After a recent exam-induced Gossip Girl binge, I’ve come to appreciate – like many of you, I’m sure – just how fabulous and terrifying Blair Waldorf can be. Who can forget her explicit yet eloquent confession in church after losing her V-Card to Chuck Bass? Or her blunt shriek of “EW!” in the face of an aggressive pursuer at the bar? Though she’s pretty obsessive-compulsive (and, truthfully, kind of mean), Blair Waldorf is definitely on another level of ambition and fashion. Why not recharge your brains a bit before diving head-first into a new semester and fire up some inspiration for next? Or, at the very least, entice yourselves into re-watching all the GG seasons for the third time (you’re on break now, so it’s okay).1. Never settle
Blair Waldorf never, under any circumstances, settled for anything less than the best. That dream internship? A prince? Nothing is beyond Blair Waldorf’s expectations, and nothing should be beyond yours, either. As college students, we’re accustomed to reality hitting us at every corner (usually from concerned/nosey adults): either our degrees are useless, or the job market is too saturated, or there’s some other kid who has just a few more qualifications than us, yadda yadda yadda. While these concerns may be valid – or worse, true – at risk of sounding like a cheesy ad, they shouldn’t sway you from doing what you love or understanding what you deserve. This translates to your personal life, too – do yourself a favour and stop trying to convince yourself that you’re fine with the way things are if you’re not.
2. Everyone is different
This can be segued from the previous point. Blair and Serena were two completely different people, yet (for maybe half of the series, lol) they were best friends. This, in turn, gave them a few disagreements in the way they handled their individual problems and relationships. The point I’m making is that everyone is different and it’s totally okay. What’s right for your roommate may not be right for you; what makes your guy happy may not make you happy. This is normal. Don’t allow yourself to be sucked into something that makes you unhappy just because someone else is comfortable with it – whether it be a career, a health trend, a relationship status, etc. As Blair grew up throughout the series, so did her sense of self and what worked for her versus what didn’t, something that can be invaluable moving forward in life.
3. Dress classy
I call upon everyone to name at least 5 outfits of Blair’s that involved too much leg, her navel showing, or her cleavage spilling out. *cricket cricket*And Chuck Bass fell in love with her anyways. Don’t worry, I’m not knocking anyone who dresses otherwise – Serena Van der Woodsen carried a significantly sexier wardrobe than Blair and she looked equally as perfect – but for those of you who thought there was only one way to look attractive, think again.
4. Always wear lingerie
I think my favourite part of Blair’s character is her incredible array of lingerie. And not the typical, flashy lingerie you see in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show; this is true Blair Waldorf-style stuff. Soft pinks and blues, taupes and blacks, lace and silk, etc. Even in a head-to-toe covered outfit, Blair always wears something discreetly sensual underneath. Obviously I’m not advising a bunch of college girls to run out and spend all their OSAP on designer lingerie – unless you want to do so, then by all means – but mama was right, wearing sexy underwear on a regular basis can do wonders for your confidence. And if you want to treat yourself after a long summer of working and saving, go ahead and buy yourself an Agent Provocateur bra.
5. Go to great lengths to get what you want
If there is one major tragic flaw in Blair, it’s her slightly manic obsession with scheming. To be honest, I wouldn’t even consider this a flaw – though it admittedly causes quite a few problems, it’s also deliciously addicting to watch as she plans things to the nth degree, making sure the right person is given the wrong information and pushing them to react in ways she carefully orchestrates. Though a little crazy, you have to give Blair credit for the lengths she goes to achieve what she wants. This, in turn, can translate to other (less maniacal) aspects of your own life: whether it be for that internship position or that school you’ve always wanted to go to, try taking a leaf out of Blair’s book and doing everything in your power (and then some) to achieve it. I’m not saying you should pit people against each other or use this motto to justify ruining someone’s life (very Blair-esque, but also kind of nuts), but take this Thomas Edison quote and use it for good, not evil: “When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: you haven’t.”
That said…
6. You’ll have to pay for your mistakes
For anyone who didn’t watch the second season, I would advise you to skip this point. For those of you who did, I’d like to reminisce on Blair’s dream of attending Yale, and why she didn’t end up getting there. Yeah, Blair may be pretty damn impressive in her pursuits of getting what she wants, but she also has a way of going too far. Tread lightly when considering burning those around you, because you never know when it’ll come back to bite you.
And lastly….
7.
Enough said, am I right?
xoxo, Gossip Girl