Kristin Cavallari insists boyfriend Mark Estes is not 'typical 24-year-old' after receiving backlash over age difference

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Laguna Beach' alum Kristin Cavallari is now sharing a bit of her thoughts with the public after giving her heart to her new 24-year-old lover, Mark Estes.

The former 'Laguna Beach' star opened up on Tuesday, March 12, during her 'Let's Be Honest' podcast session about the 13-year age difference between her and her present boyfriend, Estes.

The 37-year-old reality personality stunned everyone by sharing a selfie on Instagram with Estes from their romantic trip to Los Cabos, Mexico.

Kristin Cavallari admits romance with a man 13 years younger was a 'hangup'

Cavallari revealed her true feelings over Estes' 13-year age difference in the initial weeks of their relationship, following her hard-launched relationship with the former collegiate football star on Instagram.

"I want you guys to know that me dating a 24-year-old is not something that I was, like, searching out," she stated during her podcast, 'Let's Be Honest with Kristin Cavallari,' which aired on Tuesday, March 12.

"If you guys listen to the podcast, you know, I thought 30-year-olds were too young for me. I understand what it looks like to the outside world, I really do. I get that."

While Cavallari appeared to understand why she was facing criticism, she maintained, "He is not a typical 24-year-old."

The 'Laguna Beach' alum acknowledged that she had serious doubts during their initial date, which was the day before Valentine's Day. "I'm not gonna lie to you guys, like the age thing was a hangup for me at first," she remarked, per PEOPLE.

But now she said, "I don't give a f**k and I'm all in with this guy and I don't actually care what anybody thinks."

Following her public revelation of her relationship at the end of February, Cavallari said she had been prepared for this moment her entire career.

Cavallari stated her "entire career has prepped me for this moment because when this news came out, it's the first time in my entire life I 100% haven't given a s**t what anybody thinks."

"My entire career has prepped me for this moment because when this news came out, it's the first time in my entire life I 100% haven't given a s--- what anybody thinks," she added.

"He's very sweet — from the jump, he was so sweet to me. Like the very first thing he said to me when we were standing there and [had] just met, he was like, ‘You're, like, really pretty.’"

Kristin Cavallari laughed at for acting 'like a little high school girl'

On Tuesday’s episode of her podcast, Cavallari further admitted that she initially came across Estes after "scrolling on TikTok," where she came across the Montana Boyz, a group that has amassed over 12 million likes on the app.

"So I go, ‘Holy s**T, who are these guys, because they’re so hot, but specifically this one,’ who I’m going to refer to as Montana. I send it to you, and we’re both like, ‘This is the hottest guy we’ve ever seen.’"

Cavallari’s best friend Justin Anderson, who accompanied her for the episode, said of Estes: "If someone could draw your type, that’s your type."

Cavallari went on, "We carry on with our lives. Three weeks later, I get a DM on Instagram from the Montana Boyz that just says ‘I love you.’ And I’m going, ‘Oh, my God!’"

Anderson explained her response as similar to "a little high school girl," to which Cavallari did not disagree, per PEOPLE.

She started chatting more with Estes—whom she referred to as "Montana" throughout the episode—after she revealed their move to Nashville in a December DM to the account.

Perhaps Cavallari's happiness stems from the fresh perspective her current relationship has given her after her "toxic" marriage to Jay Cutler ended in 2020 when she decided to call it quits on her 2013 wedding.