Re-Wind: Back Track on I Will Always Love You

I'm one of those people that tends to act like I have a personal relationship with their favourite characters, both in my favourite books and my favourite TV shows. Since I grew up reading Gossip Girl for most of my teenage life the Blair, Serena, Nate love triangle will always hold a special place in my heart. Knowing this is the final novel in the series is actually a little heartbreaking, and in some ways a parallel to the closing chapter of my own adolescence. In my last few posts I've been a bit nostalgic, maybe even overly so, but the truth be told is sometimes you need to look to the past, especially when you're trying to figure out where you're going. I credit Blair Waldorf for my undying love for Audrey Hepburn which at this point in my life surpasses my love and adoration for Blair. It's actually made me into the person I am today, it's the first series I really interacted with and now the final novel was in some ways self reflexive of the last four years of my own life. There are however a few things I'd like to say about the one I will truly always love. I'll forgive Cecily Von Ziegesar and her editor for their momentary lapse in judgement (i.e. the additional, need I say forced) Chuck & Blair story line, that had very little development because she stayed true to the thing that made the books compelling, the never ending love triangle between Blair, Serena and Nate. I may deny that I'm a romantic but when it comes to Nate and Blair, I'll always have a soft spot. It's true what they said when the TV series first started - Nate was always caught between the love of his life and the girl of his dreams, but who does he choose in the end, or for that matter who do Serena and Blair choose in the end: that you'll have to read to believe. You'll love it if you loved the book series, and if you haven't read the series yet, you should seriously think about it (but don't cheat and read just the last one, start from the beginning, it's way more interesting that way). You're nobody 'til your talked about. xoxo - Gossip Girl

Leighton's Lyrics

You should all know by now how much I love me some Blair Waldorf and how much that adoration has translated to actress Leighton Meester. As her her music singles get leaked online I scour for blogs and websites trying to get my hands on them the second they hit the airwaves. I love every single, perfectly aware of and content with the fact that I'm completely biased. Her latest single "Good Girls Go Bad" with Cobra Starship is pretty addictive at this point, what do you all think of Leighton's newest single? I'm particularly loving the line "I know your type, boy your dangerous, yeah you're that guy I'd be stupid to trust but just one night couldn't be so wrong - you make me wanna lose control!" Take a listen to the playlist below.

GG Update

Soooo...Carrnal Knowledge was amazing, blowing all Gossip Girl expectations out of the water, is Blair back on track? will Dan and Ms. Carr's relationship fold? what will Serena do? what's up with Chuck and the ghost of his father's past? So many questions, leaving more to unfold than ever before over the rest of the season. Packed with a steamy affair and Blair's brilliant antics, the last Gossip Girl episode set up a series of intricate mini drama's that I can't wait to see it all unravel. I'm not sure what to do with myself since Gossip Girl will be on hiatus for a month, so the spoiler browsing will have to keep me content.

**Spoiler Alert**
In case you didn't get the memo I've been a Blair and Nate fan since I can remember, and I was hoping the writers would see fit to see it my way again soon. I'm thanking the writing Gods for finally leading the CW writers in the right direction. Not that I haven't loved every misleading move along the way, but as a devout N&B fan I'm beyond happy that pictures have surfaced corroborating my deepest GG wish that Prince Charming and Queen B will reunite again. I'll be awaiting Blair Waldorf's Day Off, hoping that for once everything will fall into place for Blair Bear, Yale and love included.

Spotted: Leighton Meester Teen Vogue Cover Girl

(photo taken from TeenVogue.com)

The beautiful Leighton Meester will be seen on the cover of Teen Vogue in the upcoming February issue. Teen Vogue reported that Leighton says she doesn't want to stop playing the character, and was quoted saying "It would be like part of me going away." Her spread in Teen Vogue will detail all we want to know about this classic beauty, from the truth about that rumour that she was born in jail, to what she thinks about her co-star Ed Westwick (Chuck Bass), the article will also include what she really thinks about Blair Waldorf's signature style, her childhood and some insider information on her debut album (I can't wait to get my hands on that one!).

P.S. New Episodes of Gossip Girl Start January 5th, The next few episodes will answer a few questions about our upper eastsiders, Like how Serena's trip to South America went, or whether or not Blair will attend her father's alma mater, and what about little Jenny Humphrey's return to constance, she's bound to make waves, most importantly we'll finally get some closure from our burning questions from the last episode. Will Chuck and Blair finally be together, will Dan and Aaron have a showdown for Serena's love, what will happen with Rufus and Lily? There's so much we're about to find out. Gossip Girl's New Years Resolution: Keep Getting Better!

Gossip Girl: Waldass Translation

As you all are well aware I’ve never been much of a Waldass (or Chair) fan because I consider myself a purist to the books, not that I don’t love the show, it gets my week started on the right foot and I’d consider myself a fanatic. After much dismay I must say I’ve finally been converted over to the darkside. Even though I’d love for the Nate and Blair saga to continue some time in the future, I’ve come to love and appreciate their antics and that whole star-crossed lovers thing that Blair and Chuck have going on. After last nights episode I’m no longer on the fence about this twosome, Blair really loves him and I say ‘Give the Queen what she wants!’ But poor Chuck in the midst of all this, he’s become a very lonely orphan. How does one deal with losing their parents on the upper-east side, holing yourself up in your fathers hotel and drowning yourself in booze and the company of women seemed like the Chuck Bass way, but what about his one true love? Will he eventually come back to her, a little less soulless and more ready to love her? We can only hope, after that touching moment with them crying together on Blair’s bed only for Chuck to disappear yet again when Blair fell asleep. Or will Blair go looking for him, disregarding the note he left on her pillow? I personally hope the latter, their relationship just got good and in the midst of all this chaos I’d hate for them not to follow through.

As for the rest of the Gossip Girl Cast, as one love triangle, namely Bart-Lily-Rufus comes to an end; another one takes its place Aaron-Serena-Dan. But what can we say for the romances that seem to have met their untimely end. How could Lily not tell Rufus that they had a child? Why doesn't Celia stay out of her daughters life? Can it really be over now that Rufus knows? If Rufus has anything to say about it I guess so, and that just leaves more drama for our other triangle to stir up. Now that Dan got the free and clear from dear old dad, what will Serena do when she comes back from Buenos Aires. Since the recent Waldorf-Rose nuptials we can assume that Aaron isn’t going anywhere, but we don’t expect Serena to fall out of love with Dan so easily do we, especially now that her mother’s love affair is over? And we don’t expect Dan to go out without a fight!

Spotted: Waldass in an ad campaign for Nikon’s new line of Coolpix cameras. I’ve got to say they look adorable & those camera's look pretty good too (I know what I want for Christmas). Where: You can find the ad spread in the current issues of Teen Vogue and Lucky.

Closet Raid: Bluefly Invades the Gossip Girl Cast's Closets

On a less dramatic more fashion concerned note Bluefly just launched a Haute Gossip section to their site so you can afford to shop like your favourite Gossip Girl characters. The site made categories for Serena, Blair and Jenny worthy pieces that you can add to your wardrobe featuring ensembles from Nanette Lepore, BCBG Max Azria, Michael Kors and Yves Saint Laurent to name a few. They've also got a section for the guys that want to dress like the men of Gossip Girl, I don't know what it is but Dan's vests paired with jeans and a dress shirt is so appealing. Check it out now "'cause there's more than skeletons in their closets..."

Gossip Girl: The Heat Intensifies

It looks like things are about to heat up on the set of Gossip Girl. With the latest Chuck and Blair cat and mouse game turned on its head what's next, will Vanessa turn out to pose a threat to the good at being bad duo? Will Blair ever say those three little words (with 8 letters) to Chuck? Well I don't see it happening any time soon, Blair might have a battle ahead of her if she wants to hold onto her pride and get Chuck in her bed.

With Nate moving into the Humphrey loft what's next? For those of you avid Gossip Girl fans that skulk around online looking for spoilers you may have caught a glimpse of a certain character I've taken a shine to disliking and Nate in what seemed like an intense liplock. Jenny's about to get a story line, and at the expense of my dream couple Nate and Blair (yes I know they're not together but a girl can dream). So with the little relationship brewing in the background what will Vanessa have to say about it considering she still has feelings for Nate and she and Jenny are friends. We'll have to watch and see.

GG Hysteria

I’m a bit wound up after watching tonight’s episode of Gossip Girl. I always manage to somehow feel personally slighted when something bad happens to Blair and this episode was no exception. I have to get a few things off my chest, Lord Marcus should be beheaded, sleeping with step-mommy dearest isn’t a good look especially for a suitor of our Queen B. Next ‘UGHH’, this episode reminded me of why I HATE Vanessa’s character, it’s one thing to basically dump Nate Archibald but to take it upon herself to dish out revenge when we all know nobody does it better than B is just idiotic. Chuck Bass should be shot! I know he and Blair are kindred spirits when it comes to orchestrating drama but he continues to hurt her over and over again and for that I cannot and will not forgive him. I somehow managed to feel anger towards Serena in this episode too, I mean Blair is allegedly her best friend and is loyal to a fault (one of the many things I love about her) and because Serena is hurt from the D&S break-up she just decides to disregard the good girl image she manicured last year along with an attempt to dethrone Queen B. I feel a storm brewing on the Upper East Side, a school divided and the Manhattan Monarchies at war. We all know whose team I’m fighting for, TEAM B, Long live the Queen!

It looks like Serena’s character is about to shed the good girl image and get back to the bad girl from the books. Queen B will once again have to fight for her title, mark my words the claws will come out! I’m still a diehard Blair and Nate fan; so maybe, just maybe they’ll end up back together at some point this season. As for Jenny, her character serves only one purpose; to annoy me. My prediction still stands the only way that girl is going to have an actual purpose in the show again is if the writers somehow concoct some crazy relationship with her and Nate.

My favourite quote from this episode

Dan: Google Revenge and you'll get BlairWaldorf.com!

XOXO You know I loved it.

So the season premiere of gossip girl did not disappoint. I loved every waking minute of it, I missed it so much this summer it was like a piece of me was missing. It was packed with the usual drama with some not so predictable occurrences (who knew lonely boy had a little playboy in him). I think there's a lot more than meets the eye to Nate's tawdry affair with Catherine, and Serena and Dan are back together, like the writers had a choice. But the real spotlight as usual is on the Queen Bee, Blair Waldorf stole the show. It's enough that she made me want to cry when tears welled up in her eyes, something about the shows anti-heroine is just so commanding. She's beautiful, and she's complex, and although I think Chuck understands her I'm still having trouble with accepting that they really love each other. For now Lord Marcus will keep Blair occupado and I can't wait to see things heat up between those two, give Blair a chance to be at least a little happy. Oh the possibilities that lie within this new twisted love triangle, but for now if it's a choice between Royal blood and an unfaithful bloodhound the obvious choice is Royal blood. The back-story of little J at the white party remains where is belongs: on the back burner, I just don't find her that interesting. Sure when she was a bad girl I loved to hate her but now, I just hate to see her. I have a feeling the writers are going to try and use Nate as her way back into the 'scandalous lives of Manhattans elite', but for now I'm tired of little Jenny Humphrey, and I don't really care if that changes. Can't wait for next week!

I Got Lucky!

At first glance Lucky Magazine has never been one to catch my eye. For some strange reason I’d always overlooked it, until they put my favourite new actress on the cover. The August 2008 issue of Lucky boasts the beautiful, talented and slightly quirky Leighton Meester as its cover girl. If you’ve been reading my blog you probably know that I’ve got my eye on everything Leighton Meester, including and most importantly her alter ego, Gossip Girl’s Blair Waldorf. Lucky’s spread on Leighton goes through her current can’t-live-without list, a list I’ve come to hold dear to my own things-I-really-want list. If it’s one thing on her list that I can afford and had to have it has to be the velvet flocked hangers. Who hasn’t experienced the annoying inconvenience of going to the trouble of hanging all their clothes up, only to have them fall to the floor at the first sign of movement? Pick up Lucky’s August issue for Leighton’s full list of necessities. Other than my obvious approval of Leighton’s spread in the magazine, I must say that the layout was rather intriguing, and I couldn’t ask for better content. Packed with their signature “Lucky Breaks”: their special deals and discounts exclusive to those people sensible enough to pick up the magazine, and a selection of wardrobe pieces that equivocate to a what to wear bible, this magazine should be every fashionista’s best friend. As a little added bonus Lucky included a sticker sheet for readers to mark their favourites, making my post it’s obsolete (Thank God!).

Who is the Modern Day Audrey Hepburn?

Who is the modern day Audrey Hepburn? My obsession with this style icon goes beyond her life and legacy. There’s only so much I can find about Audrey’s memory before I’m forced to live in the present, so now I find myself looking for her in today’s celebrities. So who is a modern day Audrey, is it Anne Hathaway, Natalie Portman, Keira Knightley or Leighton Meester? If I rank these celebrities on looks I’d be in trouble because all of them have somewhat Audrey Hepburn traits, the high cheekbones, slender figure, and lets face it, they are all drop dead gorgeous. I may favour Leighton because her alter ego Blair on Gossip Girl may actually be the origin of my Audrey obsession, way back when the Gossip Girl books were first published. Leighton’s personal style isn’t really Audrey Hepburn, Blair however is exactly what a modern day Audrey Hepburn should be. Coincidentally I love all these actresses to pieces, Keira Knightley may actually rank the highest in comparison to Audrey’s film credentials, she may not be there yet, but Keira’s film choices are always classics. Anne Hathaway has been touted as a modern day Audrey Hepburn for her take on Hollywood glamour. Anne’s style is elegant and something about her just summons My Fair Lady to mind. Now I simply adore Natalie Portman, the woman can do no wrong, and I think she’s probably the one that could wear the Audrey Hepburn pixie cut best. Her films are great, and she’s definitely on my best dressed list. Everything about her oozes perfection, she’s a brilliant actress (her portrayal of Anne Boleyn had me mesmerized), and I’d kill for her wardrobe. Portman is nearly always featured in Teen Vogue, at least once an issue. So the question still remains who is the modern day Audrey Hepburn? Since I can’t fairly evaluate Leighton Meester as the fictional character Blair Waldorf I will have to make my choice from real life celebrities. In film, I’m leaning towards Keira Knightley, but if I evaluate fashion sense I’m drawn to Anne Hathaway. All these ladies know ‘how to be lovely’, but the one with the film credentials who is also an emerging style icon has to be Natalie Portman, how could I not choose the one with the taste, talent, and face for Audrey’s signature hairstyles.

Trend Watch: The Three S’s

Stockings

Prior to the premiere of the show that makes my world a better place, also known as Gossip Girl, I had started on a collection of pantyhose/stockings. By the time Gossip Girl showed up I had a couple from Betsey Johnson and I must say I absolutely adored the things, and then to my delight my favourite character on the show, Blair Waldorf started sporting my new favourite wardrobe piece. I’d been searching endlessly for the perfect pair of lace stockings, and good news I finally found them! And the brand that manufactures my favourite pair of stockings is (drum roll please…) Hue, these beauties go for $8 a pop, a steal for such perfection. The Hue Tonal Floral Lace Sheers style #3427 are my pick, they have just the right amount of lace and the right amount of sheer. I’ve also fallen in love with the Lily of France thigh highs, boasting lace detail at the top they’re my sexy fix for any occasion even if it’s just me alone in my room checking out how hot they make my legs look. Check Macy's, Bare Necessities or Amazon.com.


Scarves

These delicious little things are everywhere in bright yummy colourful shades. My rule for the season is to get as many as you can. If you’re looking for a couple stop by Forever 21, there so many different styles and colours to choose from you’re bound to find something you like. I have my eye on their H81 Silk Scarf in Teal, but since I live in Canada and the only Forever 21 we have is downtown Toronto I’ll be coveting it for at least another week. Who knows when I finally get down there I might decide to pick one up in purple, yellow and red as well. It’s 100% silk and $8.90 each there’s no reason why I shouldn’t get one to match every colour of the rainbow.


Sunglasses

Okay so its summer and even though I have a really bad habit of breaking at least one pair of sunglasses a summer I can’t help myself from going out and looking for another perfect pair. Besides the fact that last summer I bought about 4 of the same frame sunglasses in different colours from Kenneth Cole Reaction and all but one ended up breaking on me I refuse to give up on this staple to my summer wardrobe. Right now I like them oversized, with thick plastic frames. While I’m fixating on the 80’s purple square frames seen above I’m still on the lookout for the perfect Audrey-esque round frames that fit my high cheekbones.