Kristin Cavallari doesn’t hold back when speaking about what dating has been like as a single mom post-divorce.
The “Hills” star married Jay Cutler in June 2013, with the pair sharing three kids together. They announced their split in April 2020, before finalizing their divorce in June 2022.
While chatting to ET Canada’s Kyra Rickert, Cavallari — who has been promoting her “Let’s Be Honest” podcast — gave her honest opinion about the dating scene right now.
“This is the first time in my life I’ve been single and I’ve actually dated.”
She shared, “I mean, the dating world. It’s been an interesting one for the last three and a half years. This is the first time in my life I’ve been single and I’ve actually dated.
“My first boyfriend was in eighth grade, and then I had boyfriends all throughout high school in my late teens, early twenties, met my ex-husband when I was 23. So it’s been fun. I mean, I’ve had ups and downs, of course, but overall, I’ve really had a good time. And I think every single person I go out with, whether it’s one date, there is something I take away of either something I do like or something I don’t like.
“And so this time has been really valuable for me because I have a really good idea of who I ultimately want to end up with. And so it’s all good. Like it’s been fun, for sure.”
The reality TV star admitted, “It’s very difficult to date… I’m 36, I have three kids, I’m divorced. That offers up its own set of… I don’t even want to say baggage! But you know what I mean.”
She also said, “I would hope in five years I’m settled down and I’m not still talking about dating. I’m not putting a time limit on myself, it’s not necessarily something that I’m like ‘I need to find a man.’
“If it happens, it happens and that’s great. It’s not like a huge priority for me.”
Cavallari added of her do’s and dont’s of dating, “Stuff I’m really looking for is someone who’s just really, you know, secure, confident in themselves, who can make me laugh. That’s really big.
“My life is very full. I’m very happy. And so, you know, I don’t need a guy for anything. So I really just want to be with someone because they make me happy. They bring me joy. I want a buddy.
“I want someone that I can just have a good time with. And so, yeah, and accountability I think is really important. Or I’d say maybe that’s kind of a deal breaker [if] someone has zero accountability, that’s a huge red flag for me. So yeah… That’s what I’m looking for.”
READ MORE: Kristin Cavallari Explains Why She Refuses To Bow Down To ‘Pressure’ And Get Botox
Despite going out on dates, Cavallari — who insisted “it’s important for moms to go out [and] get dressed up” once in a while — isn’t a fan of dating apps.
She said, “You know, I’ve stayed away and I’ve had a lot of people tell me to join them. I just for me, I’m all about connection that you have with someone in person.
“Anyone can be great on paper, but it’s really about that chemistry, that connection that you have with someone. And so that’s obviously impossible to tell just on an app or through a photo.”
The “Let’s Be Honest with Kristin Cavallari” podcast has new episodes out every Tuesday.
