What's Kristen Doute Up To Now?

If you were worried for Vanderpump Rules star Kristen Doute after she was fired from SUR last season, you can rest easy now. After more than a year of prep time, Kristen recently unveiled her new t-shirt line and, fortunately for her, starting your own business doesn't require a recommendation from your previous employer.

"It really is just very me," Kristen, who describes her style as a little California and a little New York, tells SiriusXM Out Q host Larry Flick of her clothing line. The project, named James Mae for her niece and nephew (and not her boyfriend, James) was created when the self-proclaimed "t-shirt and jeans with sneakers or heels kinda girl" noticed a void. "My issue is any time I'm going shopping and I'm thinking, 'If only this shirt kinda looked more like this.' Well, why don't you create it?"

Kristen may have subtlety shaded some of her fellow Bravolebs when discussing how James Mae will be different than other celebrity clothing ventures. "I know a lot of Bravo stars do T-shirt lines where it's maybe your tagline and things like that," she says. "But I wanted this to be a fashion line."

Kristen says she's waiting to see what the response is to the three designs she's made available and then plans to expand the line to include men's shirts, as well as items like wine and shot glasses that feature the same sayings as the current women's tees. The styles available now include a long sleeved shirt and tank that read, "You've got me hanging on to a word for a moment by a thread." Kristen wore the tank on her most recent Watch What Happens Live appearance.

"I'm so, so stoked," Kristen says about the official launch. "It's my baby, it's all I'm working on right now."

Kristen said it was important to her to keep the line, which is priced at $34 and $38, affordable so people like herself and her fans could actually have a budget for it. "Our show is a lot different than the Housewives—we're not driving Bentleys and dripping in diamonds," Kristen says about the relatable Vanderpump Rules stars. "I'm a Midwest girl, I'm a guitar player, I'm very chill."

Yep, she said chill. And it seems Kristen really is working on chilling out a bit after going through some major drama on the show. "I've grown and changed so much as a person," she says. "It's very different now."

Well maybe not totally different. "I've definitely grown a lot and done a lot of work on myself and my relationships," continues Kristen. "That doesn't mean that I go from Camille Grammer first season of Housewives to Camille Grammer second season of Housewives," she said referencing Camille's perceived softening. "I'll never be that quiet meek person. It's not in my blood."

[Source: SiriusXM Entertainment via Soundcloud, James Mae Online Store]