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Lauren Conrad was born in Laguna Beach, California on February 1, 1986 to Jim and Katherine Conrad. Her father is an architect (designer of the Conrad family home) and her mother helps to manage his business.

 Lauren Conrad was followed three years later by a sister, Breanna (featured in Laguna Beach season three), and six years later by brother Brandon. According to sister Breanna's official MySpace profile, the Conrad family is Catholic.

Conrad lived with her parents in Laguna Beach throughout her childhood and high school years. In February of 2004, her senior year at Laguna Beach High School, MTV began filming Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, which followed the personal lives of Conrad and seven other Laguna Beach teens.

After graduation from high school, Conrad's new-found independence led her to Academy of Art University in San Francisco. According to Kaitlyn Healey, one of Conrad's closest friends since seventh grade, it was a shock that Conrad went away to school because before Laguna Beach she was always "the most shy, reserved person;" the show "made her a completely different person."

Conrad entered Academy of Art University in the fall of 2004. She met Heidi Montag (Conrad's co-star in The Hills) at freshmen orientation and the two immediately became best friends. After only one semester, Conrad left San Francisco and moved back to her parents' house. Conrad transferred to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles and worked as an intern at Three Dots clothing company beginning in early 2005. She was also featured on the second season of Laguna Beach.