Lucy Hale Tells Us All About Her Life Post-PLL

You may have noticed by now that we're big fans of Lucy Hale's casual Cali-girl style. While we're usually talking about the latest jeans, sneakers, or leggings she's spotted in, today we're sharing something a bit more exciting. Hale recently started filming for a new show on The CW, Life Sentence, after seven seasons (and eight years!) on Pretty Little Liars.

The show centers around a young woman named Stella who embraced a "live like you were dying" outlook on life while battling cancer for eight years and what happens when she suddenly finds out it's been cured. We were lucky enough to chat with the fashionable star about her exciting new role as well as her personal life, style, and favorite places to spend time in L.A. Here's everything we learned while catching up with Hale.

On the Transition From Pretty Little Liars to Life Sentence

"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't scary to start something new, but creatively, it also was really thrilling and exciting. I had no idea that I would move on so quickly. I got presented with this show and this character who I absolutely fell in love with. It was so drastically different from what I've been doing for the last eight years of my life. I always go with my gut, and my gut instinct was telling me that this was a character that only I can do, and I'm really glad that I got to do it, because it ended up being one of the greatest experiences of my life. I'm just very excited to introduce [my character] and the show to everyone."

On Her Character, Stella, in 3 Words

"Optimistic, spontaneous, and naive."

On Similarities Between Herself and Stella 

"We're both perfectionists in a way. Stella is actually someone I would strive to be more like because [she] likes to live in the moment, travel to new cities, and always see the glass half full. I think that she has a very positive outlook on life. I would love to be more like that. Stella is also a fixer. She wants to fix everyone else's problems and puts her problems on the back burner, which is something I tend to do in my everyday life as well."

On What She Would Do With Only a Certain Amount of Time Left to Live

"There are so many places in the world that I haven't been able to travel to, so definitely the thing I would love to do would revolve around traveling. Scuba diving, skydiving, and going on safaris. It would probably be a lot of spending time with people I don't get to see a lot because of what I do for a living. It's one of those scenarios where you truly don't know what you would do unless you actually got that news."

On The Pressure of Being a Role Model to Young Girls

"Without realizing that there's pressure, you want people to look at you a certain way. I always want to be authentic. Often things aren't what they seem to be. You see Instagrams and any version we want people to see, so there are times where I have to hold back things that I actually want to say. I try to be 100% myself though, and hopefully it comes off how I want it to."

On Working With Stylist Alyssa Sutter

"I've worked with Alyssa for the last couple of years, and I love her. She's very collaborative, but sometimes I do put all of my trust in her and have her pick something she thinks will work. I like to keep an open mind and not say 'no' too many times because I think fashion should be fun and about taking risks. Obviously if I'm completely uncomfortable, that's going to show on my face, so I try not to dress it up too much. I like to incorporate myself in whatever I'm wearing."

On If She'd Wear 2 Popular Trends

Chunky "Dad" Sneakers: "I actually think they're kind of cool."

Socks With Sandals: "That's always been a no for me. There are cute ruffly socks though. Socks with sneakers, yes, but socks with sandals is a stretch for me."

On How She Spends Her Free Time

"I love going to the spa and getting facials and getting caught up with things that make me feel more normal. I love to be outside, work out, and thrift-shop. I just bought a camera, and I'm going to force myself to learn about the camera and hopefully have a new hobby."

On Her Favorite Spots in Los Angeles

Caffeine Fix: "I'm obsessed with this place called Alfred Coffee."

Best Sushi in Town: "Sugarfish is my favorite restaurant."

Vintage Shopping Heaven: "I love to shop at American Rag on La Brea."