Check out Lauren’s latest post for Forbes.com posted on August 25, 2011 below:

A good number of companies first approached me to sponsor their brands while I was on Laguna Beach. From the moment I received my first offer I knew I had to be selective. Working with the wrong company could potentially distort my image and ultimately chip away at the faith of my fans. A sponsorship makes sense only when the company or product aligns with the qualities of my overall brand and most importantly, my personal interests.

The first endorsement I ever accepted was a deal to promote a fashion game called “Designer’s World” with the toy company Hasbro. The game allowed girls to experience the high-stakes world of fashion with an interactive console. My fans trusted my support of the game since it was a logical extension of my known interest in fashion—the deal made sense with my brand. Since my first partnership with Hasbro, I have gone on to work with companies such as Old Navy, AT&T, Sony VAIO, Linea Pelle, Kohl’s, the EYE Care Campaign and Avon’s Mark cosmetics.

Sponsorships are a diverse breed—each and every one is different. My commitments have ranged from a single day of press to multi-year contracts complete with photo shoots, press, events and various forms of product placement. Social media has also become a major factor in recent years. Most deals today require Twitter, Facebook and other forms of digital outreach. Having a substantial online presence is especially advantageous these days because larger followings and stronger connections with your market translate to a greater scope of influence, adding immeasurable value to your brand.

Aside from personal deals, I have taken on digital sponsors for my website, LaurenConrad.com. Through paid online sponsorships I am able to financially sustain my website by showcasing brands such as JewelMint and Sircuit Cosmeceuticals, which I believe my community would be interested in.

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LA’s Fashion Insiders joined forces to film a Public Service Announcement in support of Fashion’s Night Out Los Angeles, scheduled to take place Thursday, September 8, 2011. These bold face names in fashion want you to get out and support the thousands of Angeleno’s employed by one of the city’s largest industries. More information at www.fnola.com.

Bashful much?

Since Lauren Conrad‘s split in June from Kyle Howard, she’s been spotted flirting up a storm with Teen Wolf‘s Colton Haynes. But when Haynes, 23, was grilled by Ryan Seacrest Monday about his relationship with Conrad, 25, he played coy about his rumored romance!

“I’ve known Lauren for about four-and-a-half years now,” Haynes told Seacrest, 36. “We’re really good friends.” She’s cute,” Seacrest said, prompting Haynes to second his assessment. “I would say yes,” the actor agreed. “She definitely is.” She’s definitely smart,” Haynes added. “She might have more jobs than you!”

The duo was spotted last week at West Hollywood’s Trousdale, where she was also flirty with her ex-beau. Conrad and Haynes were first seen exchanging phone numbers at a bash — and then hitting a club together — in late July. The MTV star admitted he and the Paper Crown designer “hang out a lot” and gushed, “She’s great!”

So what do his Teen Wolf costars think of the former star of The Hills? “I approve,” Crystal Reed said. “I’m kinda jealous,” Tyler Posey joked. “I thought Colton and I were an item… [But] they’re both hot and awesome. I’ve never met Lauren, but Colton is the dude, and anyone that Colton associates himself with is pretty cool, too.”

Source: usmagazine.com

For the average girl, a bun says, “I didn’t have time/want to do my hair today.” But for Lauren Conrad, she makes her self-titled “fun bun” look super chic whether she’s shopping for groceries or walking the red carpet.

Such was the case at the Alice + Olivia by Stacey Bendet Shoe Launch Party in West Hollywood on Wednesday, where the 25-year-old looked uber-stylish in a multicolored Alice + Olivia frock and her giant bun (which actually looks like a blonde donut) sitting atop her head. And for those who have hair envy, fans can get the full how-to straight from Conrad’s hair pro, Kristen Ess, on The Hills alum’s beauty and style website, TheBeautyDepartment.com.

In addition to enjoying the single life (she split with beau Kyle Howard in July) the California native has been keeping busy this summer gearing up for the launch of her new clothing line, Paper Crown. Due to debut this fall, the line consists of tailored blazers, soft knits, and chiffon dresses. She still works on LC by Lauren Conrad, a partnership that she’s had with Kohl’s since 2009.

Source: usmagazine.com

Check out Lauren’s latest post for Forbes.com posted on August 11, 2011 below:

I felt compelled to write the L.A. Candy series because I had a story to tell beyond the one you saw play out on MTV. I lived a unique life for six years between Laguna Beach and The Hills and only a fraction of my life story was broadcast on television. Off camera, the rest of my world was being turned upside down as I came into my newfound celebrity. I saw a book series as an opportunity to tell the other side of the story—the story about what goes on when the cameras aren’t rolling.

When I first decided to write a novel my announcement was met with a great deal of skepticism. People didn’t think a reality star could write. Even though I’ve never studied writing professionally, I think creatively and have an insider’s perspective on one of the hottest topics of my generation: reality television. L.A. Candy turned out to be a #1 New York Times Bestseller and the series has sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide. Here’s how I did it—

How Real Is Reality?

Simply put, I wanted to pull back the curtain on reality television. I think a majority of people have no idea how deceptive and unreal reality television actually is. For instance, a friendly conversation might be mutated into a grandiose romance, or people who you thought were your friends were in fact cast to become your newest on-camera confidant. By exposing the other side, I hoped to remind people that situations are often distorted when filtered through an editing room. L.A. Candy was my chance to shed light on the actual realities of my life. Ironically, I was able to reveal these truths through fictional characters.

The Process

I always start my books by mapping out a detailed outline. This helps flesh out the story I want to tell—plot, characters and everything in between. Once the overarching story of the series is summarized, I break it down and do another outline for each book, focusing on each main character’s narrative arc. After I share the outline with my editor and get feedback, I begin writing—my favorite part of the process. I prefer to do my writing late at night when my cellphone isn’t ringing, my roommates are asleep and all is quiet.

My greatest challenge throughout the process is staying on schedule. Since writing isn’t my full-time job, working on my novel often gets set aside and when I do find time, it can be difficult to force creativity. I’ve had to ask for a deadline extension on more than one occasion.

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