Hey Upper East Siders! Today, we are looking at best friends and worst enemies, Blair Waldorf and Serena Van Der Woodsen, the “It Girls” of the hit TV show, Gossip Girl. How were they different? How were they similar? And how did they assert their status and power to stay on top?
Let’s jump into the mind of Blair Waldorf. Blair grew up in a house where she had very little control. Her mother and she had a rather strained relationship, as her mother, Eleanor Waldorf, was very hard on Blair and often did things to hurt her. Eleanor would talk about Blair’s looks and body, she uninvited Blair’s father to Thanksgiving, and she replaced Blair with Serena for a photoshoot. These are just a few instances, but there are many more times that Eleanor was unkind to her daughter.
Naturally, when people feel a lack of control, they do anything they can to get it back. This manifested itself for Blair in a few different ways. Throughout the show, it was known that she had an eating disorder, revealed in “Blair Waldorf Must Pie!” from Season 1.
An even larger way that she deals with these feelings is by taking control of others, especially at school. Blair must ensure she is at the top of the social hierarchy and has power over her peers. She works tirelessly to achieve this goal, hurting or sabotaging those blocking her path. She doesn’t care if people like her or not. She only cares about protecting her power and gaining influence over others.
Blair always makes sure she gets what she wants. Though it may come across as being over the top, Blair is an impressively determined person. She has great self-respect and always believes herself to be deserving.
I think Blair can teach us about self-confidence and self-respect. Many people worry about impressing others, forgetting about themselves and what they want and need. Blair shows us how we need to care for ourselves and can’t always worry about everyone else.
Blair is clearly into self-care, whether it’s a shopping spree, a long relaxing bath, or an extensive morning routine. Learn from her, and give yourself more respect and self-care. Always try to look and feel your best, even if you are just running errands or staying at home. Keep your space clean and neat, because a clear space equals a clear and focused mind. And make sure you are living for yourself, because you owe it to yourself, and you don’t need to worry about what others think.
Now let’s talk about Serena Van Der Woodsen. Serena is effortlessly an “It Girl.” She doesn’t try to obtain status the way Blair did, she just obtains it naturally. This is what sets her and Blair apart, and it's a large reason why it often seems that Blair is in Serena’s shadow.
Blair wants control over everyone. She wants everyone to fear and respect her, often causing people to dislike her. That isn’t Serena. Serena doesn’t care what people think of her.
Serena is charming and naturally has that “it factor.” Blair works extremely hard to try to get on top, but even with all Blair’s hard work, Serena still comes out ahead, even without trying. We saw this in the episode “Bad News Blair” from Season 1 when Blair was supposed to model for her mother’s fashion company. Blair was at the initial photoshoot with Serena supporting from the side. Serena could tell how stressed and tense Blair appeared under the camera, so she helped Blair become more calm and natural. However, when the photographers saw Serena, they wanted to photograph her instead of Blair.
Serena is perfect without trying to be. Blair puts an immense amount of effort into her appearance, contrasting Serena's carefree behavior. Serena doesn’t always look put together when she goes out. Her outfit might be mismatched and thrown together, and her hair is often messed up. In one episode, Blair said to Serena, “Your hair looks disgusting! Did you even shower?” Yet, even when Serena looks like a mess, she still comes across as perfectly effortless.
Another factor that makes the public love Serena is her mystery. She has secrets. People don’t know everything about her. This was shown in the first episode of Gossip Girl when she left Manhattan for a year for “boarding school,” and then mysteriously came back. There were many parties or events where Serena would suddenly announce “I have to go” and leave the scene. Nobody knew where she was heading, increasing their interest in her and her life.
Lastly, Serena is a genuinely kind person. She doesn’t think about social status the way Blair does. Viewers saw this as early as in the first season when she started dating Dan Humphrey, aka “Lonely Boy.” He was a middle-class boy from Brooklyn. Serena could have had any Upper East Sider she wanted, but she chose Dan, regardless of his status or money. This makes Serena very likable.
There is no doubt that Blair Waldorf and Serena Van Der Woodsen are both “It Girls.” They are just “It Girls” in different ways, and we can learn from both characters. Blair teaches us to work hard and stay determined to achieve our goals. She teaches us that we are worthy and deserving, so we should take care of and value ourselves. Serena teaches us that less is more. Sometimes, when you aren’t stressed, you will have a better result than when you are. She shows us that a fun, carefree attitude can be the key to success, and kindness can go a long way. Well, Upper East Siders, that’s all for now. XOXO, Gossip Girl!
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