One little guilty pleasure of mine is the CW Show, Gossip Girl.
I used to read the books, and now it’s the only thing I look forward to on Monday nights. Each character has a strong personality and the drama revolves them is something you don’t see in other shows. Apart from the plot lines and relationships, one thing I love watching Gossip Girl for is the fashion.
Eric Daman is the stylist behind all the Gossip Girl costumes, and his choice of clothing for each character is spot on. Since season 1, Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester) has been my favourite character. Her wittiness and banter with each character makes it fun to watch. But what’s more attracting is her great sense of style (or Eric Daman’s style.) No matter if she’s scheming, sleeping, dating, or going out, Blair Waldorf’s outfits are always classy and elegant. With her rich background and residence in New York’s Upper East Side, Blair Waldorf’s clothing can range from hundreds of dollars to thousands.
To be honest, I don’t have the greatest sense of fashion, so I look up to Gossip Girl quite a bit! However, I don’t have the luxury to wear such fine clothing, so here’s some budget-friendly pieces I gathered myself to look more Blair-like!
I went to a private high school, but I definitely did not personalize my uniform like Blair Waldorf did. Although it seems her uniform is composed of a dress shirt and a navy skirt, she adds tailored blazers or a pop of color, or her signature headband, that makes her as Blair. She’s preppy and I love it! How come I didn’t look like this in high school?!
Affordable blazers can be found in H&M and Forever 21. For a bit of a more upscale look, Zara offers blazers around $80. Dress shirts can also be found in similar places, and pretty much anywhere in a clothing store.
My interpretation of preppy Blair involves:
a) Blazer (from Hong Kong) with a sailor patch
b) Apple print scarf from H&M for a pop of color and pattern
c) Collared dress shirt with ruffles (Esprit)
d) Velvet headband with bowtie
e) Pencil Black Skirt (Dynamite)
No wonder outfits like these makes Blair the Queen B.
Other trends that Blair wears are lace, florals, and bow ties. For some reason, I am most attracted to clothes with those specific designs.
1) Lace
Blair Waldorf wears lace outfits show a gentle and softer side of her.
I’ve been collecting lace pieces recently, and I bought this dress, as it pretty much scream Blair Waldorf to me. My favourite dress of Blair is the one in the middle, which she wore in the first episode, Pilot. This lace dress was purchased from Asos. The waistline is designed to fit the curves perfectly, and the bell bottomed sleeves add a vintage, doll-like look. To find similar pieces, Asos and Forever 21 offers many affordable lace and vintage styled dresses. The black headband with floral garnishes also screams Blair Waldorf. Many black headbands can be found in Claire’s, Forever 21, Asos, H&M, or Aldo.
2) Bow ties
Blair also often incorporates bow ties/ribbons in her outfit- whether tying the collar of her chiffon blouses into a ribbon, or giant bows on her dresses.
This blouse from Forever 21 is one of my essential tops I wear during summer. It”s lightweight and sheer, so a white tank top would be worn underneath. The little bow ties on the blouse brings out the feminine style. I would pair this with a lace skirt that I bought from Plenty warehouse sale. Bowties + lace = Blair Waldorf for sure!
3) Florals
Blair’s closet is blooming with floral/nature related dresses and skirts.
While my floral pieces are limited, this is what I put together for a Upper East Side feel:
I bought this bird patterned dress from Forever 21 awhile ago, and what I love about it is the purple sheen material and the belt gives the impression of a smaller waistline. Forever 21 offers lots of pieces like this throughout the year, no matter what season. The color and originality of this dress caught my eye and I had to get it.
This outfit is much more simplistic and can be worn as an everyday outfit. The skirt comes from Aritizia, which I got during a boxing day sale. A simple black top completes the outfit. I love the twist at the chest part of the top which makes the overall look more chic. I bought this top from H&M for $3 at a sale!
Last but not least, we can’t forget her taste in coats! Even during the cold weather, Blair Waldorf’s coats complete the rest of her look. When I bundle up during the cold season, I end up looking like a snowman.
In the first picture, Blair pulls of a bright green cape jacket.I was interested in this type of jacket and I hunted down one last year at Bryan‘s for $25. This is a simple brown cape jacket with a black sweater. This can be worn to parties with a dress underneath, or black jeans with flats for a cute, day to day look. Brown can be paired up with a variety of outfits, and I like the simplicity of this jacket. I was definitely happy with this investment.
This is another one of my favourite jackets I bought for $20 at Bryan’s Fashions. It is purple, but bad lighting made the jacket look blue. What I like about this design is the accentuated waist, which makes me look at lot skinnier. The double button style also gives a military feel. I have seen similar jackets in big stores, such as Forever 21 and H&M as well.
This jacket is very versatile. It is a nice addition when going out for dinners if a dress or a long top with leggings is worn underneath. I also wear this jacket to school on semi-warm days with jeans and a knit top or hoodie.
Despite my meager amount of money, I am able to find pieces similar to the style of Gossip Girl. I hope I was able to catch the essence of a New Yorker! You don’t always need to be rich to dress well (though one or two pieces would be nice! :P)
Do you have any Blair Waldorf like pieces lying in your closet as well? I love to hear!