad's first attempt at a contemporary priced collection is a vast improvement from her lackluster collections for Kohl's. It reminds us a little of Elizabeth and James only skewed younger. Paper Crown features on-trend basics like leather shorts, silk blouses in blush tones, slouchy blazers, tight cocktail dresses, tiered ruffled maxi dresses (a Conrad staple) and short, flouncy, belted dresses.

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Check Out the Full Spring Look Book for Lauren Conrad's Paper Crown Line

Lauren Conrad's Paper Crown line is chugging along on the fashion calendar, which means she's just released the look book for her spring 2012 collection (she previously put out fall and holiday). It's her third collection for Paper Crown, and so far the look for the line is consistent--sweet wearable basics that you could picture LC wearing. This season's got an adorable mod twist with Peter Pan collars on blouses and an especially charming pink striped day coat. There are lots of girly bow details than run throughout the collection and they're particularly charming on the backs blouses that dip low in the back. I also liked the dresses with longer hemlines and baggy sweaters styled over floral skirts while I found the shorter solid-color dresses to be kind of a snooze. What do you think of Conrad's third collection for her own line? Would you wear Paper Crown?

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Lauren Conrad on Her Second Collection for Paper Crown (Plus the Full Look Book)

Lauren Conrad's new line Paper Crown might not have the publicity of an MTV reality show behind it, but it's still chugging right along. In fact, Conrad, who is on the cover of Lucky's July issue in a complete look from her new label, told the mag that she's even glad her reality show was dropped. “It’s easier to launch the line without MTV,” she says. “A lot of people in fashion don’t want to be linked with anything that has to do with reality TV. Showrooms were turning us down.” Plus, she concedes her life isn't exactly MTV fodder anymore. "There weren’t any scenes of me getting drunk or fighting, so what’s the point?” she told the mag. Conrad seems bent on proving herself in the fashion world.