What’s always in your purse?
Well, the Milani lipstick is always in there. I like to have extra hair bands to rein in my crown of fluff. I always have my iPhone since I’m shamelessly addicted to Twitter, and I’m a compulsive email checker. My kindle, too! This is so weird, but I really love passport pictures. I think they’re so neat. There’s something about the serious faces people make in them, and the white backgrounds, and the cropping. It’s like a depression-era school portrait! I love them. So I keep passport pictures of people I’m really close to in my wallet. It’s totally strange. Sometimes when I talk about my boyfriend, people are like, “Do you have a picture of him?,’ and I pull out this weird passport picture, which is just such a creepy thing to have. It’s kind of embarrassing, but there it is.

“Adventure time! I’m heading to Madagascar this summer. I love hiking and animals and getting dirty, and I’m just so excited I could die! The sunglasses are vintage, and will definitely lend me a Lauren Hutton vibe while I’m out there.”

Your job targets teenagers. Does the age difference of the audience ever pose a challenge?
Oh my gosh, I think it’s the total opposite! That’s actually my favorite thing about my job. It’s so nice to write for an audience that’s totally open-minded and optimistic. Young readers are really receptive to new ideas, especially with beauty and fashion, so our job is super fun because there’s nothing too out there. I feel very lucky because our readers are very enthusiastic about the magazine. Meeting the girls is always a blast because they’re so passionate. They usually have a million questions, but they’re also very direct about what they want to see in the magazine. We all try as much as possible to be accessible to our readers, whether via Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, or comments on the Teen Vogue blog. And it’s also great because I feel like I get to be a teenager forever! I get to read Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, and paint my nails neon glow-in-the-dark glitter, or dye my hair lavender, and it’s my JOB! I honestly feel like the luckiest girl alive.

Laurel relaxes by making friendship bracelets while watching TV. She wears a vintage jersey from her boyfriend (she’s a big Michael Jordan fan) and Club Monaco sequin shorts.

What do you enjoy doing during your free time?
I love traveling and hiking, and this summer, my big adventure was Madagascar! I’ve always wanted to go, and it was a total dream come true. Plus, I’m totally crazy about animals and insects, so when I saw my first chameleon and lemur, I nearly had a heart attack. My boyfriend and I go on a big trip like this every other year. The last one was hiking in Torres del Paine in Chile.

At home, I’m a compulsive crafter! I just re-discovered my hot glue-gun, so I guarantee that in a matter of weeks, 90% of the surfaces in my apartment will be “reinvented.” I’m sad to say I’m hopelessly addicted to bad television, so a great night for me is making a friendship bracelet and watching a Bachelor marathon. (Speaking of, I’m also training for the NYC marathon! I’m running to benefit the Lower East Side Girl’s Club, which I’m really, really excited about)!

“When I started working at Teen Vogue, I refused to wear any prints. I was all monochrome, all the time. Now look at me! I’m mixing florals with the best of ‘em.” In a Rag & Bone top, vintage skirt, Proenza Schouler bag, and Marc Jacobs shoes.

What is your definition of true beauty?
Having confidence is a very attractive quality. For women and girls especially, I think it’s important to be able to speak your mind and just own whatever choices you make. “Wishy-washy” isn’t a compliment in any context. Style-wise, the difference between “pulling something off” or not depends on having confidence in what you do. It’s definitely not an easy thing, even to fake.

How are you a “Glitter Girl?”
I do really love sparkle! Also, I love fashion and seeing everything new, but I prefer to stay more true to what I know works for me. I guess having a good sense of myself makes me a Glitter Girl!

Photography: Tim Melideo

You May Also Like