A Rundown on Gossip Girl Style

Happy fall everyone!

Is everybody fall-ing into the trap of this uplifting, charming, unforgettable season as much as me?  The leaves starting to change, caramel apples flooding the stores, fantasy football draft madness, and who can forget…the premiere of Gossip Girl!!

So the purpose of this is to tell you a little secret.  In fact it may just be your one and only source into the Gossip Girl’s fashion styles… that you yourself can have!

That’s right, Anna Sui just released a line of Gossip Girl inspired clothing for women, to be purchased at Target.  She’s nailed some of the character’s styles almost perfectly, specifically focusing on the styles of Blair, Serena, Jenny, and Vanessa.  If you’re looking for the perfect look for fall while at the same time wanting to model off of one of television’s most loved and sophisticated shows, this is just for you. I’ll break down each It Girl’s style, referencing quotes from Gossip Girl’s costume designer Eric Daman from his interviews on YouTube.

Blair: You just gotta love her.  Her infamous hats and headbands perfectly match that go-getter New York City attitude that we’re all entertained by.  While she is known to dress conservatively in fitted gowns with fine linen, Daman addresses a question a lot of us are sure to be wondering: Who will Blair Waldorf be when she goes to college? Will she wear the headband? “The headband has sort of become its own thing and kind of become its own character on the show.  I think it’s Blair’s security blanket…and I want to take it to more of an adult level.” A more adult level will, in my opinion, be played with throughout the show.  She’s trying to fit into college and I think instead of wearing the frilly little skirts and plaid headbands, she’ll shift to a more mature, elegant look for better or for worse.  Annu Sui’s Target line features sleek black skinny pieces and bright, bold colors which fits her character perfectly.

Serena: Serena’s look is tragically hip.  Sui features a lot of black and gray “throw on pieces” for a tossled Kate Moss look from her Target line.  Although throw on pieces are Serena’s staple, Sui’s Serena section seems to be almost too uptight for Serena- just not “Serena” enough.  While some of Sui’s pieces capture Serena’s clubbing style, I see Serena’s look as a fitted jeans, slingy tank/vest to accompany those gorgeous locks of hers.  Daman mentions Serena is in an identity crisis in Gossip Girl’s third season, so she’s falling back on the old party girl style with loose tanks and short dresses.  Of course she continues to look good in anything with that carefree attitude of hers.  Keep notice as the episodes tick by as to how Serena’s style will evolve.  Of course, Josh Schwartz has got to pick her off her feet at some point.

Jenny: Sui captures Jenny’s look pretty well- with her eccentric indie style and knit hats Jenny is not afraid to take a risk.  Though I cannot stand her character, I’ve intriguingly watched her style evolve within each season.  Jenny didn’t have much of an identity in the first season, and tried to blend into the mix along idolizing Serena.  As her interest in the fashion industry developed in the show, her style became much more, well, eclectic.  The mix of cotton-knit dresses and funky boots really did grow on me as she became a stronger person.  One thing to learn, style equals confidence.  As Jenny’s self-confidence grew so did her style, which ended up becoming one of the best on the show.

Vanessa: Although a lot of people seem to be bothered by her character, I think Gossip Girl would actually be a terrible loss without her.  For those of us who read the books, we knew Vanessa was supposed to have a shaved head, totally not into fashion and way into film.  It’s no secret Josh Schwartz doctored up her character, but really to what degree?  She’s super-independent, typical New York City artsy, and a good friend.  She doesn’t totally fit in with Blair’s inner crowd, but that does not seem to bother her at all which is why I really like Vanessa.  Her style, as Sui features, consists of a lot of earthy colors like browns, greens, and oranges.  Vanessa’s style can best be described as boho, and is very easy to obtain with the right confidence.  Get a vintage-modern dress, pair it with funky jewelry and add a pair of frilled boots to piece together the whole look.  You’ll never go wrong with the Vanessa look.

So pick your perfect fall look, mix and match styles, and watch trends disappear and evolve this fall.

My advice:  You can’t go wrong mixing and matching.  I don’t care if it’s a Jenny-like floral scarf with a Blair-like modern dress.  Try it, because you never know.

XOXO

View Anna Sui’s Gossip Girl Target Collection here:

http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2009/06/check_out_anna_suis_gossip_gir.html

View the interviews with Gossip Girl’s Wardrobe Stylist Eric Daman:

If Angela Martin Wore Vintage

I admit I’m a little bit late on talking about the Emmy nominations, as they were announced over two weeks ago, but hey, we’ve been busy with the new website here at Avant Gaudy! I’m happy I finally have some time to say congratulations to my favorite show on the air right now—The Office—for 10 Emmy nominations!

I only started watching The Office after it had finished its fourth season. I saw a few episodes and became hooked! Now, I’m such a big fan of that show that my cell phone rings the theme song, and I try to incorporate “that’s what she said” jokes as often as possible into my everyday life. So naturally, I would bring my slight obsession into work.

Shortly after reading the list of nominations, I was on the Avant Gaudy website checking out newly listed blouses. That’s when I suddenly felt as though I had seen these looks somewhere before…

Angela Kinsey plays the prissy and up-tight head accountant on The Office, Angela Martin. On the show, Angela has a style that most would consider to be conservative and safe. If only she knew that she could still be lady-like, yet fashionable and modern with some of our great vintage pieces!