We’re beyond thrilled to welcome our favorite New York City girl, Whitney Port, back on Rue La La (did you catch her chatting live on Facebook today?). To celebrate her upcoming Whitney Eve Boutique, we asked the starlet to dish about her favorite NYC hotspots. From getting pretty to grabbing a slice of pizza, Whitney gives us an insider’s guide to shopping her city  – very, very chicly.

Our Whitney Eve Boutique opens Monday, October 4 at 11AM ET.

The debut of my collection on Rue La La feels like a dream. I have loved fashion ever since I was a little girl. One of my earliest memories is working behind the scenes in my dad’s warehouse, ticketing garments and folding sweatshirts. So when I landed an internship at Women’s Wear Daily, I couldn’t have been more thrilled. From there, I worked for amazing publications like Teen Vogue, where I got to see my first fashion show (DKNY Jeans) at Smashbox Studios in Los Angeles.

One of the biggest challenges I faced when I set out to create my collection was designing for a wide demographic – being able to speak to women of every age, size, and income. Personally, I love mixing “high” and “low,” vintage and new, and buying pieces you can wear with many different things (like tops that can be dressed up or down, and can be worn with jeans, black pants, or a pencil skirt). When I thought about my line, I wanted it to have an Alice-in-Wonderland-goes-to-a-cocktail-party feel, with an effortless, vibrant-yet-empowering vibe.

Last year I was thrilled to introduce my first line, Whitney Eve, to the world – and seeing my own dream come to life on the runway is a feeling I’ll never forget. What I saw under the lights at Bryant Park was just what I had set out to accomplish – a fun, chic, sophisticated collection that real women would want to wear. Just like every woman should own a pair of great-fitting dark denim jeans, a figure-flattering little black dress, and a leather motorcycle jacket, I’ve come to see some of my own pieces as wardrobe essentials. A couple of my personal favorites are the watercolor chiffon flounce dress and the metallic oversized jacket.

One day I would love to see celebrities like Ashley Olsen, Kate Bosworth, Rihanna, and Keira Knightley wear my collection. They are so ahead of the trends, willing to take chances and rock everything they put on. Seeing them in my pieces would be so exciting. And I am so excited for the Boutique doors to open on my new collection.

Whitney Port & Brian Reyes: ELLE Modern Designers will be open on Rue La La from May 12 – 17.