Southern Belle in Training

Fashion, Travel & Lifestyle Blog || Est. 2012 || Virginia Beach, VA

May 26, 2015

Blake > Serena.



     
    

      This past Christmas Break, I needed a new show to dive into binge watching on Netflix. I looked through my queue, to see what my recommendations were. Of course, Gossip Girl was at the top of the list. Many of my friends (and Netflix) had been encouraging me to watch the show for years,  but I had never given in. But this past December, I decided to finally give it a try.

     I am currently in season four of the show. (Yes- I realize that it takes me awhile to "binge watch" shows on Netflix, haha. I had a very busy spring semester and I tend to put my real life before Netflix. :-) ) There are some things that I am loving about Gossip Girl: for one, the FASHION! The preppy outfits of the first two seasons are so fun and classic, and I love where the fashion of Blair, Serena, and the other characters is evolving as the show continues into later seasons. I am also enjoying the way that the plot continually changes and is unpredictable (although I think I might have figured out who Gossip Girl is? Haha!). 


      But, is Gossip Girl the best show that I've ever watched? Absolutely not. Would it even be a show that would be in my top picks to recommend to someone? Probably not. Even though the plot of the show is ever-changing and keeps viewers interested, I have found a lot of the content of the show to be extremely disturbing. In the first season of the show, most of the characters were of high school age. The actions and behaviors that they were demonstrating on a regular basis absolutely shocked me. Some might say that this type of content is in the show for shock value or to keep viewers, but I would disagree and say that there are several shows that I love very much (which also kept their place in Nielson ratings), with content that never reached these levels.

     I often see girls on social media comparing their relationships with their best friends to that of Blair and Serena. I always thought that was cute until I actually started watching the show... never in a million years would I compare my relationship with one of my best girlfriends to that of Blair and Serena! I think they have the most dysfunctional best-friendship ever. Blair has some serious jealousy issues of Serena, and Serena from time to time does not prioritize her friendship with Blair and lets her pursuit of various guys get in the way. That is not the type of friendship to idolize! Sure, there are the designer clothes and the Upper East Side lifestyle, but that's all superficial. 




      But someone that I am very impressed with is Blake Lively, the actress who plays Gossip Girl main character (and high school bad girl) Serena Van der Woodsen. Blake covered the May 2015 issue of Allure (my favorite magazine!), and I was just blown away by her interview article. She spent a good deal of the article talking about how much she enjoys being a new mom to her baby daughter, and wife to her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds. At only 27 years old, it is encouraging to see a young actress who is so content with beings settled down in her 20s and who prioritizes family values!

     Blake also took the time in the article to address her time playing Serena on Gossip Girl. She said that she feels that many people still misjudge her and believe her in real life to be much like the character of Serena, which couldn't be further from the truth! In the article she said:

 "People loved (Gossip Girl), but it always felt a little personally compromising — you want to be putting a better message out there. But it's a weird thing when people feel like they know you really well, and they don't. I would not be proud to be the person who gave someone the cocaine that made them overdose and then shot someone and slept with someone else's boyfriend."

      Blake went onto say that she has never done drugs and doesn't currently drink. She said that she loves learning of all types, and has taken lessons on everything from the French language to cooking! In addition to being a new mom, Blake currently runs a lifetstyle and boutique website for independent designers called Preserve. She uses her website to try and spread the word about up and coming designers, and also to share about topics that are on her heart- sort of like a blog. And Blake also is on Instagram (and her photo captions are the CUTEST ever!). 


     After reading the Allure article and checking out Blake's website, I would definitely consider her to be a role model of mine within the celebrity world! (Not even mentioning the fact that she is drop dead gorgeous.) I am very encouraged that unlike a lot of celebrities who play good-girl characters but have wild lives, Blake seems to be the opposite. If only Serena had taken a few life tips from the actress who played her! 


     Have you watched Gossip Girl? Were you a fan of the show?


      xoxo Miss ALK
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21 comments

  1. Gossip Girl came out when I was a senior in high school and I SO looked forward to the start of it. At the time I had just applied ( and was later accepted and attended) FIT in the city and for me it was like a glimpse at what my new life would be! Growing up 40 minutes outside of NYC I was a weekend city kid and always dreamed of life in the city. Some people are just made for it! I actually watched the show with my mom. It was our thing. I too loved the fashion of it! This post made me want to re-watch GG.
    Xx

    heapsofme.com

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  2. I Love the show Gossip Girl! I also watch the re-runs. LOL but like anything else it is just a show. I absolutely adore Blake also. Good Post

    xoxo Dani
    www.glamrme.com

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  3. It's so crazy how different Blake is from Serena! I absolutely love her, and her fashion sense is ah-ma-zing -- I give her so much respect for not using a stylist!

    xo, Alicia | Alicia Tenise

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  4. I loved Gossip Girl and just love Blake Lively as a person.
    It's hard to keep a good head on your shoulders in the limelight but she's done such a wonderful job.

    xoxo, Jenny || Breakfast at Lillys

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  5. I love Gossip Girl and also agree that some of the scenarios are a little wild for high school students although it didn't necessarily disturb me. I loved Blake Lively in Gossip Girl and just in general. I agree though...who would want their friendship to be like Serena and Blair's?!?!

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  6. I just watched the show over the holiday season (and I usually watch an episode a night now to chill out after studying) but I read all of the books growing up before there was a show! It's amazing how different things are between the books and television! I'm with you on not understanding why people aspire to have friendships like Blair & Serena, because they are so toxic to each other. Great post, love!

    XX, SS || A Little Seersucker Sass

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    1. I totally agree! The books are sooo different from the show. I read the books when I was younger before I watched the show but never finished them. I think it's funny that the books focus so much more on Blair and Serena's relationship with Nate.

      XOXO
      Marie H.
      Progression By Design

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  7. Gossip Girl is definitely one of my favorite shows, but I totally understand where you're coming from. Blake Lively is a fabulous person!

    XO
    Ashley
    privateschoolprepster.blogspot.com

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  8. Blake Lively is perfect. But I totally agree, Blair and Serena are not friendship goals! Maybe by the end, but otherwise not so much.

    Michaela || The Monogrammed Midwesterner

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  9. I am hands down in love with GG! It is always a show I return to when I just need a quick TV fix. I think the part I love about it is just how unrealistic and absurd everything is. And it definitely made me fall in love with Blake Lively. She as a person is amazing and she has actually said in interviews that she didn't actually like playing Serena at times. I always look to her for fashion inspiration and her new baby James is the cutest :)

    Annie N Belle

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  10. I love this post! So much insight and it really is so true. I always see people comparing their friendship to that of Serena and Blair's. Love all of your posts and I LOVE Blake! She's amazing.

    xoxo
    Lauren Ashley
    www.thefashionistasdiary.com

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  11. I always loved GG, but like you said...I didn't always agree with everything they were doing. Kind of like how everyone says that the Chuck & Blaire relationship is there relationship goals...that's not a relationship to idolize! When I get all worked up about stuff like that, I just have to remember that it's a tv show and hope that everyone else remembers that as well!

    xoxo, SS


    The Southern Stylista

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  12. I watched Gossip Girl and loved it until my 13 year old sister asked my parents if she could watch it. I was then HORRIFIED of the show's content and did everything in my power to prevent my little sister from starting the series. Like Jordyn said - wanting a relationship similar to Chuck and Blair's tells me that the person who says this either doesn't watch the show/pay attention or has a truly warped idea of what a healthy and functional relationship means. So basically, I watch the show but never identify or agree with the character's actions or values.

    http://thealwaysblog.com

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  13. I started watching GG last summer and got through season 2. I then got busy in the fall with lots of other things and haven't picked it back up. BUT, it's almost summer again so maybe I should finish watching! This post is tempting me! Haha

    -Morgan
    How 2 Wear It ...

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  14. I haven't watched GG though I have been persuaded to watch it. I also love celebrities who have time for their family

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  15. I just finished Gossip Girl, and I 100% agree! I love the fashion and the glamour of the show, and how fun it must be to be a socialite, but I know that it's completely unrealistic. I don't get why anyone would idolize Blair and Serena's toxic relationship - yeah they were there for each other when they needed to be, but the back-stabbing and lying and cheating that went behind it just stunned me. I LOVED Blair, however - just because of how strong of a character she was, and how sure of herself. And of course the fashion of both Serena and Blair were fantastic. BUT, I agree with you that Blake is a better role model. She's fantastic (and gorgeous)!

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  16. I, too, am a huge Blake fan. She's amazing. I watched all of Gossip Girl last year and while I enjoyed it, it definitely wasn't the best show I've ever watched either. (That would probably be Grey's Anatomy to be honest.) I totally agree with what you're saying. Not the best role models out there.

    xx Emma | Seeking the South

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  17. I, too, am a huge Blake fan. She's amazing. I watched all of Gossip Girl last year and while I enjoyed it, it definitely wasn't the best show I've ever watched either. (That would probably be Grey's Anatomy to be honest.) I totally agree with what you're saying. Not the best role models out there.

    xx Emma | Seeking the South

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  18. I watched Gossip Girl in the very VERY beginning but lost interest after a season or two. The next time you're looking for a show, I highly recommend Scandal!

    Kelly
    Ohio Stripes

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  19. I really did love Gossip Girl and it was up there in my top picks of shows. After reading your post it really put exactly what this show is promoting in perspective. I think there are too many shows out there geared toward adolescents that promote things such as drugs, unprotected sex, etc. Blake Lively is ABSOLUTELY wonderful. She is the definition of life goals, not Serena.

    xx. Brittany
    Southern Soul

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  20. I've never seen Gossip Girl, but apparently it's on Netflix?

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