From the moment she first graced the screen on Laguna Beach in 2004, Kristin Cavallari quickly established herself as a reality TV icon. From her mismatched bikinis to her brutal honesty and one-liners, she was a forceful presence set against the picture-perfect backdrop of Orange County. Early on, MTV producers branded her as the series’ villain, focusing on a love triangle between Cavallari, her on-off boyfriend Stephen Colletti, and her alleged rival, Lauren Conrad. She gave us tons of attitude, drama-filled trips to Cabo, and, perhaps most importantly, the word “dunzo.”
Now, 18 years after the show premiered, the mom of three and Uncommon James founder is taking a cue from the show’s theme song and going back…back to the beginning. She’s teamed up with Colletti to relive the highs and lows of high school for their new Laguna Beach rewatch podcast, aptly titled Back to the Beach. In addition to reminiscing about the themed parties and teenage feuds of each episode, the exes reveal the authenticity of every scene. “It’s been really eye-opening and therapeutic to watch the show again and break things down with Steven,” Cavallari tells ELLE.com. “I have a much more positive outlook on it than I did back in the day, because I was so emotionally invested in it at the time. I feel like now I can really close the door on it.”
Some might shudder at the thought of watching a past relationship unfold on-camera, not to mention the added layer of recapping it with the ex in question. But Cavallari isn’t fazed; in fact, she gets why some fans still ship them as a couple today. “We were each other’s first loves, and we’ll always have that respect and admiration for one another,” she says. “We obviously still have chemistry, just not in that way. But I do love him, and I’m really happy that we’re able to have such a good friendship now. I think it’s sweet that people are rooting for us, so I hate to break it to everybody, but we’re not gonna get back together—it’s just not gonna happen.”
Still, Cavallari understands the public’s continued interest in her relationships—a love triangle is, of course, what made her famous in the first place. “People always have their opinions about who I should be dating,” she says. “I feel like I’m walking a fine line between being candid and keeping things private.” Two years after her split from ex-husband Jay Cutler, she feels more comfortable opening up about her personal life. “I think the dating stuff is funny and relatable, because it’s what I’m really going through,” she says. “I actually feel like I’m in the best place for dating right now, because I have three kids and I’m successful. I don’t need a man in my life for anything other than to bring me joy; I don’t have a ticking time bomb. It’s a really great position to be in, and my life feels pretty peaceful for the most part.”
She may be drama-free these days, but while revisiting her teen experience for Back to the Beach, Cavallari has grown to appreciate certain aspects of life as it was. “Your high school years are so great because you don’t have that much responsibility yet,” she says. “There’s a lot of freedom, and I’m nostalgic for the simplicity of life. But at 35, I’m just way more comfortable in my skin.” She’s also more confident in her fashion choices. “As a kid, I didn’t really have any style,” says Cavallari. “I look back at photos and laugh—I don’t cringe, because everybody was wearing this stuff. But at 17, I didn’t care about fashion; it wasn’t even on my radar. That’s why it’s so authentic: I have a zit in every other scene, my hair’s a mess. I did not put effort into filming whatsoever, and that was the beauty of it. No one gave a shit what we were wearing.”
Early aughts viewers—who likely rushed to Abercrombie & Fitch en masse after each episode, in the hopes of recreating the cast’s casual-cool looks—may beg to differ. Here, Cavallari revisits 10 of her iconic outfits from Laguna Beach.
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