Spotted at Getty House in Brentwood, Leighton Meester and Chace Crawford shared a rare West Coast reunion that felt like a deliberate nod to their Upper East Side roots. Celebrating the launch of Falconeri’s Ultrafine Cashmere Collection, the duo proved that while they’ve traded lunch on the steps of the Met for a rooftop in Los Angeles, their sartorial synergy remains unmatched.

Meester opted for a refined, tonal look, while Crawford kept it classic, channeling a modern-day Blair and Nate who have officially entered their quiet luxury era, with way less drama. The star of the evening was undoubtedly the Italian brand’s ultrafine cashmere. Designed as a year-round staple, the fabric is lightweight enough for a low-key evening out, but polished enough for a high-stakes business event. In other words, these knits are the ultimate wardrobe workhorse. It turns out classic, quality style never falls out of fashion. You know you (still) love them. Xoxo.

Shop Leighton Meester's Exact Outfit

Shop Falconeri's Ultrafine Cashmere Collection

If 2023 was the year of the girl, 2024 is the year reserved for the mother.

In place of coquette aesthetics and pretty, bow-covered things, the internet discourse has shifted to mothering. Made popular among celebrity fan accounts on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, "to mother" is to take upon the noble fight of serving and slaying, often in looks or through social media commentary. An example? Kelly Rutherford—with her jaw-dropping wardrobe, effortlessly chic lifestyle, and peak-cool elevator selfies—is literally mother in chief.

The Gossip Girl actress became a personal-style North Star of mine when I heard the rumor that the style of her on-screen character, Lily van der Woodsen, was closely inspired by Rutherford's own, Birkin collection and all. While the jury's still out on whether the teen sitcom's showrunners were directly inspired by her, it wouldn't be far-fetched if you take a quick scroll through her page. Let's be real. Rutherford's signature 'fit pics have made her a figure to emulate by most fashion people.

In the midst of a style movement focused on refined Upper East Side women, their closets, and the notion of quiet luxury, it's no surprise that Rutherford is literally mother. After scrolling through the fashion archives (read: her Instagram) to find her most-worn closet staples, you can get her classic, elegant look below.

Black Coats

There's nothing chicer than an oversize yet well-tailored black coat. Opt for a layered fit or exaggerated lapels to keep your outerwear interesting.

Elevated Jeans

The key to always looking good is to have a great pair of jeans to match. Pair your favorite fur coat and simple white tee with slouchy mid-wash jeans for a cool-girl effect.

Chunky Knits

Embrace Rutherford's style with a fun, voluminous knit complete with slouchy sleeves. Opt for a full monochromatic outfit, as seen above, or wear it with black leggings to take your dog out for a walk. (Just don't let Chloë Sevigny see.)

Aviator Jackets

Looking good isn't just about opting for classic garments and elevated staples. Sometimes, it's about embracing the cooler, trendier pieces that fashion people swear by. Case in point: a chic sherpa-lined aviator jacket. 

Cozy Cardigans

A piece Rutherford swears by? A simple, elegant cardigan to top off any on-the-go outfit. Wear it over a white tee and sneakers for the perfect "throw on and go" outfit.

Shop more chic Nordstrom items:

Chances are that Blake Lively felt pretty comfortable in her outfit for Gigi Hadid's birthday party in New York over the weekend, as it very much channelled the character that kicked off her career: Serena van der Woodsen. If you know anything about her iconic Gossip Girl character, you know that her going-out outfits were hardly of the low-key variety. As someone who watched every episode of Gossip Girl IRL, I can confirm that there were more than a few instances of Lively wearing the classic going-out outfit formula of an ultra-short mini dress and heels. And lo and behold, that's exactly what she wore to Hadid's birthday party.

For the festive occasion, Hadid wore a magenta Sergio Hudson dress with a red Chanel clutch and red Christian Louboutin heels. And if someone looked at the photo without context, they could've easily mistaken it for a Gossip Girl night shoot 13 years prior. Scroll to see Lively over the weekend and as Serena van der Woodsen in 2009, and shop mini dresses they'd both wear for nights out.

Present Day Blake Lively

On Blake Lively: Sergio Hudson Multi Seamed Mini Dress Magenta (£1250); Chanel bag; Christian Louboutin shoes

As Serena van der Woodsen in 2009

Shop Going-Out Mini Dresses

Next up, what to buy now.

Chances are that Blake Lively felt pretty comfortable in her outfit for Gigi Hadid's birthday party in New York over the weekend, as it very much channeled the character that kicked off her career—Serena van der Woodsen. If you know anything about her iconic Gossip Girl character, you know that her going-out outfits were hardly of the low-key variety. As someone who watched every episode of Gossip Girl when it was on TV, I can confirm that there were more than a few instances of Lively wearing the classic going-out outfit formula comprised of an ultra-short minidress and heels. And lo and behold, that's exactly what she wore to Hadid's birthday party.

For the festive occasion, Lively wore a magenta Sergio Hudson dress with a red Chanel clutch and red Christian Louboutin heels. And if someone looked at the photo without context, they could've easily mistaken it for a Gossip Girl night shoot from 13 years prior. Scroll to see Lively over the weekend and as van der Woodsen in 2009 and to shop minidresses they'd both wear for nights out.

Present-Day Blake Lively

On Blake Lively: Sergio Hudson Multi Seamed Mini Dress Magenta ($1195); Chanel bag; Christian Louboutin shoes

Serena van der Woodsen in 2009

Shop Going-Out Minidresses

Next, shop all the going-out trends you need to know right now.

Welcome to our new podcast, Who What Wear With Hillary Kerr. Think of it as your direct line to the designers, stylists, beauty experts, editors, and tastemakers who are shaping the fashion and beauty world. Subscribe to Who What Wear With Hillary Kerr on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Any Gossip Girl fan appreciates the value of a good secret. I'm not condoning blackmail, but there is something deliciously satisfying about being in the know before everyone else. Try as I might, it was nearly impossible to get our June cover stars, Emily Alyn Lind, Jordan Alexander, and Zión Moreno, to divulge anything worthy of a Gossip Girl push notification, but they were willing to share a few insights about their characters, provide anecdotes about fun behind the scenes, and have a little fun with a quick game of two truths and a lie. 

Listen to this Brooklyn-based trio talk about what to expect from the hottest series of the summer, share their personal style staples, and, of course, spill just a drop of tea. 

Emily Alyn Lind

I know we have a little bit of time left, but especially for the podcast, I wanted to see if you would be up for playing a quick game—two truths and a lie.

Sure.

Okay, I'll go first. No pressure. Starting with number one: I named my iPhone "Gossip Girl" in 2009, and I've never changed it. 

I already don't believe that one.

Number two: I once snuck out of work early to watch Gossip Girl filming in SoHo and played hooky for the rest of the day. And number three: I'm a terrible secret keeper. Can you guess which one is the lie?

The first one? No, the second one.

No, the third one. I'm actually a really good secret keeper. 

You're a real Gossip Girl person!

I know. That's why I was so excited to talk to you! 

You're insane. This is so exciting. I'm so excited for you. Oh my god. You're gonna be like the fan that could rip our heads off if we don't get it right.

No, I'm so excited for the continuation. I obviously saved those tidbits about myself for last so as not to freak you out at the top of it.

I love people to like stuff. That's great. 

Now, do you have two truths and a lie you can share?

I didn't watch any TV during the pandemic, I'm ambidextrous, and my favorite singer is Leonard Cohen.

I'm going to guess that the lie is you didn't watch any TV.

No, I didn't watch any TV. I'm not ambidextrous.

Oh, man. I have to give you a list of TV that you missed. And if you want to tell me any secrets about Gossip Girl after we stop recording, now you know I'm a really good secret keeper. So…

I can't do that!

Jordan Alexander

In the spirit of Gossip Girl, I'm wondering if you'd be up for playing a quick game of two truths and a lie.

I love games! 

Oh, good. I'm excited. Okay, I'll give you time to think. I've already prepared my two truths and a lie, and mine are Gossip Girl related, obviously. I told you I was a fan, and I'm really a superfan.

So number one: I named my iPhone "Gossip Girl" in 2009, and I've never changed it. Number two: I once snuck out of work early to watch Gossip Girl filming in SoHo. Number three: I'm a terrible secret keeper.

I feel like there's no way you could possibly have the same phone from 2009. Maybe you changed your new phone to say also Gossip Girl, but there's the catch. 

Okay, that's a little tricky. I named my original 2009 phone Gossip Girl, and then I've had a couple of new phones since then. But it's kept the same name. So I've never actually changed it.

Dang it. Are you terrible at keeping secrets?

That's the lie. I'm actually really good at keeping secrets.

What a great skill!

So if there's anything you want to tell me about the show after, we're totally off the record—I promise…

Now, it's your turn. What are two truths and a lie for you?

Okay, I once responded to one of my sister's texts with a Chuck Bass line, I sleep with a little stuffed monkey, and I have an amazing ability with plants.

Oh, those are so good! I feel like Chuck Bass is the wild card because that's not just something you do once. You do that pretty consistently, or you're not into Chuck Bass.

I thought this line was so funny. I guess he was talking with Nate, and Nate was like, "Well, she just needs time to lick her wounds." And he's like, "Perhaps I could lick them for her." My sister and I thought that was the funniest thing.

I am not very good with plants, actually. Staring at some dead ones helped me come up with that lie.

Zión Moreno

In the spirit of Gossip Girl and for the Who What Wear podcast, I'm wondering if you'd be up for playing a quick game of two truths and a lie. 

Of course, I love a good game.

Since I've had time to prepare, I'll start off. Mine are mostly Gossip Girl focused because I'm a huge fan. I told Emily, and she didn't believe me until we got to this point in our conversation, but you'll see.

Number one: I named my iPhone "Gossip Girl" in 2009, and even though I've gotten new iPhones over time, I've never changed the name. Number two: I once snuck out of work early for my first job to watch Gossip Girl filming in SoHo, and I didn't go back for the rest of the day. Number three: I am a terrible secret keeper. Which one is the lie?

I feel like you made it really tough for me. So the third one, you say you're a really bad secret keeper.

You're right—that's the lie! 

That's the only one that it could be because I could totally see you sneaking out of work to go see Gossip Girl filming.

You're right. The lie is I'm actually really good at keeping secrets. So anything you want to tell me after we wrap today? Like, totally off the record.

We'll see. We'll see…

Do you have two truths and a lie to share?

Oh my goodness, um, two truths and a lie? Let's see. The first one is I ran away to Vegas and got married at 20 years old.

That's a pretty good way to kick off!

I didn't move out of my parents' house until I was 19, and I've only ever gone to two countries outside of the U.S.

I'm going to have to go with you moved out earlier than 19 just because I'm thinking about your modeling career. But that's all I have to go on.

Well, I actually moved out at 19 and then immediately started modeling. So you got it wrong. The lie is that I've only been to two countries outside the U.S.

Ah, okay. I should have gotten that because I know you've already been to Mexico at least. So this mysterious Las Vegas wedding?

That was a truth! That was it. I'm wild. I'm a romantic. What can I say? That quickly lead to divorce, though. But we're still good friends, so it makes for a good story.

Yeah, it's a good story, and it's always something to pull out of your hat for last-minute two truths and a lie.

It never fails me. I'm gonna have to come up with a new one, though, because I've been recycling for a while.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Check out our previous episode featuring Cruella costume designer Jenny Beavan. 

Who are they, and where are they now? That's one secret we can't wait to see revealed when Gossip Girl premieres on July 8.

Fans of the original will find comfort in the familiar setting: the Met steps, naturally, New York's Upper East Side, and the prep school hallways that figure prominently within Gossip Girl's domain. But it would be remiss to call it a comeback when so much has changed—Serena van der who?

This Gossip Girl's ensemble cast includes a mix of recognisable faces and new kids on the block, ushering the ’20s version of this iconic teenage drama into an entirely new era. Where one was previously on team Blair or Serena, that blonde-versus-brunette binary has gone the way of flip phones and bubble-skirt hemlines—we're certainly not sorry to see that age-old trope become passé. There are, however, a few important people reprising their roles on the set of Gossip Girl 2.0: creators Joshua Safran and Josh Schwartz, Eric Daman as costume designer, and Kristen Bell as the omniscient voice of Gossip Girl herself. Thanks to this team behind the scenes, superfans of the original can rest assured knowing that our favorite elements of the series will include at least some thread of continuity, even if everything else has been totally reimagined.

With anticipation mounting, we caught up with three of the stars from the new cast: Emily Alyn Lind, who plays Audrey Hope; Jordan Alexander as Julien Calloway; and Zión Moreno as Luna La. This troupe of teens and 20-somethings were eager not only to step into the roles of the most-watched Upper East Siders in ages but also to embody the It-girl factor of today with their digital prowess, their gender-bending style, and, most of all, their ability to keep the biggest secret of the summer. Intrigued? Good. 

In an effort to make this introduction like a Constance Billard uniform skirt—long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest—let's dive in. 

Emily Alyn Lind may be new to the world of Gossip Girl, but this isn't her first rodeo. The flaxen-haired 19-year-old actress grew up on film and TV sets (her mom is Barbara Alyn Woods of One Tree Hill fame) and is finally striking out on her own as Audrey Hope, the introspective ingénue in the latest clique of Upper East Siders. We caught up with Emily via Zoom from her apartment in Brooklyn's Park Slope neighbourhood. 

I'm so excited to speak with you today, Emily. I was a huge fan of the original Gossip Girl, so when our team told me they booked members of the cast for our June cover, I was super excited to speak with you and learn about what everyone has been up to these past several months. So to kick off, were you a fan of the original? Was there a character you identified with or emulated in terms of style?

Yeah, I was definitely a fan of the original. I watched it years ago, and I liked all of it. We have the same costume designer on this one, Eric Daman. A lot of the outfits in the original were so iconic, and we're very lucky to work with him on this one as well. But yeah, I think that, across the board, he killed it like he's doing in this one as well. Blair was always so iconic to me. 

Absolutely. I think I wanted to be a Blair, but I was secretly more of a Jenny. But that's great. I love that there are some threads of continuity between the original and this new version. They've just recently announced the premiere date: Gossip Girl is coming to HBO Max in July. What can people expect from the new series, especially keeping in mind that it's a continuation, not a reboot?

I think that's the main thing to expect. A lot of people are freaking out. Some people are excited, and some people are like, "I'm going to kill you" because they're confused about the fact that it's not a reboot. That's just the most important factor: It's a continuation 10 years later, and we still live in the same world as the characters in the original, so they exist. But we are new characters, a new class of high school students taking on the Upper East Side. 

I wouldn't go into this thinking you're going to get a reboot because the tone has shifted a bit but still has that iconic Gossip Girl name on it. And you can see little specks of the original through it, like our costume designer, Eric, and Amy [Tagliamonti] and Jen [Johnson] from hair and makeup worked on the original. So there are sparkles from the originals sprinkled all over. It definitely feels nostalgic, but these are new characters, new storylines, and you can't really expect anything other than to watch.

When those photos of everyone on the Met steps were released, that was such a perfect encapsulation of "Don't call it a comeback." This is a continuation. This is new. This is fresh with the familiar elements so many fans know and love. 

Yeah, I think it's a wonderful thing to be able to step into that world but see it from a whole different light. I think people will enjoy that. I know that it's been 10 years, so you look at the world now, and it's changed so much. I think that it's going to be ingested very well, hopefully. 

A decade ago, blogs were the thing, and social media was fairly new. What are you excited about bringing this era of Gossip Girl to life in 2021?

That was one of the main thoughts of our showrunner, Josh Safran. He was a writer on the original Gossip Girl, and I think one of his issues with the original was that it wasn't as inclusive at all. It's really important that—with times changing and movements like Black Lives Matter being so prevalent in our society today—we showcase that.

I think it would be ridiculous for film and TV to go about as if issues don't matter, as if these things that are constantly happening right in our face don't exist. Doing a show like this, where we're telling stories about teenagers in 2021, we're not doing a period piece. We're not doing a film that has an extreme, steady story. And so I think it's really important for our showrunner, Josh, to encompass the real world that we live in as well. Because why not?

That's a great point. It was very much an Upper East Sider bubble that was fantasy and appealing, but our world has changed so much. I'm excited to see that reflected in the new Gossip Girl with more diverse casting and, hopefully, some story elements that feel authentic to our reality.

Yeah, I feel like that, too. But what I won't stray away from is that these characters are still in this kind of mystical bubble of a false reality. They are rich kids that live on the Upper East Side. They speak differently. They live differently than probably anyone, even the richest people in the world, just because I think that they are in this bubble. A wonderful thing about Gossip Girl that I actually appreciate from the original is that it was set in reality, but there was also this very fun, dreamlike world that you're jumping into. And it's fun to see because it's not something that is 100% relatable to everyone watching it, but it goes all the way. It's a television show. 

An amazing actor told me recently that the audience realises you're acting but believes you anyway. I think that that's really important. We are playing characters, so some of the things that they do might not be set in reality. At the same time, I think that it is really important for these situations to happen around them to see really what privilege is and to see how these characters deal with it. I also think it's going to be a little bit more realistic, but it will have that dreamlike quality and fun nightclub scenes and running around fashion shows. Rich-bitch shit.

I love that. I'm looking forward to it so much. Let's dive into your character, Audrey Hope. On the Gossip Girl Instagram, she's given a one-word descriptor, "grace." Is that a note that you were given during production?

I think that's really up to the interpretation of people trying to pick apart what all of this means. It's funny. I think that even the social media coordinators are doing really well at making people feel like they're actually in this Gossip Girl universe of putting all the clues together. 

What I can say for my character is that she really likes the finer things in life. Her friends really, really obsess over social media. But Audrey is more into the finer things, like classical literature or going to the best restaurant when she goes to Paris. If she's going to go to Paris, then she's going to go to all the best museums. It's not even the fact that they're super expensive but the fact that she wants to be cultured. I guess you could say she was born in the wrong era, and her friends love that about her. Or at least, they accept that about her. She really moves through life in a way that you would see Grace Kelly or something, you know? But don't let that fool you, though, because she has a bad side as well.

So what is a one-word descriptor you would choose for yourself, given that you and your character are very different people?

I'm a learner. The people around me have to be super compatible with me because I'm always asking questions. Since I've been little, my mom has said that I never stop asking questions, and people that won't give you an answer are the people that you shouldn't be around. I feel like, as an artist, it's a gift. I'm a musician. I'm an actor. I'm a writer. I'm always wanting to know about the most random things, [the] most random facts, the most random books. I actually think it is a correlation to Audrey because I really care about life, and I care about everyone. I don't like it when the people around me aren't interested in things. That's the one thing about me that I'll never change, and I think that that's why I've never done an acting class or ever trained professionally in acting, but I take my life experiences into my job.

That's a great quality, especially for getting material for understanding experiences and translating that to your work. So I know you are a singer, you've been recording, and a lot of your other co-stars are multi-hyphenate talents, too. When you're not on set, when you're waiting around, do you ever sing or skateboard or explore other hobbies?

Yeah, of course. We're working insane hours right now, but I'm not a huge partier. I've always been an introverted extrovert. I love being alone so much. And I feel like during the pandemic, I was kind of thriving. I was in my element because I'm always finding stuff to do. I have an entire side thing going on with music and will be putting out my second single in June. People don't realise it, but half of the work is learning the lines and reading scripts all the time. It's pretty shit. Learning lines and preparing. So I find joy in that as well.

I love how you and Audrey are so different and that you're fully embodying this character. In the press stills that I've seen, Audrey is super high fashion and most closely aligned to the original Blair Waldorf in terms of her presentation of self. But I've read that you love vintage and thrifting and gravitate toward more of an androgynous style. Can you tell us about how you cultivated your personal style?

I grew up running around L.A., and actually, I was constantly travelling because I started working when I was four. So anywhere I would go, I always found a deep love in small businesses, whatever they were. I still do to this day. It feels like I found a home when I find a good vintage market or whatnot. And I think it's really fun, especially on road trips. I used to drive up to New Mexico a lot and San Juan and Santa Fe, and on the way there, my favourite kind of thrift stores are, a lot of the time, on the side of the road. And they're like a church sale, thrift store kind of stuff. I really love finding items that have already been worn or have a history to them. It feels like I'm wearing something that is so important and has been loved before. It's just a story to me. 

But I am an actor, so I love playing characters. Whenever I can change my look in any way or take on something completely opposite of me, it's always fun. And in this world, the Gossip Girl universe is such extreme fashion and such high fashion. A lot of the high-fashion brands that I'm obsessed with have such deep histories rooted in something that really changed the world, and I'm very grateful for it. I'm very grateful for Eric, our costume designer, because now I look at fashion as such an art form. It's so important to history and allows you to express yourself in so many ways. I love Saint Laurent because they made the first lady suit, and it was a stepping stone to the feminism that we see today. I've found such a love for fashion during all of this, but in my roots, I will always love the local thrift store. 

It sounds like you approach fashion as a learner, as a curious person, too.

Yeah, it's constant curiosity. My brain is weird!

It's easy to spot Canadian actress Jordan Alexander in a crowd—whether that's on the Met steps filming a scene with her fellow Constance Billard classmates or, more recently, on a Calvin Klein billboard high above SoHo. Her closely cropped hair, doe-eyed gaze, and playful smile make the folk singer-songwriter and activist easy to follow in more ways than one. Comfortably clad in a hooded sweatshirt and track pants, she swapped stories with me over video at the end of a long day on set. 

Jordan, I was a huge fan of the original Gossip Girl series, so I've just been waiting to find out everything I can about the new era of Gossip Girl. Were you a fan of the original Gossip Girl show?

Yeah, totally. I remember watching it with my sisters. They really liked it as well.

Is there a character from the original that you identified with or emulated in terms of their style? 

I like saying Dorota because I was also a maid.

I love Dorota. I was waiting for it to be her all along. I mean, no spoilers, but that would have been amazing. So I know the premiere date is coming up in July. Now, you're able to talk a little bit about what people can expect from the new series, and I know it's been called a continuation, not a reboot. Can you share a bit more about that?

Yeah, I actually love how you said the new era because that's basically what it is. It still exists in that Gossip Girl world. All of our characters are fully aware of the past and what happened, which is super cool and fun because we're going to be experiencing the show that everybody fell in love with, but through a different lens of actually being in that world. I think it is really meta and cool.

So your character's name is Julien Calloway. We don't know a ton, but @gossipgirl posted on Instagram that Julien is described as "influence." All the characters are given one-word descriptors—I love it. I'm so intrigued. It's perfect for fans like me who want to play detective and figure everything out. But is that a note you were given during production, or is that more of the Gossip Girl marketing element sneaking in there?

Well, I think it's her vibe and potentially maybe even her persona. I think it's something that lives naturally in Julien. But then, she exports that out when she's being her business self or her public self. So I feel like this is a character that has two sides to her because she's her public self, like what I call an influencer vibe, and then there's her as a human being, as an individual.

Interesting. So what is a one-word descriptor that you would choose for yourself, Jordan, and what does that mean for you?

That's so hard because I want to do myself justice… expansive because I'm trying to incorporate the idea that I just want to keep expanding and growing. I don't want to maintain the limitations that I have today.

From the sneak peeks I've seen, Julien is extremely well versed in fashion—those cast photos on the Met steps just drove me wild. But you can tell that Julien and several of the other characters are wearing really current fashion and designers. Julien is wearing knee-high Schutz boots with her Constance Billard uniform, and there's that stunning Christopher John Rogers gown. How do you think these styling elements reflect Julien's power of influence? Does it mean she's literally a fashion influencer?

That is the vibe. Julien has just such a natural air about her that she's become almost like an accidental influencer. Like, she just happens. She's also extraordinarily wealthy and well-connected. So you know, there's that, but she just has this natural vibe to her, where things that she gravitates toward just happen to become super trendy, or maybe the way that she's presenting it, people really emulate that. That's her whole vibe. She's just one of those people. She's an It girl. Whatever it is, whatever she does, that’s the thing.

Almost in an older-school, Serena van der Woodsen kind of way. But Serena was less aware of her power, and Julien seems to have a little bit more control over this influence. Again, just from the photos I've seen. I could be extrapolating down a totally different path. 

No, she's savvy. She's savvy. She knows how to apply herself. She knows that she has that natural, raw element to her. And then, she can see how to capitalise on that, which is like the calculating element of Julien. It is naturally just within her. But she's also very aware of how to utilise that [and] how to wield her power and how to create the world that she wants to live in.

What about your personal style? How do you see that as similar to or different from Julien's?

I'm really, really, really comfort-based like 90% of the time. I am literally wearing snow pants right now. Basically, I don't like to be cold. My whole fashion is based on whether it's cold, but I like being really extra. And I think that Julien likes being really extra, too, so when I am doing that, I feel like we have similarities, and then when I'm bumming around, wearing sweatpants like 90% of the time, that's not very Julien. Julien would not be wearing sweatpants during COVID—she'd still have a look. Well, maybe she'd be wearing sweatpants, but it would be a ’fit. She would have meticulously crafted this sweatpant outfit. It'd be a thing.

I know you're also a singer-songwriter, and several of your co-stars are also multi-talented. When you're off-camera, does the cast share any of their other talents?

Totally. I know that Eli [Brown] and Tavi [Gevinson] have similar music tastes, and they're interested in making music together. Emily is always doing musical things because she's amazing. We went on a Thanksgiving trip upstate and made a song together, which was so cute. Emily played the ukulele, and we all went around the table adding a lyric. It was really fun.

That's so fun. So this might be just my weird fantasy, but given all the musical talents on the cast, do you think there's potential for a future fantasy musical episode? Or is that just a weird teen drama trope you think is passé?

I feel like I want everybody's imagination to live. I don't know where that would fit into Gossip Girl, but also, you never know. I think that all of us will be pursuing our musical endeavors, so there will be no shortage of it, even if it doesn't manifest itself on the show.

Now that you know New York City a bit better, is there a particular neighborhood or a borough that you, Jordan, identify with most as opposed to Julien's posh Upper East Side digs?

Bushwick?

Bushwick, yeah! What do you like about Bushwick? 

Well, recently, I was reading in the park by my house, and then I heard some music, and I walked over to see what it was, and it was this pop-up drag performance/trans visibility celebration. And it was so beautiful. And I was like, "Oh my gosh, yes! Anywhere this type of stuff is happening, put me there, please." So I feel like I'm in the right spot.

That brings me to my next question. You're a proud activist for the LGBTQIA+ community. Given that social media has made activism and awareness so much more visible than it was a decade ago, do you see these values reflected in the new era of Gossip Girl? 

Yeah, I do. I definitely do. I think that we have come a very long way, and we continue to have a long way to go. That's the thing about progress: It's a continuation. You don't arrive at a destination. I mean, maybe we would, and then that's utopia, but we are constantly pushing. You know what I mean? Maybe gays are more accepted. Okay, cool. Now, it's time to ride for our trans brothers and sisters and our trans siblings because it's not just that we got in the door. It's like, "Okay, now everybody else come on through." So yeah, I feel like this is a set that is placed in the now, and there's still progress to be made. But I feel like we're in a good spot.

The reveal of the cast, slowly announcing who had joined, and the beautiful group pictures illuminate that this era of Gossip Girl will reflect the diversity and values that are more mainstream, almost a decade later. For such an influential TV show, it feels like a really big step, so I'm glad that, as a member of the cast, you feel that's authentic to the storytelling as well.

I genuinely feel like a big effort is being made, and I'm happy about that. It's wonderful.

You don't need Gossip Girl to tell you that model-turned-actress Zión Moreno is one to watch. She left home at age 19 to pursue a career in fashion, which took her around the world before this latest stint on the Upper East Side. Although she plays coy about her character's ambitions, we have a feeling there's a lot more up her expertly tailored sleeves. Fresh-faced and ready to take on the world, Zión spoke with us from her sunny, plant-filled home in North Brooklyn.

Zión, I'm so excited to be speaking with you today. You are the third Gossip Girl I've spoken to this week. I feel so lucky! Were you a fan of the original Gossip Girl show that came out in the 2000s?

I was! I watched it pretty religiously when I was in high school, so I was pretty stoked when I found out I got the role. I mean, I grew out of my Gossip Girl phase, but it was still a nice little nod to the nostalgia of my childhood past.

For me, it was appointment television. I was speaking with Jordan Alexander earlier this week, and we were talking about how we watched Gossip Girl with our sisters. 

That's so sweet. Yeah, my sister hated it. She would not have watched it with me. It was a very guilty pleasure. I kind of had to hide from her to watch it so she wouldn't make fun of me.

Was there a character you identified with or looked to in terms of style on the original Gossip Girl?

I didn't really feel like I identified with any of them. Maybe Dorota, honestly, on a personal level, but style-wise, I was always really infatuated with Serena. That followed me throughout my own style journey, and I still take inspiration from her looks sometimes. 

Dorota was definitely one of the more relatable characters. Everyone else is just so over-the-top. Blair and Serena would be walking around New York City wearing Louboutins, and you're just like, "Is that real life?"

I know! Who walks around New York City in high heels? You really just need to wear trainers or embrace a Birkenstock moment. 

So the premiere is officially coming up in July on HBO Max, finally. What can people expect from the new series, especially knowing that it's the same Gossip Girl world, but it's a continuation and not a reboot?

Right. There's been a big confusion with the whole reboot terminology. It's very much a continuation because it's still set in the same world. The original characters still exist in this world, and some of us refer to them in the show as well. So it's very much a continuation, but I think that people will find it to be a bit more with the times, if you will, just more diverse and original as well as more queer, which has been fun and also a little bit more scandalous. It can be more risqué since it's on HBO, so the directors and producers have taken that liberty to make it a little bit more raw and realistic. I think people will enjoy that it's a bit more adult.

So let's talk about your character, Luna La. I noticed on the Gossip Girl Instagram account that Luna is given the one-word descriptor of "style." Is that a note you received during production?

Yes. Well, not necessarily style but very fashion influenced. She is a stylist, and she's one of Julien Calloway's best friends. So she acts as her style right hand, if you will, and she helps her just look good. She's a really fun role to play. She's all things fashion, and she's very talented and really, really funny in her delusion of how the world works, too.

We've had a couple of peeks of Luna, but it's hard to tell what any of these characters will embody with just the stills from the Met steps or the social media posts. What does it mean to you to harness this energy of Luna La, fashion stylist? What does that mean to you in terms of how your character dresses or her presentation of self?

It's been really fun and very much a confidence booster for me to go on set because I'm pretty much guaranteed to look really nice. So it's really fun to play Luna, and I love all of her clothes. I think that, out of all the characters, her style is much more related to Serena from the original, which is fun for me because, you know, I loved Serena's style. Luna just has these amazing outfits that are genuinely fun to wear.

I know that you are working with Eric Daman, who did the costumes for the original, so that must be a nice thread of continuity. I was going to ask if Luna's moniker of style has some correlation to Blair's mom, Eleanor Waldorf, as an aspiring fashion designer, but you say she's approaching it more as a stylist, which feels like a very 2021 upgrade. 

Absolutely. You know, Luna is extremely talented. She's a seamstress as well, so she could call herself a fashion designer, but more than anything, she's a jack-of-all-trades. She can do it all. She's like this crazy guru that comes up with great ideas as a makeup artist and as a stylist. So she has a lot going for her. I don't think that she should be defined just as a fashion designer or anything like that.

I've been on my own Gossip Girl detective mission here trying to find out as much as I can about you and your character, so I love that you're sharing these little insights today. 

I can't say too much more… because they'll kill me. I want to tell you everything, but…

So what is a one-word descriptor you would choose for yourself, Zión, and what does that mean to you?

I'd say "hopeful" would be my descriptor. I think, in my great aspiration for life to be amazing, I manifest a lot of beautiful things with hard work, and it's something that I'm really proud of with myself. No matter how difficult life can get, I'm still hopeful for a brighter future, and that also helps me fight for people that are marginalized like myself. So yeah, just hopeful for a better future. 

That's really beautiful. 

That's not to sound like a Miss America Pageant answer, but…

No, that's very thoughtful. 

Thank you. 

So let's talk a little bit more about you. You started as a model, and now, you're in this crazy Gossip Girl world of fashion. We discussed Serena being an icon in terms of personal style, but comparing yourself to how Luna La dresses, how do you think your style is different from your character's?

My own style? Well, I definitely cannot afford any of our clothes. So that's a big difference. It's funny because I feel like our style is very closely related. She's just a much more elevated version of who I am. She's still very feminine and soft, and I'm a big fan of cottagecore, if you will. I love looking like I just escaped from the Cotswolds and I'm running in the field. But like, my style is better. So she has that, too. But she also pulls out sexy outfits and elevates them and makes them look more expensive, whereas I'll just throw [on] a $5 dress and call it a day. Put some combat boots on and I'm a happy girl.

Have you found a lot of good thrifting spots since you've been in New York? 

I live in Brooklyn, so there are a plethora of amazing thrift stores here. I've maybe spent too much money thrifting—there are so many gems in the city. Also, I love the plant shops here. I'm becoming a plant hoarder. I have like 50 plants right now.

You've had a couple of roles where you play a high school student. What is it like for you to revisit this part of life from different characters' points of view? And what feels unique about this Constance Billard high school world within the greater Gossip Girl universe?

Yeah, I've played my fair share of high school students, so it'd be nice to play a college student or an adult for once, but I'll get there. I played a high school student in Control Z, which is a Mexican Netflix show. That one was particularly difficult because high school was just horrible for me, as I'm sure it is for most people. I just did not want to revisit that. Also, I was filming in a foreign country. I am Mexican American, and I had never actually lived in Mexico, so that was cool to fully immerse myself in that culture. But I felt like a fish out of water, too. Then, revisiting something so vulnerable for me was extremely difficult, but it became empowering because it healed a lot of my trauma, which was cool.

Constance Billard is different because it's just fun. It's silly. It's a fantasy world. And all of us are out of high school in real life, so it's pretty funny to revisit it together and see the different variations of how we deal with it. But it doesn't really feel like high school. We're wearing these crazy-expensive outfits—you would never do that in high school—and always fresh blowouts. It's just a fantasy, so it's just been really fun. I don't think about it as playing a high school student.

It seems like you and the cast as a whole have become super close over filming, especially given all the COVID restrictions. Have you fallen in love with different parts of New York City? Or what do you like about New York that's maybe different from the Upper East Side world of Gossip Girl?

Gossip Girl is very Upper East Side–centric, and it's funny because none of us ever hang out there. It's kind of dead right now. There's not a lot of fun things to do at the moment. But I love New York City. I always have. I used to live here five years ago when I was a model, and it just feels like you live everywhere at once. There's everything in New York. You can find little random stores, like a random Greek store that you never thought you would go into, and then come upon the most amazing Greek food or Chinese food or Mexican food, whatever it is. There are just so many hidden gems. It's just a multiverse of beautiful experiences. It's just such a special place. But I truly love Brooklyn. I think it's a special borough. That's what's the coolest right now in New York City. You know, it's not really the city anymore. It's all about Brooklyn.  

I want to talk about this new era of Gossip Girl and how social media has made diversity and activism so much more visible than it was a decade ago. Do you see these values reflected in the new class of Gossip Girl?

Yeah, I definitely see it. Most of the characters in the show are queer and are people of color, so it's a reflection of modern culture and how queerness is not really the other anymore and never really has been. It's just the norm. I think that the show will allow a lot of people to view these otherwise taboo kinds of concepts as normal. So I'm excited for people to see it, and I can't wait to see what people say or how they relate to us. And hopefully, they like how we interpret the human experience.

It has been really exciting to see the stills—everyone is so beautiful, and obviously, the styling is amazing—but that was a very big takeaway and an exciting one for a fan of the original to see and say, "Wow, this is a diverse and representative cast that feels like today." Not to imply that these conversations or these marginalized groups did not exist and were not a part of the previous Gossip Girl world, but they certainly weren't front and center. That's a really smart update they've made that feels current. It's still always going to be a fantasy, but this feels a little bit more reflective of our world today. 

Yeah, I think so, too. I'm really excited. I think that the industry just still has a long way to go, but I'm excited for this to open doors that otherwise were closed and to see how it flushes out into true, 100% representation of everyone.

There you have it, Upper East Siders… and everyone else out there on the World Wide Web. Gossip Girl is coming back, not with a vengeance but with a vision that includes not only the latest and greatest in fashion and titillating teenage drama that we've come to expect but also an ensemble of diverse actors who truly reflect the ethos of Gen Z. We can't wait to see what this extraordinary new cast of characters gets up to this summer on HBO Max. Unfortunately, that's one secret these lovely ladies refused to tell! But rest assured: You know you'll love it. XOXO.

Photographer: Vanessa Granda for Who What Wear

Stylist: Rachael Wang

Emily's Hairstylist: DJ Quintero

Jordan's Hairstylist: Dana Boyer

Zión's Hairstylist: Owen Gould

Emily's Makeup Artist: Kale Teter

Jordan's Makeup Artist: Ernest Robinson 

Zión's Makeup Artist: Brittany Whitfield

Manicurist: Arlene Hinckson

Creative Director: Alexa Wiley

Videographer: Samuel Schultz 

Who are they, and where are they now? That's one secret we can't wait to see revealed when Gossip Girl premieres on July 8.

Fans of the original will find comfort in the familiar setting: the Met steps, naturally, New York's Upper East Side, and the prep school hallways that figure prominently within Gossip Girl's domain. But it would be remiss to call it a comeback when so much has changed—Serena van der who?

This Gossip Girl's ensemble cast includes a mix of recognizable faces and new kids on the block, ushering the '20s version of this iconic teenage drama into an entirely new era. Where one was previously on team Blair or Serena, that blonde-versus-brunette binary has gone the way of flip phones and bubble-skirt hemlines—we're certainly not sorry to see that age-old trope become passé. There are, however, a few important people reprising their roles on the set of Gossip Girl 2.0. Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage created and ran the original series and serve as EPs on the new version. Joshua Safran returns as showrunner, Eric Daman as costume designer, and Kristen Bell as the omniscient voice of Gossip Girl herself. Thanks to this team behind the scenes, superfans of the original can rest assured knowing that our favorite elements of the series will include at least some thread of continuity, even if everything else has been totally reimagined.

With anticipation mounting, we caught up with three of the stars from the new cast: Emily Alyn Lind, who plays Audrey Hope; Jordan Alexander as Julien Calloway; and Zión Moreno as Luna La. This troupe of teens and 20-somethings were eager not only to step into the roles of the most-watched Upper East Siders in ages but also to embody the It-girl factor of today with their digital prowess, their gender-bending style, and, most of all, their ability to keep the biggest secret of the summer. Intrigued? Good. 

In an effort to make this introduction like a Constance Billard uniform skirt—long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest—let's dive in. 

Emily Alyn Lind may be new to the world of Gossip Girl, but this isn't her first rodeo. The flaxen-haired 19-year-old actress grew up on film and TV sets (her mom is Barbara Alyn Woods of One Tree Hill fame) and is finally striking out on her own as Audrey Hope, the introspective ingénue in the latest clique of Upper East Siders. We caught up with Emily via Zoom from her apartment in Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood. 

I'm so excited to speak with you today, Emily. I was a huge fan of the original Gossip Girl, so when our team told me they booked members of the cast for our June cover, I was super excited to speak with you and learn about what everyone has been up to these past several months. So to kick off, were you a fan of the original? Was there a character you identified with or emulated in terms of style?

Yeah, I was definitely a fan of the original. I watched it years ago, and I liked all of it. We have the same costume designer on this one, Eric Daman. A lot of the outfits in the original were so iconic, and we're very lucky to work with him on this one as well. But yeah, I think that, across the board, he killed it like he's doing in this one as well. Blair was always so iconic to me. 

Absolutely. I think I wanted to be a Blair, but I was secretly more of a Jenny. But that's great. I love that there are some threads of continuity between the original and this new version. They've just recently announced the premiere date: Gossip Girl is coming to HBO Max in July. What can people expect from the new series, especially keeping in mind that it's a continuation, not a reboot?

I think that's the main thing to expect. A lot of people are freaking out. Some people are excited, and some people are like, "I'm going to kill you" because they're confused about the fact that it's not a reboot. That's just the most important factor: It's a continuation 10 years later, and we still live in the same world as the characters in the original, so they exist. But we are new characters, a new class of high school students taking on the Upper East Side. 

I wouldn't go into this thinking you're going to get a reboot because the tone has shifted a bit but still has that iconic Gossip Girl name on it. And you can see little specks of the original through it, like our costume designer, Eric, and Amy [Tagliamonti] and Jen [Johnson] from hair and makeup worked on the original. So there are sparkles from the originals sprinkled all over. It definitely feels nostalgic, but these are new characters, new storylines, and you can't really expect anything other than to watch.

When those photos of everyone on the Met steps were released, that was such a perfect encapsulation of "Don't call it a comeback." This is a continuation. This is new. This is fresh with the familiar elements so many fans know and love. 

Yeah, I think it's a wonderful thing to be able to step into that world but see it from a whole different light. I think people will enjoy that. I know that it's been 10 years, so you look at the world now, and it's changed so much. I think that it's going to be ingested very well, hopefully. 

A decade ago, blogs were the thing, and social media was fairly new. What are you excited about bringing this era of Gossip Girl to life in 2021?

That was one of the main thoughts of our showrunner, Josh Safran. He was a writer on the original Gossip Girl, and I think one of his issues with the original was that it wasn't as inclusive at all. It's really important that—with times changing and movements like Black Lives Matter being so prevalent in our society today—we showcase that.

I think it would be ridiculous for film and TV to go about as if issues don't matter, as if these things that are constantly happening right in our face don't exist. Doing a show like this, where we're telling stories about teenagers in 2021, we're not doing a period piece. We're not doing a film that has an extreme, steady story. And so I think it's really important for our showrunner, Josh, to encompass the real world that we live in as well. Because why not?

That's a great point. It was very much an Upper East Sider bubble that was fantasy and appealing, but our world has changed so much. I'm excited to see that reflected in the new Gossip Girl with more diverse casting and, hopefully, some story elements that feel authentic to our reality.

Yeah, I feel like that, too. But what I won't stray away from is that these characters are still in this kind of mystical bubble of a false reality. They are rich kids that live on the Upper East Side. They speak differently. They live differently than probably anyone, even the richest people in the world, just because I think that they are in this bubble. A wonderful thing about Gossip Girl that I actually appreciate from the original is that it was set in reality, but there was also this very fun, dreamlike world that you're jumping into. And it's fun to see because it's not something that is 100% relatable to everyone watching it, but it goes all the way. It's a television show. 

An amazing actor told me recently that the audience realizes you're acting but believes you anyway. I think that that's really important. We are playing characters, so some of the things that they do might not be set in reality. At the same time, I think that it is really important for these situations to happen around them to see really what privilege is and to see how these characters deal with it. I also think it's going to be a little bit more realistic, but it will have that dreamlike quality and fun nightclub scenes and running around fashion shows. Rich-bitch shit.

I love that. I'm looking forward to it so much. Let's dive into your character, Audrey Hope. On the Gossip Girl Instagram, she's given a one-word descriptor, "grace." Is that a note that you were given during production?

I think that's really up to the interpretation of people trying to pick apart what all of this means. It's funny. I think that even the social media coordinators are doing really well at making people feel like they're actually in this Gossip Girl universe of putting all the clues together. 

What I can say for my character is that she really likes the finer things in life. Her friends really, really obsess over social media. But Audrey is more into the finer things, like classical literature or going to the best restaurant when she goes to Paris. If she's going to go to Paris, then she's going to go to all the best museums. It's not even the fact that they're super expensive but the fact that she wants to be cultured. I guess you could say she was born in the wrong era, and her friends love that about her. Or at least, they accept that about her. She really moves through life in a way that you would see Grace Kelly or something, you know? But don't let that fool you, though, because she has a bad side as well.

So what is a one-word descriptor you would choose for yourself, given that you and your character are very different people?

I'm a learner. The people around me have to be super compatible with me because I'm always asking questions. Since I've been little, my mom has said that I never stop asking questions, and people that won't give you an answer are the people that you shouldn't be around. I feel like, as an artist, it's a gift. I'm a musician. I'm an actor. I'm a writer. I'm always wanting to know about the most random things, [the] most random facts, the most random books. I actually think it is a correlation to Audrey because I really care about life, and I care about everyone. I don't like it when the people around me aren't interested in things. That's the one thing about me that I'll never change, and I think that that's why I've never done an acting class or ever trained professionally in acting, but I take my life experiences into my job.

That's a great quality, especially for getting material for understanding experiences and translating that to your work. So I know you are a singer, you've been recording, and a lot of your other co-stars are multi-hyphenate talents, too. When you're not on set, when you're waiting around, do you ever sing or skateboard or explore other hobbies?

Yeah, of course. We're working insane hours right now, but I'm not a huge partier. I've always been an introverted extrovert. I love being alone so much. And I feel like during the pandemic, I was kind of thriving. I was in my element because I'm always finding stuff to do. I have an entire side thing going on with music and will be putting out my second single in June. People don't realize it, but half of the work is learning the lines and reading scripts all the time. It's pretty shit. Learning lines and preparing. So I find joy in that as well.

I love how you and Audrey are so different and that you're fully embodying this character. In the press stills that I've seen, Audrey is super high fashion and most closely aligned to the original Blair Waldorf in terms of her presentation of self. But I've read that you love vintage and thrifting and gravitate toward more of an androgynous style. Can you tell us about how you cultivated your personal style?

I grew up running around L.A., and actually, I was constantly traveling because I started working when I was 4. So anywhere I would go, I always found a deep love in small businesses, whatever they were. I still do to this day. It feels like I found a home when I find a good vintage market or whatnot. And I think it's really fun, especially on road trips. I used to drive up to New Mexico a lot and San Juan and Santa Fe, and on the way there, my favorite kind of thrift stores are, a lot of the time, on the side of the road. And they're like a church sale, thrift store kind of stuff. I really love finding items that have already been worn or have a history to them. It feels like I'm wearing something that is so important and has been loved before. It's just a story to me. 

But I am an actor, so I love playing characters. Whenever I can change my look in any way or take on something completely opposite of me, it's always fun. And in this world, the Gossip Girl universe is such extreme fashion and such high fashion. A lot of the high-fashion brands that I'm obsessed with have such deep histories rooted in something that really changed the world, and I'm very grateful for it. I'm very grateful for Eric, our costume designer, because now I look at fashion as such an art form. It's so important to history and allows you to express yourself in so many ways. I love Saint Laurent because they made the first lady suit, and it was a stepping stone to the feminism that we see today. I've found such a love for fashion during all of this, but in my roots, I will always love the local thrift store. 

It sounds like you approach fashion as a learner, as a curious person, too.

Yeah, it's constant curiosity. My brain is weird!

It's easy to spot Canadian actress Jordan Alexander in a crowd—whether that's on the Met steps filming a scene with her fellow Constance Billard classmates or, more recently, on a Calvin Klein billboard high above SoHo. Her closely cropped hair, doe-eyed gaze, and playful smile make the folk singer-songwriter and activist easy to follow in more ways than one. Comfortably clad in a hooded sweatshirt and track pants, she swapped stories with me over video at the end of a long day on set. 

Jordan, I was a huge fan of the original Gossip Girl series, so I've just been on pins and needles waiting to find out everything I can about the new era of Gossip Girl. Were you a fan of the original Gossip Girl show?

Yeah, totally. I remember watching it with my sisters. They really liked it as well.

Is there a character from the original that you identified with or emulated in terms of their style? 

I like saying Dorota because I was also a maid.

I love Dorota. I was waiting for it to be her all along. I mean, no spoilers, but that would have been amazing. So I know the premiere date is coming up in July. Now, you're able to talk a little bit about what people can expect from the new series, and I know it's been called a continuation, not a reboot. Can you share a bit more about that?

Yeah, I actually love how you said the new era because that's basically what it is. It still exists in that Gossip Girl world. All of our characters are fully aware of the past and what happened, which is super cool and fun because we're going to be experiencing the show that everybody fell in love with, but through a different lens of actually being in that world. I think it is really meta and cool.

So your character's name is Julien Calloway. We don't know a ton, but @gossipgirl posted on Instagram that Julien is described as "influence." All the characters are given one-word descriptors—I love it. I'm so intrigued. It's perfect for fans like me who want to play detective and figure everything out. But is that a note you were given during production, or is that more of the Gossip Girl marketing element sneaking in there?

Well, I think it's her vibe and potentially maybe even her persona. I think it's something that lives naturally in Julien. But then, she exports that out when she's being her business self or her public self. So I feel like this is a character that has two sides to her because she's her public self, like what I call an influencer vibe, and then there's her as a human being, as an individual.

Interesting. So what is a one-word descriptor that you would choose for yourself, Jordan, and what does that mean for you?

That's so hard because I want to do myself justice… expansive because I'm trying to incorporate the idea that I just want to keep expanding and growing. I don't want to maintain the limitations that I have today.

From the sneak peeks I've seen, Julien is extremely well versed in fashion—those cast photos on the Met steps just drove me wild. But you can tell that Julien and several of the other characters are wearing really current fashion and designers. Julien is wearing knee-high Schutz boots with her Constance Billard uniform, and there's that stunning Christopher John Rogers gown. How do you think these styling elements reflect Julien's power of influence? Does it mean she's literally a fashion influencer?

That is the vibe. Julien has just such a natural air about her that she's become almost like an accidental influencer. Like, she just happens. She's also extraordinarily wealthy and well-connected. So you know, there's that, but she just has this natural vibe to her, where things that she gravitates toward just happen to become super trendy, or maybe the way that she's presenting it, people really emulate that. That's her whole vibe. She's just one of those people. She's an It girl. Whatever it is, whatever she does, that’s the thing.

Almost in an older-school, Serena van der Woodsen kind of way. But Serena was less aware of her power, and Julien seems to have a little bit more control over this influence. Again, just from the photos I've seen. I could be extrapolating down a totally different path. 

No, she's savvy. She's savvy. She knows how to apply herself. She knows that she has that natural, raw element to her. And then, she can see how to capitalize on that, which is like the calculating element of Julien. It is naturally just within her. But she's also very aware of how to utilize that [and] how to wield her power and how to create the world that she wants to live in.

What about your personal style? How do you see that as similar to or different from Julien's?

I'm really, really, really comfort-based like 90% of the time. I am literally wearing snow pants right now. Basically, I don't like to be cold. My whole fashion is based on whether it's cold, but I like being really extra. And I think that Julien likes being really extra, too, so when I am doing that, I feel like we have similarities, and then when I'm bumming around, wearing sweatpants like 90% of the time, that's not very Julien. Julien would not be wearing sweatpants during COVID—she'd still have a look. Well, maybe she'd be wearing sweatpants, but it would be a ’fit. She would have meticulously crafted this sweatpant outfit. It'd be a thing.

I know you're also a singer-songwriter, and several of your co-stars are also multi-talented. When you're off-camera, does the cast share any of their other talents?

Totally. I know that Eli [Brown] and Savannah [Smith] have similar music tastes, and they're interested in making music together. Emily is always doing musical things because she's amazing. We went on a Thanksgiving trip upstate and made a song together, which was so cute. Emily played the ukulele, and we all went around the table adding a lyric. It was really fun.

That's so fun. So this might be just my weird fantasy, but given all the musical talents on the cast, do you think there's potential for a future fantasy musical episode? Or is that just a weird teen drama trope you think is passé?

I feel like I want everybody's imagination to live. I don't know where that would fit into Gossip Girl, but also, you never know. I think that all of us will be pursuing our musical endeavors, so there will be no shortage of it, even if it doesn't manifest itself on the show.

Now that you know New York City a bit better, is there a particular neighborhood or a borough that you, Jordan, identify with most as opposed to Julien's posh Upper East Side digs?

Bushwick?

Bushwick, yeah! What do you like about Bushwick? 

Well, recently, I was reading in the park by my house, and then I heard some music, and I walked over to see what it was, and it was this pop-up drag performance/trans visibility celebration. And it was so beautiful. And I was like, "Oh my gosh, yes! Anywhere this type of stuff is happening, put me there, please." So I feel like I'm in the right spot.

That brings me to my next question. You're a proud activist for the LGBTQIA+ community. Given that social media has made activism and awareness so much more visible than it was a decade ago, do you see these values reflected in the new era of Gossip Girl? 

Yeah, I do. I definitely do. I think that we have come a very long way, and we continue to have a long way to go. That's the thing about progress: It's a continuation. You don't arrive at a destination. I mean, maybe we would, and then that's utopia, but we are constantly pushing. You know what I mean? Maybe gays are more accepted. Okay, cool. Now, it's time to ride for our trans brothers and sisters and our trans siblings because it's not just that we got in the door. It's like, "Okay, now everybody else come on through." So yeah, I feel like this is a set that is placed in the now, and there's still progress to be made. But I feel like we're in a good spot.

The reveal of the cast, slowly announcing who had joined, and the beautiful group pictures illuminate that this era of Gossip Girl will reflect the diversity and values that are more mainstream, almost a decade later. For such an influential TV show, it feels like a really big step, so I'm glad that, as a member of the cast, you feel that's authentic to the storytelling as well.

I genuinely feel like a big effort is being made, and I'm happy about that. It's wonderful.

You don't need Gossip Girl to tell you that model-turned-actress Zión Moreno is one to watch. She left home at age 19 to pursue a career in fashion, which took her around the world before this latest stint on the Upper East Side. Although she plays coy about her character's ambitions, we have a feeling there's a lot more up her expertly tailored sleeves. Fresh-faced and ready to take on the world, Zión spoke with us from her sunny, plant-filled home in North Brooklyn.

Zión, I'm so excited to be speaking with you today. You are the third Gossip Girl I've spoken to this week. I feel so lucky! Were you a fan of the original Gossip Girl show that came out in the 2000s?

I was! I watched it pretty religiously when I was in high school, so I was pretty stoked when I found out I got the role. I mean, I grew out of my Gossip Girl phase, but it was still a nice little nod to the nostalgia of my childhood past.

For me, it was appointment television. I was speaking with Jordan Alexander earlier this week, and we were talking about how we watched Gossip Girl with our sisters. 

That's so sweet. Yeah, my sister hated it. She would not have watched it with me. It was a very guilty pleasure. I kind of had to hide from her to watch it so she wouldn't make fun of me.

Was there a character you identified with or looked to in terms of style on the original Gossip Girl?

I didn't really feel like I identified with any of them. Maybe Dorota, honestly, on a personal level, but style-wise, I was always really infatuated with Serena. That followed me throughout my own style journey, and I still take inspiration from her looks sometimes. 

Dorota was definitely one of the more relatable characters. Everyone else is just so over-the-top. Blair and Serena would be walking around New York City wearing Louboutins, and you're just like, "Is that real life?"

I know! Who walks around New York City in high heels? You really just need to wear trainers or embrace a Birkenstock moment. 

So the premiere is officially coming up in July on HBO Max, finally. What can people expect from the new series, especially knowing that it's the same Gossip Girl world, but it's a continuation and not a reboot?

Right. There's been a big confusion with the whole reboot terminology. It's very much a continuation because it's still set in the same world. The original characters still exist in this world, and some of us refer to them in the show as well. So it's very much a continuation, but I think that people will find it to be a bit more with the times, if you will, just more diverse and original as well as more queer, which has been fun and also a little bit more scandalous. It can be more risqué since it's on HBO, so the directors and producers have taken that liberty to make it a little bit more raw and realistic. I think people will enjoy that it's a bit more adult.

So let's talk about your character, Luna La. I noticed on the Gossip Girl Instagram account that Luna is given the one-word descriptor of "style." Is that a note you received during production?

Yes. Well, not necessarily style but very fashion influenced. She is a stylist, and she's one of Julien Calloway's best friends. So she acts as her style right hand, if you will, and she helps her just look good. She's a really fun role to play. She's all things fashion, and she's very talented and really, really funny in her delusion of how the world works, too.

We've had a couple of peeks of Luna, but it's hard to tell what any of these characters will embody with just the stills from the Met steps or the social media posts. What does it mean to you to harness this energy of Luna La, fashion stylist? What does that mean to you in terms of how your character dresses or her presentation of self?

It's been really fun and very much a confidence booster for me to go on set because I'm pretty much guaranteed to look really nice. So it's really fun to play Luna, and I love all of her clothes. I think that, out of all the characters, her style is much more related to Serena from the original, which is fun for me because, you know, I loved Serena's style. Luna just has these amazing outfits that are genuinely fun to wear.

I know that you are working with Eric Daman, who did the costumes for the original, so that must be a nice thread of continuity. I was going to ask if Luna's moniker of style has some correlation to Blair's mom, Eleanor Waldorf, as an aspiring fashion designer, but you say she's approaching it more as a stylist, which feels like a very 2021 upgrade. 

Absolutely. You know, Luna is extremely talented. She's a seamstress as well, so she could call herself a fashion designer, but more than anything, she's a jack-of-all-trades. She can do it all. She's like this crazy guru that comes up with great ideas as a makeup artist and as a stylist. So she has a lot going for her. I don't think that she should be defined just as a fashion designer or anything like that.

I've been on my own Gossip Girl detective mission here trying to find out as much as I can about you and your character, so I love that you're sharing these little insights today. 

I can't say too much more… because they'll kill me. I want to tell you everything, but…

So what is a one-word descriptor you would choose for yourself, Zión, and what does that mean to you?

I'd say "hopeful" would be my descriptor. I think, in my great aspiration for life to be amazing, I manifest a lot of beautiful things with hard work, and it's something that I'm really proud of with myself. No matter how difficult life can get, I'm still hopeful for a brighter future, and that also helps me fight for people that are marginalized like myself. So yeah, just hopeful for a better future. 

That's really beautiful. 

That's not to sound like a Miss America Pageant answer, but…

No, that's very thoughtful. 

Thank you. 

So let's talk a little bit more about you. You started as a model, and now, you're in this crazy Gossip Girl world of fashion. We discussed Serena being an icon in terms of personal style, but comparing yourself to how Luna La dresses, how do you think your style is different from your character's?

My own style? Well, I definitely cannot afford any of our clothes. So that's a big difference. It's funny because I feel like our style is very closely related. She's just a much more elevated version of who I am. She's still very feminine and soft, and I'm a big fan of cottagecore, if you will. I love looking like I just escaped from the Cotswolds and I'm running in the field. But like, my style is better. So she has that, too. But she also pulls out sexy outfits and elevates them and makes them look more expensive, whereas I'll just throw [on] a $5 dress and call it a day. Put some combat boots on and I'm a happy girl.

Have you found a lot of good thrifting spots since you've been in New York? 

I live in Brooklyn, so there are a plethora of amazing thrift stores here. I've maybe spent too much money thrifting—there are so many gems in the city. Also, I love the plant shops here. I'm becoming a plant hoarder. I have like 50 plants right now.

You've had a couple of roles where you play a high school student. What is it like for you to revisit this part of life from different characters' points of view? And what feels unique about this Constance Billard high school world within the greater Gossip Girl universe?

Yeah, I've played my fair share of high school students, so it'd be nice to play a college student or an adult for once, but I'll get there. I played a high school student in Control Z, which is a Mexican Netflix show. That one was particularly difficult because high school was just horrible for me, as I'm sure it is for most people. I just did not want to revisit that. Also, I was filming in a foreign country. I am Mexican American, and I had never actually lived in Mexico, so that was cool to fully immerse myself in that culture. But I felt like a fish out of water, too. Then, revisiting something so vulnerable for me was extremely difficult, but it became empowering because it healed a lot of my trauma, which was cool.

Constance Billard is different because it's just fun. It's silly. It's a fantasy world. And all of us are out of high school in real life, so it's pretty funny to revisit it together and see the different variations of how we deal with it. But it doesn't really feel like high school. We're wearing these crazy-expensive outfits—you would never do that in high school—and always fresh blowouts. It's just a fantasy, so it's just been really fun. I don't think about it as playing a high school student.

It seems like you and the cast as a whole have become super close over filming, especially given all the COVID restrictions. Have you fallen in love with different parts of New York City? Or what do you like about New York that's maybe different from the Upper East Side world of Gossip Girl?

Gossip Girl is very Upper East Side–centric, and it's funny because none of us ever hang out there. It's kind of dead right now. There's not a lot of fun things to do at the moment. But I love New York City. I always have. I used to live here five years ago when I was a model, and it just feels like you live everywhere at once. There's everything in New York. You can find little random stores, like a random Greek store that you never thought you would go into, and then come upon the most amazing Greek food or Chinese food or Mexican food, whatever it is. There are just so many hidden gems. It's just a multiverse of beautiful experiences. It's just such a special place. But I truly love Brooklyn. I think it's a special borough. That's what's the coolest right now in New York City. You know, it's not really the city anymore. It's all about Brooklyn.  

I want to talk about this new era of Gossip Girl and how social media has made diversity and activism so much more visible than it was a decade ago. Do you see these values reflected in the new class of Gossip Girl?

Yeah, I definitely see it. Most of the characters in the show are queer and are people of color, so it's a reflection of modern culture and how queerness is not really the other anymore and never really has been. It's just the norm. I think that the show will allow a lot of people to view these otherwise taboo kinds of concepts as normal. So I'm excited for people to see it, and I can't wait to see what people say or how they relate to us. And hopefully, they like how we interpret the human experience.

It has been really exciting to see the stills—everyone is so beautiful, and obviously, the styling is amazing—but that was a very big takeaway and an exciting one for a fan of the original to see and say, "Wow, this is a diverse and representative cast that feels like today." Not to imply that these conversations or these marginalized groups did not exist and were not a part of the previous Gossip Girl world, but they certainly weren't front and center. That's a really smart update they've made that feels current. It's still always going to be a fantasy, but this feels a little bit more reflective of our world today. 

Yeah, I think so, too. I'm really excited. I think that the industry just still has a long way to go, but I'm excited for this to open doors that otherwise were closed and to see how it flushes out into true, 100% representation of everyone.

There you have it, Upper East Siders… and everyone else out there on the World Wide Web. Gossip Girl is coming back, not with a vengeance but with a vision that includes not only the latest and greatest in fashion and titillating teenage drama that we've come to expect but also an ensemble of diverse actors who truly reflect the ethos of Gen Z. We can't wait to see what this extraordinary new cast of characters gets up to this summer on HBO Max. Unfortunately, that's one secret these lovely ladies refused to tell! But rest assured: You know you'll love it. XOXO.

Photographer: Vanessa Granda for Who What Wear

Stylist: Rachael Wang

Emily's Hairstylist: DJ Quintero

Jordan's Hairstylist: Dana Boyer

Zión's Hairstylist: Owen Gould

Emily's Makeup Artist: Kale Teter

Jordan's Makeup Artist: Ernest Robinson 

Zión's Makeup Artist: Brittany Whitfield

Manicurist: Arlene Hinckson

Creative Director: Alexa Wiley

Producer: Erin Abeln

Thanks to social media, nothing seems to be much of a mystery anymore. However, when it comes to the reboot of Gossip Girl, it seems that we've been getting mere scraps of information about the latest iteration, fueling our desire for more details. The news that the much-loved show was getting an overhaul, eight years after the original finished airing, was announced last year, and ever since then, we've been trying to find out everything we can.

Then just yesterday, there was a whole new load of photos released from the Gossip Girl set featuring so many looks that we just have to share. As a lover of the original, I find it's hard not to make some comparisons to the former cast and the characters, but so far, according to the outfits, we've convinced ourselves who's the new S and who's the new B. Plus, it's still Constance, and they're still sitting on the steps of the Met. 

So far, we know all the character names (you can spy them on the new Gossip Girl IG account), but I guess what we really want to know is what they're wearing. Thanks to our expert fashion knowledge (and our close eye on costume designer Eric Daman's IG), we've been able to work out all the accessory brands the new cast is wearing. Right now, we have no idea how the new one will play out, but if you need a quick fashion fix before the show eventually airs, then keep scrolling—you know you'll love it. 

Characters Audrey Hope and Julien Calloway wearing Staud, Balenciaga, and JW Anderson. 

Audrey Hope wearing a Cartier bag.

Julien Calloway wearing Schutz boots. 

Character Max Wolfe wearing a Gucci bag. 

Character Monet de Haan wearing Salvatore Ferragamo loafers. 

This post originally appeared on Who What Wear UK.

Next up: 3 Former Teen Mag Editors Reminisce About Their Favorite Gossip Girl Outfits

As we approach 2021, everyone is rightfully looking ahead. From an entertainment perspective, things just got even better because we've learned that Gossip Girl 2.0 is hitting the ground running in NYC right now. The reboot television series has just started filming and luckily for us, the paparazzi was on-hand to capture behind-the-scenes images. 

The show will focus on a new crop of private-school students in the modern era. The cast features a slew of up-and-coming names, including Emily Alyn Lind, Whitney Peak, Eli Brown, Zion Moreno, Johnathan Fernandez, and Jason Gotay. Take a look at Brown in the top row of the photo below—isn't he a dead-ringer for Dan Humphrey? I also spot Jenny and Chuck lookalikes as well. Plus, there will also be a new-yet-familiar face: Tavi Gevinson of early-2000s blogging fame. Scroll down to see the very first photos. 

Next, Hilary Duff wore the updated Ugg boots that are selling like hotcakes. 

Close your eyes and picture this scene: It’s September 19, 2007, at approximately 9 p.m. Where are you? What are you doing? Who are you with? 

If you were a 20-something college student like Tyler McCall, Casey Lewis, and me, odds are you were sitting on the couch with your roommates and tuning in to the series premiere of Gossip Girl on The CW. Back when must-see TV was actually a thing you had to pencil into your schedule, it didn’t take long for the highly anticipated adaptation of the young-adult book series by Cecily von Ziegesar to earn a spot in our lineup of weekly shows. 

Looking back at what was arguably among the last cohort of non-streaming TV sensations (Gossip Girl counts both Mad Men and Breaking Bad as contemporaries) offers not only the welcome respite of nostalgia but also an amusing glimpse into the now-questionable costumes, personal style, and fashion statements of our beloved Upper East Siders. (I don’t know about you, but I never want to see another bubble hem again!) 

As the IRL minions of Blair Waldorf, Serena van der Woodsen, and the rest of the Constance Billard School for Girls gang, it’s hardly a surprise that McCall, Lewis, and I all went on to not only pursue careers in fashion media but also spent time at digital editors at Teen Vogue. While you are likely familiar with McCall for her current role as editor in chief of Fashionista, you might also know and love her as the mind behind #WaldorfWednesdays on Instagram. Similarly, while Lewis is an editor at New York Magazine by day, she spends her leisure time curating @ThankYouAtoosa, the delightful throwback account in which she chronicles the hits (and misses) of teen magazine culture from the ’90s to 2010s. 

And who am I? That’s one secret I’ll never tell. 

Just kidding. Like Little J, I tend to lurk a bit more on the fringes as the content strategy director here at Who What Wear, but I low-key wrote a master’s thesis on the evolution of female characters on television—no joke. If that doesn’t make us some of the most qualified Gossip Girl fans out there, then, by all means, please introduce me to our new queen bee. 

So while prep school uniforms and empire waists may not be making a comeback in our closets anytime soon, it’s safe to say that The Met steps will always hold a special place in our hearts. Now, without further ado, below are nine of our favorite Gossip Girl outfits with a bit about why we loved them. 

Prep School Perfection

"I always loved Blair and Serena's everyday school outfits way more than their gala gowns or super fashiony, extremely Eric Daman-y looks. I grew up desperately wishing I wore a school uniform, and even though real school uniforms looked nothing like the ones on Gossip Girl, I obsessed over their poufy, pleated skirts and crisp button-downs. I would have been laughed right out of my high school if I showed up in knee-high socks and flats, but man, Blair and Serena made it look cool." — Lewis

"When it came to the school uniforms, the show really hit its stride in season two. Did they push the boundaries of what might pass the dress code at an elite private school in Manhattan? Sure. Did Blair know how to kill it in a cape? Absolutely. And what, you didn't wear a bejeweled headband to school? Okay. (I found this exact headband by Jennifer Behr in the corner of her sample sale, and I have never been prouder of my shopping prowess.)"  — McCall

"I'll be honest: I went to a prep school where my classmates and I looked nothing like this, ever. Our dress code of collared shirts, blazers, and chinos was decidedly masculine (the school transitioned from all boys to co-ed in the '70s but neglected to consider female bodies in the dress code until at least 2010), so seeing Blair and Serena on screen gave me a glimpse of what might have been. That said, white button-down shirts are still a staple in my wardrobe, so thank you, Ralph Lauren." — Elovitz

IRL Inspiration

"Season one, in my opinion, was as good as it got as far as Gossip Girl fashion went. How flawless were these dresses? I remember reading about Abigail Lorick in Teen Vogue—if my memory serves before Gossip Girl came out—and I just thought she was the coolest. I think Eleanor Waldorf's fictitious fashion line was based on Lorick, and in my mind, the designer (a former Ford model) was basically another character on Gossip Girl because her clothes were so Blair Waldorf. She may have even made a cameo on the show?" — Lewis

"The jumping-off point of inspiration for Serena was Kate Moss, which meant over-the-knee boots became something of a staple for her. I have doubts about whether these would fly at a real private school, but they still look incredible. I always was more of a Blair than a Serena, but that never stopped me from desperately wanting a pair of Stuart Weitzman's iconic thigh-high boots." — McCall

Special Occasions

"My hands-down, all-time-favorite look from Gossip Girl is Blair's outfit from the first Thanksgiving episode, "Blair Waldorf Must Pie." First, it must be said that this is the best episode of GG. Second, it's just quintessential Blair, from the lacy Marc by Marc Jacobs dress to the bow-patterned tights. I bought a similar pair from Forever21 at the time and wore them to death. Maybe that's why I still can't get enough of a novelty tight?" — McCall

"I spent several years wearing empire-waist, babydoll dresses and patterned tights because Blair Waldorf did. Both things looked truly awful on me, but they were made for Blair. I still dream about her lace Marc Jacobs dress on the perfectly named season one Thanksgiving episode, "Blair Waldorf Must Pie!” The Trina Turk capelet is really quite ugly, but it's so, so 2007, and that makes me love it." — Lewis

"Because Gossip Girl always started around the same time school came back into session, we never saw very many summery looks on the show, which was a shame. But when we did—like on season two's debut episode, "Summer, Kind of Wonderful," costume designer Eric Daman knocked it out of the park. I'm still obsessed with Blair's look from the white party, a scalloped Marc by Marc Jacobs dress and a floral Jennifer Behr headband. So dreamy." — McCall

"Spoiler alert: I fell more in love with Blair's (second) wedding dress than she did with the man she was going to marry in the series finale. I don't know if it was the conclusion of my favorite show that was giving me all the feels or what (hey, it certainly wasn't her groom), but if I had a secret wedding Pinterest board, this Elie Saab Couture 2012 gown in baby blue would be the only thing on it." — Elovitz

Iconic Items

"'Iconic' is a bit overused at this point, but there's no other way to describe Serena's very first outfit on Gossip Girl's pilot episode. The striped Petit Bateau shirt, the leather blazer in the most perfect shade of camel, the little pop of yellow in the form of the handkerchief. I can't think of another time she dressed so understated, but it suits her so well." — Lewis

"Unsurprisingly, I related to Jenny's wardrobe most when she was doing her best Blair Waldorf impersonation toward the end of the first season. There were lots of pastel shades and darling socks. Sure, she would become a bleach-blonde goth in just a few short years, but we'll always have the memories of sweet Little J." — McCall

"How could we skip the legendary Chuck Bass scarf? Chuck's style went off the rails by the end of the show (remember the time he was dressed like Prince George?), but early on, his preppy Upper East Side uniform worked so well for him, and the J. Press scarf looked so good with all of his popped collars and fancy layers." — Lewis

"Like many of my fellow Gossip Girl fans, while we may have aspired to be a Blair or Serena, it was often easiest to relate to Jenny Humphrey. I don't know that it could be called a glow-up, but to say that Little J went through a serious style evolution during the series's six seasons would be a major understatement. As Tyler points out, Jenny started off by emulating Blair's style, then gradually embraced her Brooklyn-bad-girl side as the show progressed. Jenny traded in her preppy headbands, bows, and bright colors for layers upon layers of black eyeliner, offbeat accessories, and an essential leather jacket. While Jenny's anti-establishment new persona lost me along the way (let's face it: you live in a loft in Dumbo, dear), I'll always appreciate how the changes in her character's costumed reflected her growing confidence as an individual." — Elovitz

Up next: The New Cast of the Gossip Girl Reboot Has Officially Been Revealed

If a cult TV show can have a reboot, reunion, or sequel of any sort, Hollywood is seemingly determined to make it happen. We've already learned about the Friends reunion special, Hocus Pocus sequel, and Lizzie McGuire reboot, and now we're getting more info about the revival of the 2000s hit Gossip Girl. The reboot news first broke last summer, but now we know more about the cast.

As Deadline reports, OG blogger Tavi Gevinson has just joined the cast of the new Gossip Girl. The show will also star Thomas Doherty, who you may recognize from High Fidelity, along with Adam Chanler-Berat and Zion Moreno. No word yet on who each actor will be portraying, but we'll be anxiously awaiting the news. As for what else to expect, Deadline explains the new plot perfectly: "Eight years after the original website went dark, a new generation of New York private school teens are introduced to the social surveillance of Gossip Girl," Deadline explains. "The prestige series will address just how much social media—and the landscape of New York itself—has changed in the intervening years." Stay tuned as we learn more, but in the meantime, scroll down to revisit our favorite original Gossip Girl outfits.

Next, Jessica Biel wore white sneakers with glorious reviews on Amazon and Nordstrom. 

Not to be dramatic or anything, but Gossip Girl shaped a lot of my personal style growing up. Between the way the characters styled their uniforms (I wore a uniform from second to 12th grade) to the many different brands and designers I was introduced to throughout the series, when I think of this show, I think of the fashion more than the drama, and that's saying a lot. Yes, much of the fashion and styling seem dated now, but every once in a while, I like to take a look back at some of the outfits from the show to see how I can re-create them in the present time.

That's exactly what I did in an effort to uncover as much winter outfit inspiration as possible. There is just something about my winter wardrobe that leaves me feeling a tad uninspired more often than not, so turning to things like Instagram, street style, and now, Gossip Girl help get my wheels turning. Including everyone from Blair to Jenny, see some of my favorite winter Gossip Girl style moments and shop the pieces you'll need to re-create the seasonal looks.

This simple and tonal look is exactly what I imagine wearing to the theater or a holiday party during the winter. You know, those nights where you can't fathom wearing another pair of boots so you suck it up and brave the cold in some sleek sandals just for one night. 

Get the look:

I've always wanted to wear earmuffs but was always too afraid to style them. This season, I plan on testing out a toned-down version of this look but with the same preppy vibes via a fur-trimmed coat and simple earmuffs to match. 

Get the look:

We all know Blair Waldorf had her fair share of impeccable outerwear, but it was how she styled it all that really made her a fashion icon. Taking cues from this look here, I shall be investing in leather gloves and pretty ruffled blouses to take all of my winter coats to new sartorial levels. 

Serena typically had a more bohemian-inspired wardrobe that really wasn't for me, but this simple knee-high boot styling is something I could get on board with. My coat choice would be this one here, but as far as the skinny jeans and boot coloring goes, I'm fully on board. 

Get the look:

Winter whites can seem cliché, but as an avid Christmas lover myself, I'm all about the cheese this time of year. Since Blair really knew her designers, I figured why not pull out all the stops and shop out luxury pieces I think she would 100% approve of. 

Get the look:

I remember looking at this uniform styling when I was in high school and truly contemplated applying it to my uniform at the time, which would have resulted in detention, so I never did. But now that I am uniform-free and, well, an adult, I plan on snatching up the next pleated skirt I can find and wearing it with all my chunky sweaters and boots alike. 

Get the look:

This look is all about the color inspiration. What was once considered a bit too 2000s for my taste, this pink-and-green duo now feels like just the fresh coloring my winter needs. 

Get the look:

It might seem weird, but matching your tights to your shoes feels like the coolest thing I could do to jazz up my more elevated winter ensembles. After all, tights are the easiest way to make your cold-weather outfits more exciting.

Get the look:

Right up there with Sex and the City and The O.C., Gossip Girl has solidified itself as one of fashion girls' most-beloved TV shows. Now, the show is coming back to the small screen 12 years after first introducing us to the iconic Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf. According to Deadline, the reboot will be aired on the forthcoming HBO Max streaming service, which launches in spring 2020. It appears as if the show will feature a fresh cast, as it's focused on a "new generation" of teenagers. However, we're keeping our hopes up for cameos or other roles to be offered to the beloved cast.

The show will be written and executive produced by Joshua Safran, the same showrunner as the original version. Deadline revealed what the premise of the reboot is: "Eight years after the original website went dark, a new generation of New York private school teens are introduced to the social surveillance of Gossip Girl. The prestige series will address just how much social media—and the landscape of New York itself—has changed in the intervening years." Color us intrigued. In the meantime, scroll down to revisit our favorite outfits from the OG show. 

Revisit the Best Gossip Girl Outfits

Next, see Sarah Hyland's jaw-dropping new engagement ring. 

In addition to the steps of the MET and the New York Palace Hotel, one of the most iconic Gossip Girl filming locations was department store Henri Bendel. I was about the same age as Serena and Blair when the show was airing, and you can bet that Bendel's was at the top of my itinerary when I visited New York at the time. I used to wander into the store often when I lived in NYC after college. It's why you could say I was a feeling bit nostalgic upon hearing the news today that the flagship 5th Avenue location is closing at the end of January 2019, after 123 years in business. (It's also shutting down the rest of its 23 stores around the country and its e-commerce site.) I'm hardly alone, too—Twitter is flooded with people sharing #henribendel to commiserate about the closing.

According to CNN Money, the parent company said in a statement that its decision to close was "to improve company profitability and focus on our larger brands that have greater growth potential." (Some of those brands includes Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works.) We can imagine those 5th Avenue addresses don't come cheap.

On that note, keep scrolling for a little Gossip Girl reminiscing and to shop my favorite Henri Bendel merch while you still can: the signature brown-and-white striped travel accessories.

Shop Henri Bendel Travel Merch

Next up: all the stores to shop in NYC if you're a Gossip Girl fan.

In the 11 years since Gossip Girl first aired on The CW, I can't say that all the beloved Upper East Side fashion has remained relevant to this day. For one, I can't imagine that Blair Waldorf's preppier-than-thou ensembles would fly in 2018, though I've definitely imagined what her closet would look like today. It's also safe to say that none of the show's cast emulates the Upper East Side aesthetic IRL, leaving all those headbands, platform heels, and plaid ensembles to their onscreen personas.

But Blake Lively, whose off-screen style is usually far from preppy, just stepped out in NYC in a look that bears an uncanny resemblance to her character Serena van der Woodsen. The actress's colorful plaid suit, shirt buttoned up to the collar, and menswear-inspired tie reminded me of a modern version of the school uniforms they'd wear in the show, infamously perched on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We, of course, found photos of Lively on set in a very similar look. Go on to see Lively's Gossip Girl–inspired outfit and the original one from 2008.

Blake Lively today

On Blake Lively: Roland Mouret suit; Christian Louboutin pumps; Valentino bag

Her colored plaid suit, button-down shirt, and tie have an uncanny resemblance to the school uniforms she wore for Gossip Girl.

Serena van der Woodsen in Gossip Girl

In 2008, Blake Lively's character in Gossip Girl wore her fair share of preppy ensembles involving plaid and menswear-inspired ties.

Now see the prettiest lingerie trends Rihanna wore for her MTV Video Music Awards performance.

Kelly Rutherford went for a shopping trip in New York City on Thursday, and we'd forgive you for mistaking the photo for a still from Gossip Girl circa 2007. The 49-year-old actress could have easily passed for her Upper East Side character, Lily van der Woodsen, even after 11 years. 

With a Zara shopping bag in tow, Rutherford hailed a taxi in a sleek black coat, printed midi dress, knee-high suede boots, and crossbody bag. The polished, practical outfit is a look van der Woodsen definitely would have worn—except, of course, the Zara bag would have been swapped out for a Barneys bag. See her outfit below. 

In television series like Sex and the City and Gossip Girl, the costumes are arguably as important—and revealing—as the dialogue. The Upper East Side of the 2010s wouldn't have been the same without Blair Waldorf's headbands, coloured tights and blazers. She is certainly conservative and stays loyal to Ivy League signatures such as pearl earrings and pretty handbags, but that doesn't mean her style didn't evolve—she never wore the same headband twice. If Gossip Girl were still going, there are 11 items that we are certain Blair (or should we say Dorota?) would add to her wardrobe because somehow—despite the fact that they weren't hugely on-trend at the time—they've come back around into fashion. 

There are tweaks, of course. No one could pull off a fully, madly accessorised and layered look quite like everyone's favourite RBF-girl, Blair. 

From double-breasted blazers to a Shrimps pearl handbag, keep scrolling to check out what this Upper East Sider would totally wear again in 2018.

1. A Basket Bag

Basket bags were an essential part of Blair's Hamptons wardrobe, so in 2018, she would bring them to the city too and wear the structured basket bags by either Gucci, Mark Cross or Loewe.

2. A Check Blazer

Carrying on from being hugely popular in 2017, double-breasted, checked blazers are still going strong. They were an essential part of Blair's uniform, although today you'd be more likely to wear yours with jeans and a tee rather than clashing prints and cute accessories.

3. Everything By Gucci

Blair Waldorf would probably be one of Alessandro Michele's most loyal customers, as the Gucci bow printed shirts, top-handle handbags, loafers and colourful tights and socks are so Blair.

Related: Victoria Beckham: Underrated '00s Style Goddess

4. Rainbow Stripes

One of Blair's most memorable Met-steps outfits is the blue striped sleeveless dress by the brand Co-Operative Designs that she wore to a coffee-and-drama debrief with Serena, and she'd certainly be into tailored rainbow stripes like the below Mary Katrantzou skirt.

5. Pearls

Blair Waldorf loves pearls, and she'd be the first to snap up one of Shrimps' pearl Antonia handbags.

6. A Beret In Every Colour

Even if you've only watched one episode of Gossip Girl, you'll know that Blair loves her headgear, and this season, she'd swap her headband for a beret.

7. Vibrant Outerwear

Blair will never be a girl who wears black and navy, as she always plays with bright colours, so she'd most certainly approve of this season's bold suits. We think she'd have one in red, pink, yellow and baby blue.

8. Kitten Heels

We'd strongly advise you ignore everything else in this double whammy of a photo and just focus on Blair's shoes: her elaborate kitten heels are so 2018. Although, saying that, the queen has really been bringing back the headscarf this year too.

Related: 6 Jennifer Aniston Outfits That Look Just as Cool 25 Years Later

9. Novelty Bags

Blair had a huge bag collection that ran the gamut between practical school tote to the more sublime and ridiculous—like this heart handbag. It just so happens that this year is all about the novelty mini bag, so it's time to take them out of storage, Leighton.

10. Vintage Florals

Imagine the kind of '90s Ghost dresses you once wore—they came back for Gossip Girl and now they've returned another decade later. 

11. Headbands

Thanks to an influx of Scandi girls wearing hair accessories Blair's, many headbands now appear to be back en vogue. Maybe ditch the blow-dry in 2018?

Next up, the all-important A/W 18 trend report.

Opening Image: Getty Images

Much to our dismay, Gossip Girl ended almost five years ago, but much to our delight, the characters' memorable fashion choices live on. You could even say that fashion and NYC were unofficial cast members—hence the subject of this story. Thanks to the pack of ultra-stylish wealthy socialites featured on the series, New York City's illustrious retail scene was utilized to the fullest over the span of the show's five-year history, with many scenes using some of the city's most famous stores for its on-location shoots.

For the sake of nostalgia, we're taking a trip down memory lane (also known as Fifth Avenue) and have compiled some of the most noteworthy Gossip Girl shopping destinations where Serena, Blair, and the rest of the GG gang were regulars. Read on to join us and shop our picks from each location. (And don't worry, they're much more 2017-approved than 2007-approved.)

Henri Bendel

Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen spent so much time at the multi-level Fifth Avenue department store Henri Bendel that the show even had its second season premiere party there.

Our Pick:

Chanel 

Season 4 opened with Serena and Blair's shopping-filled trip to Paris, in which they visited the Chanel boutique on Avenue Montaigne. 

Our Pick:

Missoni 

Accompanied by Serena, Jenny Humphrey found her sweet-16 dress at the Missoni store on Madison Avenue.

Our Pick:

Vera Wang

Another Madison Avenue designer shop featured on the show was Vera Wang, where Blair acquired her wedding gown (naturally).

Our Pick:

Barneys New York

Gossip Girl's props department likely hoarded stacks of Barneys New York shopping bags—they were often seen dangling from the characters' arms.

Our Pick:

Related: This Is What Your Favorite Gossip Girl Characters Would Buy From Zara Today

Ralph Lauren

One scene featured Serena at Ralph Lauren's Upper East Side store, and she wore a dress by the designer for one of the show's most memorable occasions: Lily's wedding to Bart Bass.

Our Pick:

Bergdorf Goodman

With its proximity to the Plaza Hotel and reputation as one of the best department stores in the city, it's not surprising that Bergdorf Goodman was visited and often referenced by the cast members. 

Our Pick:

Next up, find out what it's really like to be on Game of Thrones. 

Who else is ready for Gossip Girl to come back? Because I definitely am. As an avid fan of the series from day one, I remember fawning over the stylish aesthetics of Serena and Blair, praying I would one day be as chic as they were. Okay, I’ll admit I still try to be as chic as they were, but in a more current and approachable way. As an avid Zara shopper (seriously, I have proof), I always try to imagine what the women I admire, both fictional and not, would purchase from the fast-fashion retailer.

It might sound weird, but it’s actually a fun way to switch up your approach to shopping for yourself whenever you’re not feeling your everyday go-to style. For example, when I have a special event to attend, I try to channel the likes of Serena for her timeless glamour, and for a luncheon, the girly Upper East Side je ne sais quois Blair will be forever known for, but I digress.

At the end of the day, if you miss these iconic Gossip Girl characters as much as we do, anything having to do with them brings about the good kind of nostalgia. So we thought it would be fun to shop out the Zara items we think they would buy on their own today. Based on all the style nuances of the characters we know and love, you might be surprised to see how spot-on some of these Zara items are to the inherent appearance of your favorite GG characters. Are you ready to be stunned?

Go on to shop the Zara items we think the most famous Gossip Girl characters would buy from the retailer today.

SERENA VAN DER WOODSEN

Serena was one of those characters who could wear literally anything and somehow pull it off. However, that's not to say she didn't have a style personality of her own. When I think of Serena, I think glam, perfect tailoring, and sky-high stilettos. 

Shop Serena's style:

BLAIR WALDORF

Blair Waldorf quickly became a style icon for girls in private schools everywhere (e.g., me). It started with her innovative capabilities of dressing up her uniform, including headbands, tights, and preppy blazers, and quickly transitioned into the polished and picture-perfect lady Blair wanted her loyal minions to see her as. Think tweed jackets, pumps, and feminine detailing of all kinds.

Shop Blair's style:

JENNY HUMPHREY

Remember when Jenny used to be a good-girl freshman at Constance? Yeah, neither do we. The iconic Jenny Humphrey will go down in history as the edgy and rebellious girl from Brooklyn who lived in all things leather, checks, and rocker chic.

Shop Jenny's style:

LILY VAN DER WOODSEN

Due to the overwhelming number of secrets, lies, and manipulations living under Lily van der Woodsen's roof, she needed an exterior that remained put-together yet laid-back. But don't put it past this supermom to stun at a social event with her perfectly quaff chignons and floor-length gown, either.

Shop Lily's style:

Related: Photos From the Gossip Girl Cast's First Hollywood Party Just Surfaced

VANESSA ABRAMS

Put Vanessa anywhere besides Brooklyn and she stuck out like a sore thumb. Typically flaunting bohemian frocks, eclectic jewelry, and contrasting colors, this character's style can basically be summed up today as festival chic.

Shop Vanessa's style:

Blake Lively may have admitted to not being the biggest fan of Gossip Girl, but there is no doubt her character influenced pop culture and fashion. In fact, Lively fessed up about taking a dress from Serena van der Woodsen's stylish closet as a memento. Whether you favored Blair Waldorf's headbands or Jenny Humphrey's edgy style, everyone had a GG style icon—and while all of us said "XOXO" to the CW hit four years ago, the cast has a special place in our hearts.

Glamour resurfaced a series of throwback cast photos taken in 2007, and they are giving us serious nostalgia. Lively, Leighton Meester, Taylor Momsen, and the rest of the cast posed together at their first party, before they ever imagined GG would be such a phenomenon. A straight-haired Meester wore an adorable babydoll dress, while Momsen matched her golden-blond hair to her flirty yellow minidress. Lively also looks like a star in the making in a metallic ruffled bodycon dress. You have to see the rest of the cast photos, too.

Check out some of the throwback pictures of the Gossip Girl cast circa 2007, and head over to Glamour to see even more.

Which cast member do you think has changed the most? Tell us in the comments.

Opening Image: Andrew Toth/Getty Images

For the fashion girl, watching TV is more than just a hobby or time for relaxation—so many TV shows are a great source for studying up on the latest fashion trends! One of the most iconic of these was Gossip Girl. Even though the show ended four years ago (much to our dismay), we're still inspired all the time by the series's fashionable characters. We love thinking about what Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf would wear today.

This nostalgia is why we were so excited to see that PopSugar decided to revisit the style from the show and share behind-the-scenes wardrobe secrets that even die-hard fans might not know. Some of the most exciting information we gleaned from the piece? The original inspiration behind Blair and Serena's iconic style.

According to costume designer Eric Daman in an interview with The Huffington Post, Serena's nonchalant je ne sais quois was modeled after Kate Moss. In complete contrast, Blair's totally put-together chicness was based on a mix of the old-school glamour of Audrey Hepburn and the meticulousness of Anna Wintour. We can totally see it now that we know, and we love each of their style aesthetics all the more for it.

Scroll on to shop pieces inspired by Serena and Blair themselves!

Shop Serena's style:

Shop Blair's style:

Whose style do you like more—Blair's or Serena's? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Opening Image: Everett Collection

Sure, we said our final XOXO to Gossip Girl over three years ago, but that doesn’t mean the cult favorite doesn’t hold a special place in our hearts. Netflix binge, anyone? One of our favorite parts of the show was (well, still is) the style. Last fall we shared some of our favorite Serena van der Woodsen fashion moments and highlighted what she would wear if the show aired today. Up next? Her preppy-chic cohort Blair Waldorf.

Keep scrolling to check out what this Upper East Sider would wear in 2016.

Lace dress now:

Mixed prints now:

Preppy look now:

Cape look now:

Slip dress now:

Do you like Serena's or Blair's style better? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

It's hard to believe that Gossip Girl ended almost three years ago, in 2012. But let's face it: Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen are still very much a part of our lives. No, not solely in the form of Saturday rerun-binges, but with their everlasting style advice. 

So in honor of one of our favorite shows (we're guessing yours, too!), take a walk down memory lane and re-live some of the best fashion quotes from the series. 

Keep scrolling for seven style rules we totally still believe from Gossip Girl. 

In season four, episode one, “Belles de Jour,” Blair says to Serena while in Paris, “Stop whatever you’re doing. We need to shop.”

As Blair told a fellow student in season two, episode seven, “Chuck in Real Life,” “Tights are not pants.” Truth.

In season four, episode one, “Belles de Jour,” Serena says “I fall asleep thinking about guys named Louboutin and Laurent” when talking about her promised retail therapy in Paris.

In season four, episode 13, “Damien Darko,” Blair says to Dan, “Fashion is the most powerful art there is. It’s movement, design, and architecture all in one. It shows the world who we are and who we’d like to be. Just like your scarf shows the world you’d like to be a used car salesman.”

In episode three, episode 16, “The Empire Strikes Jack,” Gossip Girl says, “If you are what you wear, you better dress the part you want. A few lucky ladies can do no wrong. Their looks: perfection. And they've got accessories to match. But most girls get tired of the same old look. And they'll do anything to get the hot new piece on their arm. And then there are those with no vision of their own. Thieves of fashion who will steal the shirt off your back.”

In season three, episode 13, “The Hurt Locket,” Blair says, “You know how torturous it is for me to find shiny things that aren’t intended for me,” when talking with Chuck about his mother’s locket. It’s so true—beautiful jewelry is just too hard to pass up.

In season one, episode five, “Dare Devil,” Blair tells Jenny, “As my mother always says, “Fashion knows not of comfort. All that matters is the face you show the world.” And your face looks like it's going to bat mitzvah.”

What's your favorite style rule from Gossip Girl? Let us know in the comments below. And if you're feeling inspired, shop these gorgeous midsummer finds the characters on the show would totally wear.