Model Diaries: Stassi Schroeder

Photographed by ANDIE JANE
Styled by MAREN TAYLOR
Outfit GUESS
Makeup ABSOLUTE NEW YORK

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana, which explains a lot about me.

What do you love most about your hometown?
Honestly, New Orleans has everything I love: history, incredible food, beautiful architecture, a healthy amount of chaos, and just the right level of darkness. It's dramatic, charming, a little haunted, and completely comfortable being exactly what it is. I relate to that. I love that it gives chic vampire.

What's currently inspiring you the most?
My daughter, Hartford. She's so unapologetically herself and has absolutely no problem telling me and Beau what she likes, what she doesn't like, and exactly who she is. No question she is definitely my daughter. Watching her move through the world without second-guessing herself is a reminder to trust your instincts and own what makes you different.

How would you describe this chapter of your life in three words?
Chaotic, grateful & celebratory.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
My grandmother would always tell me, “you can choose to be happy.” In her own way, she’d remind me that I had the power to shift my perspective and that helped me to process my emotions and it made my problems seem easier to handle. I think about that all the time.

What's the last thing that made you laugh out loud?
My son Messer. He is unintentionally one of the funniest people I've ever met. He’s at that really special age (he’s about to be 3) where he’s figuring out what makes people laugh and he’s nailing it.

What's currently on your nightstand?
My glasses, my Simple Modern water bottle, Heartspring.co lip balm and, I know this sounds pretentious but I keep my fashion-inspo scrapbooks I made 20 years ago on it as a make-shift coffee table book.

What book are you reading right now?
Honestly, I'm not reading anything at the moment. Any spare time I have is usually spent with my kids, working, or trying to convince myself I'll go to bed early. But if I were picking up a book, it would definitely be something that takes place before 1900.
 
What's your favorite city in the world?
Paris. I feel completely myself when I’m in Paris… and I’m convinced I was a shoe cobbler at Versailles in a past life.

What is your signature cocktail?
An Aperol Spritz. It's chic, easy, and makes any situation feel a little more European.

What's your current skincare obsession?
Skyn Iceland Face-Lift-In-A-Bag before putting makeup on… thank me later.

What is your signature fragrance?
Baccarat Rouge (extrait de parfum)

What's your everyday makeup look?
I do a full beat everyday. I don’t leave the house without it. Covering up my rosacea with my Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation, brows always done and fluffy, an overlined lip, and a lot of bronzer and blush.

What's the best beauty tip you've learned over the years?
The way you do your brows really changes your whole face, so choose your shape wisely. 
I personally love to fluff mine up.

What's your favorite fashion trend right now?
The return of polished dressing. I love when people look intentionally put together.

Who is your style icon?
Grace Kelly. Forever and always.

Most played song on your playlist at the moment?
Whatever my kids are currently obsessed with. My algorithm has been hijacked. Right now, Hartford is into Lucky by Britney Spears and I’m not mad at it.

What is making you happiest right now?
My family. It sounds cliché, but it's true. I just got back from a trip where I got to be present with them and unplug. Having those moments with them really filled my cup.

As a television personality, podcast host, author and fashion icon, tell us about your journey to getting where you are today. 
It definitely has not been a straight line. I’ve had incredible highs, very public lows, and a lot of chances to reinvent myself along the way. What started with reality television evolved into books, podcasts, live tours, and building a brand that’s really just an extension of who I am. House of Stassi is a dream come true for me - it’s the kind of project that pulls everything I love together. I’ve always felt like I was made for reality TV, and I think that energy has carried through every chapter since.

Looking back, what is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about your time on Vanderpump Rules?
Chaos. Absolute chaos. But also gratitude. It was such a unique experience and it completely changed the trajectory of my life.

What was the biggest lesson you learned from having your life documented on reality television?
Sometimes your ugliest moments are the ones people relate to the most. You never know who you could be helping by being totally vulnerable.

Is there a moment from Vanderpump Rules that fans still bring up to you the most?
I am the devil and don’t you forget it. Which honestly… is fine with me because I was the one that told them not to forget it haha.

What do you think viewers would be most surprised to learn about your experience
behind the scenes?
That getting a show made is way harder than it looks. The long journey of coming up with the idea for the show to developing to pitching to pre-production and filming was filled with a ton of unexpected hurdles. I really had to fight for this show to come to life!

How has your relationship with fame evolved since you first joined reality television?
It’s so fleeting, you can have it for a little while and then it goes away so the currency of it is meaningless. You can't bank on the power of it because it’s so up and down. So you got to focus on the aspects of your life that are foundational like your family and friends to stay sane.

How did the experience of filming Vanderpump Villa differ from your time on Vanderpump Rules?
It was so fun because first of all, I wasn’t working. I was on vacation. And second I got to do my favorite thing in the world, snoop around and get the truth behind all the gossip.

Tell us about your new series, House of Stassi. What inspired you to create this?
This has been over three years in the making - and honestly, reality TV has been a part of my whole adult life. During the times I wasn’t on reality TV, it felt weird that my audience was missing out on some of the biggest moments of my life. I always knew I wanted to create my own show with my family and my chosen family and having this all come to life finally is so surreal!

How has motherhood changed the way you approach your career and new
opportunities?
I think about them in every choice I make. Will an opportunity be worth it, how much time will it require me to spend away from them etc. Mom guilt is so real. I’m working hard to build something substantial for my family and I consider how every single opportunity adds to that big picture.

What is one thing your children have taught you about yourself?
That I'm much more of a pushover than I ever thought I was capable of being.

What project or achievement has challenged you the most creatively?
Writing books. It's one thing to sit behind a microphone and talk for an hour. It's another thing entirely to stare at a blank page and create something lasting.

You have built a successful brand through books, podcasts, live shows, and television. What aspect of your career excites you the most right now?
Creating across multiple platforms. I love that I can connect with audiences through television, podcasting, writing, and live experiences. Each one scratches a different creative itch.

What is currently inspiring you creatively?
Storytelling. Whether it's documentaries, scripted series, books, or podcasts, I'm fascinated by people who know how to tell compelling stories and keep people’s attention.

Are there any upcoming projects or ventures that you are especially excited to share with your audience?
I’m in a season where I’m creating some of my most personal work yet, and I’m really excited about House of Stassi. It feels like a very natural next chapter for me - letting people into my home, my family life, and the real dynamics with my friends in a way that’s honest, funny, and very me. It’s been fun (and a little vulnerable) opening up that world, but it also feels right.

What can fans expect from you next?
More honesty, more humor, more storytelling, and probably a few opinions nobody asked for.

What does being Modeliste's next Cover Star mean to you?
It’s so incredibly special. I've always loved fashion as a method of storytelling, and Modeliste celebrates women who are evolving, creating, and embracing every chapter of their lives. To be featured on the cover during this stage of my journey feels like a meaningful full-circle moment!!

I 100% would’ve cut out these photos for my fashion scrapbook 20 years ago.