I'm watching Gossip Girl for the first time after covering the pilot in my podcast with Miss. Donahue. What a ridiculous show, it's a glossy soap opera about the "lives of Manhattan's elite", yet apparently there are only 12 people in that elite bubble and they all date each other. It's a dating rotation. It's a full on partner swap every episode. New people come in, stay for a couple of weeks, but then are quickly shown the door. Mainly because those new people are nearly always evil and scheming. They're dastardly cartoon characters with stilettos, blazers and agendas. Also I know the identity of the head honcho of the website that spills all the gossip, AKA Gossip Girl, and knowing that makes watching for the first time slightly worrying. It means one character must be suffering with a very troubling personality disorder, and it's worrying how long it goes unchecked. I can only imagine that when everyone finds out said person's secret the show will end tragically and that person will be put in therapy (and possibly jail) for a very long time.
In short, I love this show.
My favourite character by a million Manhattan blocks, is Blair Waldorf. She's cruel, unforgiving, bossy and selfish. And yet she's very likable. In general I'm a fan of female characters that are appealing despite their many flaws (see also Julia Louis Dreyfus as Selina Myer in VEEP). We have a lot of nice girl characters, it's always refreshing to have one who subverts what's expected. Plus, this woman has strong wardrobe game. I'm really looking forward to colder weather so I can try and recreate some of her looks. There's something of Veronica Sawyer about her, but with headbands and more frills, and I'm pretty sure Olivia Palermo was the inspiration for, and also is inspired by, Ms. Waldorf. I've mainly focused on her autumn and winter styles, but there's a bit of summer in there too. Also sorry to any Serena fans, I may well cover her too, but if I'm honest she just doesn't have the bite that Blair does.
Blair is good at dressing for school. She wears a lot of navy, tartan/plaid, and coloured tights. And everyone around her - the minions - dress the same way. I would have thought that would annoy Blair but she seems to love it, at one point she meets someone wearing a bow headband and tells her, "bows always go on the right". She also tells a Prince off for wearing jeans to an event. Fashion is one place where she plays by the rules.
Blair is really into red accessories (see above) but we'll get to that later. I like how on the right she's wearing three different shades of blue. No biggy.
She never plays it completely safe, like below where she's whipped out a yellow coat, red tights and a tan bag. That should not go together, and it kind of doesn't, but her attitude makes it work. When Blair dresses unconventionally it's a power play, she knows no one would dare comment. She's taunting them all with her colour clash. Below we also see her in one of her capes, this woman has so many capes, she must have one wardrobe solely dedicated to capes that Dorota has to organise by colour. In other news I am in love her two tone shoes, white tights and diamond knit.
Below are two of my favourite looks. The one on the left, with the gold tights, gold bow tie and red coat reminds me a lot of an outfit from Heathers. Especially with the white socks and ballet shoes. God, remember when everyone was wearing ballet shoes? Why were we doing that?
On the left...I don't even know how to describe this outfit. That pale blue coat with brown trim - I would never know how to wear that, and yet it's so perfect with the 70s boots and matching bag. She's a genius.
Blair is maximal. This white dress below with it's, again, 70s shape is so pretty and statement, I think most people would just wear it with bare legs and a little bit of jewellery. But Blair puts on lacy brown tights and another one of her frickin' headbands. It doesn't need that, but then she is a woman who is all about possessing things you don't need.
But look. She does wear white very well.
Come summer there is one colour Blair wears very frequently - yellow. Normally with orange and red. I assume she doesn't want the sun to outshine her so she sticks it on her clothes.
But she also does pattern clashing. Bigtime. And this to me is very Palermo. The Palermo Pattern Clash, it's a bit similar to this and this.
Her berets, bows, bands and beautiful cloches. They're not to my taste, but it's only fair we properly consider this woman's dedication to head gear. I guess loving having something on her bonce is what makes her Queen B.
And we need to seriously consider her dedication to outerwear. She has so many coats in the same colour - look two cream coats, two checked coats, TWO GREEN CAPES.
YES I SAID TWO GREEN CAPES. Which apparently must always be worn with yellow. Two, different yellow bags. I enjoy Dan Humphry's face in that picture, very suave.
And yes, her tights game is strong. Coloured, lacy, or coloured AND lacy, every inch of Blair must be adorned. Oh and look, a different green coat with a different yellow bag! Maybe Dorota's room is just jam packed full of green wool and yellow leather. I feel like she must keep all her clothes somewhere that isn't her bedroom since it's always so tidy and it's possible to see the floor and open the goddamned door.
Another Blair Waldorf trick is to wear contrasting coloured shoes. White ones with black tights, pink with a blue dress, yellow with purple silk.
But red is the colour Blair is most dedicated too. Whether it's an accent or head to toe, it's the hue she always returns to. And also she often wears it with white and blue, she's a true American Manhattan princess.
Finally I feel like it's only fair to include some images of her underwear/loungewear, because it's insane! She has the best silks ever! Well, the best for someone who must have a drycleaner on speed dial, and never feels the need for a comfy big cotton knicker. You have to salute this woman's drawers.
XOXO