The Stunning Transformation Of Kristin Cavallari

Kristin Cavallari has been a fixture on our TV screens since 2004, when she burst onto the scene as a sassy love rival to queen bee Lauren Conrad on MTV's hit reality show, Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County. She's remained in the public eye ever since, transforming from wild teenager into respectable adult woman via a variety of well-placed cameo appearances, as well as the requisite return to The Hills after Conrad graciously vacated her seat. 

After becoming famous for the uniquely grating way she said "Ste-phen," Cavallari is a mother of three with several successful business ventures to her name. She also, naturally, returned to our screens when she fronted her very own reality show — and that time, Cavallari rightfully called the shots as a producer, too. This is her stunning transformation from drama-hogging Laguna Beach party girl to well-established Nashville business owner. 

During a trip home to Laguna Beach, Kristin Cavallari reflected on how she almost didn't end up on the titular show, because she wasn't in school the first day producers came by. As reported by E! News, Cavallari's father also revealed how eager she was to be on reality TV. "Do you remember when you were a junior in high school and MTV came to town and you came home all excited?" he asked on a Season 2 episode of his daughter's show Very Cavallari. 

Cavallari was adamant about being cast in the then-fledgling show, marching back into school the next day and demanding her shot. Although Laguna Beach was a mega-hit, Cavallari's father was puzzled by its appeal. Kristin understood the show's popularity, but she was upset about her portrayal. "No one ever told me like, 'Hey! By the way, you're the villain. ...I was so young, I mean, I was 17, 18. So, to all of a sudden have people saying what a b*tch I was, that was really hard actually," she admitted. 

Kristin Cavallari often points out the elements of reality television that aren't actually real, taking particular aim at her infamous feud with Lauren Conrad. In an interview with HuffPost, Laguna Beach producer Gary Auerbach maintained the two really couldn't stand each other. However, the publication noted Cavallari made it clear to them that wasn't the case, explaining she and Conrad, "[Were] never as big of enemies as they wanted it to seem. It's just one of those relationships that loves to get played out, but it's not quite as it seems." 

Cavallari told People she felt the situation was manipulated, particularly the supposed love triangle between her, Conrad, and Stephen Colletti, admitting she "felt as though my real-life boyfriend [Colletti] was being put in situations he normally wouldn't have been in." Although Cavallari admitted to HuffPost that Conrad was never her best friend, MTV allegedly blew things out of proportion for ratings. For her part, Cavallari said there's no bad blood between her and Conrad, maintaining, "If I saw her we would give each other a big hug and catch up and carry on with our lives." 

There are moments Kristin Cavallari wishes she could erase from public memory, but Laguna Beach didn't completely put her off reality TV. In 2009, after Lauren Conrad vacated The Hills, Cavallari rose to the occasion and happily took her place. It was "an offer I couldn't refuse," but this time around, she treated it as a job, telling People, "I had my life on the show, and the lines weren't blurred. So it was really fun for me. I took control and I had a good experience doing it." Likewise, Cavallari knew how she was going to be portrayed and acted (up) accordingly.  

In an interview with Momtastic, she explained the difference between starring on the two shows. "Laguna Beach was really our lives being manipulated by being put in situations we never would have been in normally. And when I joined The Hills... we filmed three different scenes, three days a week. I had my life on-camera and a completely different life off-camera. I knew the character they wanted me to play, and this time I was game. ...It was fun to play up the villain," she explained.

Kristin Cavallari never had a problem getting dudes on either Laguna Beach or The Hills – however, she found her husband far away from the cameras. In Balancing in Heels (via People), the reality star detailed her unusual courtship with the father of her kids, Jay Cutler. Cavallari originally broke off their engagement back in July 2011, but quickly reconciled with the since-retired Chicago Bears quarterback, subsequently announcing she was pregnant that November. They got married in June 2013, less than a year after welcoming their eldest son, Camden Jack. 

"Relationships are hard work, especially with kids. But those couple months of being broken up showed us how much we meant to each other and how much we were both willing to do whatever it takes to make our relationship work," shared Cavallari in her book. Thankfully, Cutler had never seen either Laguna Beach or The Hills, at that time at least, with Cavallari telling Elle, "I think MTV played them one summer and he put it on as a joke. ...He's seen little bits and pieces but never a full episode." 

Saying goodbye to her glamorous TV life after The Hills wrapped in 2010, Kristin Cavallari turned her attention to more creative pursuits, designing a shoe line for Chinese Laundry in 2012 and releasing Balancing in Heels in 2014, followed by super-healthy cookbook (and New York Times bestseller) True Roots in 2018. In 2017, she launched her own jewelry company, Uncommon James. 

Speaking to The Skinny Confidential, Cavallari advised that launching her super chic jewelry line just made sense in the trajectory of her career. "I've loved being in the accessories world since I think they make or break your outfit. Jewelry was the next natural step for me and Uncommon James is very special since it's my own company. It's the first time in my life I have complete creative freedom which is the best feeling in the world," she enthused. 

As for what kind of woman Cavallari has in mind when designing her pieces: "The modern woman — a girl on the go who doesn't want to spend 10 minutes trying on jewelry. She wants fashion to be easy; throw these pieces on and never take them off."   

Her flagship store turned out to be even more important than Kristin Cavallari initially realized, as it became the basis for her long-awaited return to reality TV. Very Cavallari, the show on which Cavallari both starred and acted as executive producer, debuted in 2018, with a second season following in 2019. She told Elle a few different things had to line up to bring her back into this world, but Cavallari felt the store, and its many eccentric employees, would be a fitting backdrop. 

Still, she was anxious about her return, noting, "I had a little moment right before we started filming of, 'Oh my God, I think I made the wrong decision,' but that quickly went away as soon as we started filming." Cavallari appreciated her new role, noting, "Having that security blanket and knowing I get to see everything beforehand, and that if we really needed to we could change some stuff... that really put my mind at ease. Working with a team of producers that respect and value my creative direction with the show is such a dream come true." 

With her shoe line, her jewelry line Uncommon James, two books, and a brand-new reality TV show, it's difficult to imagine Kristin Cavallari fitting anything else into her schedule work-wise. However, in 2019, she collaborated with long-time hair stylist Justin Anderson on a new "blonding brush" so fans could emulate her signature tresses. Still, Uncommon James is her baby, and nowhere is Cavallari's passion more evident.  

She spoke to TV Insider about exposing her business to criticism in Very Cavallari, noting, "Putting those company vulnerabilities out there can be scary, but it's also very real. We're all learning and growing. I feel like I'm working really hard right now to get the corporate things in a really great place." Still, Cavallari knows what's right for her business life, as much as her personal life. "I find I have to do what's best for my company. If I want Uncommon James to get where I want it to be, I have to have really strong, key people to help me. I can't do it by myself. ...I'm not doing this just to hang out. I'm really trying to build a huge brand," she explained. 

After spending a decade together, and being married for seven, Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler announced that they were filing for divorce in April 2020. The reality star took to Instagram to share the news with fans, writing in the caption of a photo of her and Cutler strolling down the street, "We have come to a loving conclusion to get a divorce. We have nothing but love and respect for one another and are deeply grateful for the years shared, memories made, and the children we are so proud of." Cavallari explained the two of them had simply been "growing apart," and she asked for privacy to figure out the situation with their family. The divorce documents filed by Cavallari cited "marital misconduct" and "irreconcilable differences," according to Entertainment Tonight.

Although the press had a feeding frenzy, with various sources supposedly close to the couple alleging everything from infidelity to rampant meanness, Cavallari refused to get involved in the mudslinging. She conducted an Instagram Live session with BFF Justin Anderson but, as BuzzFeed reported, Cavallari did not offer any insight into her divorce, instead focusing on her children.