Kristin Cavallari and Kelly Henderson: How Things Got So Messy Between Them

Henderson was part of Cavallari's "inner circle" before cheating rumors between Henderson and Cavallari's husband Jay Cutler broke the two BFFs apart.

kelly henderson very cavallari episode 206 the one where jay goes cray pictured kelly henderson photo by jake giles nettere entertainmentnbcu photo banknbcuniversal via getty images
(Image credit: E! Entertainment)

In light of the bombshell news that Kristin Cavallari and husband Jay Cutler will officially be divorcing after 10 years together (is this why we haven't been hearing about another season of Very Cavallari??), fans immediately began wondering about the source of the split. Despite the claims that infidelity played no part in the breakup, rumors are circling because of some weird timing: Cavallari cut ties with her former best friend Kelly Henderson earlier this year. The two had been BFFs for years before a mysterious rift broke the two apart. Henderson hasn't commented, and information about the divorce is still coming in, but this is what we know about the situation.

Cavallari and Henderson were BFFs for a long time.

The two had apparently been friends for eight years. Henderson, per her Instagram bio, is a "celeb stylist & glam specialist," as well as being founder of Velvet's Edge. It seems like a blog on fashion, beauty, and lifestyle, with items for sale and an associated podcast. According to her bio, she grew up in Louisiana, lives in Tennessee, travels a ton, and likes to "live freely."

Henderson was a part of Cavallari's inner friend circle, as depicted on the show, and Henderson even joked about trying to find the perfect guy for herself. Then the two stopped showing up on each other's social media accounts, and there were rumblings of a friend break. The rift played out on season 3 of Very Cavallari—according to Cavallari, the two hadn't spoken in months after a "falling out," and Henderson had gotten defensive in recent conversations.

Cavallari addressed rumors of cheating between Henderson and Cutler and said she didn't believe them. "It wasn’t the actual accusations of them having an affair that made me upset, it was how Kelly went about it," she said. There was something about Henderson posting about it publicly. "Why [does she] want to post about [my husband]? To get more attention about it...If I was accused of having an affair with your husband, I wouldn’t say his f*cking name on social media." I'll be honest, it came across as vague.

Later, Henderson responded on the show, saying that she was focusing on her own life. "I got a f*cking text that I did not interpret to be very nice...I think she thinks I’m texting just because of the show," she said. She denied the cheating rumors, but has gotten a lot of heat on social media about it.

Cavalleri filed for divorce from Cutler a few days ago.

Fans had been worried that they weren't hearing about a new season of Very Cavallari. The star had said in the past that she didn't want to do reality TV forever, and she'd signed on to make a cameo on The Hills: New Beginnings season 2. But the divorce news puts everything in a different light—will the show even continue, now that the couple is splitting up? 

Cutler filed first, citing "irreconcilable differences, and Cavallari filed later in the week citing the same cause as well as "marital misconduct." That's a legal term for behavior that caused the "erosion" of the relationship. TBH, it could mean lots of things, but cheating is absolutely one of the ways misconduct can happen. Tennessee is an at-fault state if parties don't agree to the terms of the divorce, meaning one party has to be more at fault than the other. So they may be headed towards a legal battle—and who knows if this Henderson business might get dragged into everything, even though sources insist that the couple just grew apart. To be continued.

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Katherine J. Igoe
Contributing Editor

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York TimesParentsInStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLEHarper’s BazaarSeventeenGood Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award. 

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeanshow sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.