DISCLAIMER: This article contains Gossip Girl SPOILERS. Read at your own discretion. Furthermore, if you have not yet experienced the fabulous world of New York’s Upper East side from the comfort of your own futon, please clear your schedule for the next two months, binge watch Gossip Girl, and return to this article once you’ve finished the series. Xoxo.
We’ve all heard it before –discussed in the dining hall, whispered in the library, squealed by a group of giggling girls passing by on the quad –the infamous “I want to be Blair Waldorf.” The Queen B of New York’s Upper East side has seemed to win the affection of many, but how can someone look up to a girl who, as Dan Humphrey described is “basically everything I hate about the Upper East Side distilled in one 95-pound, doe-eyed, bonmot-tossing, label-[flaunting] package of girly evil”? Some might think that Blair Waldorf is just your typical mean girl, and that it is “shallow” and “definitely not okay” for this fictional character to be anyone’s role model. Well, I’m here to tell you why it is okay for Blair Waldorf to be your role model:
 Because…
1. Hard Work and Determination Go a Long Way
While Blair Waldorf may be the textbook definition of white privilege, she is a far better example of the classic overachiever. Blair does not rely on her wealth or status to get what she wants, but works hard to earn every opportunity she gets – be it her Queen B status at Constance, her spot at Columbia University, or her success as a designer. She strives to be the best she can be and doesn’t settle for mediocrity. For her, fate does not exist, only hard work and dedication.
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So when a girl says she wants to be Blair Waldorf, she means…
…she wants to be an active participant in shaping her own future. She wants to set her goals incredibly high and then surpass them.
And that’s okay.
Because…
2. [she’s] I. N. D. E. P. E. N. D. E. N. T. Do You Know What That Mean
Societal norms have nothing on Blair Waldorf! She is an exceptionally strong woman who does not let herself be defined by others, especially men. In her relationship with Chuck, Blair is the first one to take the plunge and say “I love you”, and in season two she refuses to be with him until he says it back because she knows what she deserves. In the sixth season she cringes at the thought of being known simply as “Chuck Bass’s wife.”
Blair refuses to be with Chuck again until she has established herself as an individual in society, which she accomplishes when she becomes a popular designer.
So when a girl says she wants to be Blair Waldorf, she means…
…she wants to be her own person, with or without a man.
And that’s okay.
Because…
3. [She] Never Goes Out of Style
Blair Waldorf is a timeless classic – she’s the Audrey Hepburn of fictional TV characters. Blair always puts effort into her appearance and shows the world her best face. She has impeccable style, and her colorful and modest outfit combinations are the perfect blend of class and allure. Blair shows young women that channeling your inner Ke$ha is not the only way to get your style noticed.
So when a girl says she wants to be Blair Waldorf, she means…
…she wants to wear classic sundresses instead of edgy crop tops. Â
And that’s okay.
Because…
4.“I’m not anyone. I’m me.” –Blair Waldorf
Like every other person ever, Blair has insecurities. These insecurities often lead her to conjure up devious schemes that hurt those around her. She recognizes that this aspect of her character is her fatal flaw, but still manages to possess self-worth and remember that she is not just “girly evil.” She holds her head high with confidence, accepting all of herself – the good qualities and the bad. By acknowledging her problem Blair actually opens herself up to change and matures by the end of the series. (Talk about great character development!) Blair Waldorf knows exactly who she is: a determined leader, a fashion icon, a manipulative schemer. She doesn’t let people tell her who she is. She tells them. And she doesn’t pretend to be someone she’s not.
So when a girl says she wants to be Blair Waldorf, she means…
…she wants to accept herself for who she truly is. She wants to be confident.
And that’s okay.
One must discover the real Blair Waldorf, Â just as Dan Humphrey eventually does, to understand why she is a role model for so many young women:
“That girl [Blair] is fiercely strong. Independent. Outspoken. Beautiful. Capable of anything…and no man or magazine should be able to take that away from her.” -Dan Humphrey
So yes, it is okay to want to be Blair Waldorf.
To want to be…
…fiercely strong
…independent
…outspoken
…capable of anything.
And if you have to look up to Blair Waldorf to help you be these things, no one should be able to take that away from you.
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