Desperately Seeking Serena ('s Swimsuit)

Obviously I still haven't got to terms with Gossip Girl ending. To be honest I don't think I ever will. I was rewatching a few Season 1 episodes the other week (as usual) and was reminded of my infatuation with Serena's ruched halterneck swimsuit in episode 12 School Lies.

This swimsuit seems to be one of Norma Kamali's swimwear collection and I've been searching for a similar (and more affordable) one for weeks...

A - River Island Black Body Jewellery Halter Neck Swimsuit, £35

B - ASOS Plunge Backless Suit, £35

C - ASOS Cupped Bandeau Swimsuit, £24

Though it only comes in navy, B is my favourite and definitely bears the most likeness to the original. If you like to bling it up a bit, there's River Island's art deco-esque A option, and if you don't quite want to take the plunge (literally, har har) then C is a safe option.

I will definitely be investing in the plunge backless suit to take abroad with me this summer.

Serena's character is generally styled very well, especially in the summer, so here are a few other photos for wardrobe inspiration:

Bises,

Riona

The First Stage Is Denial...

I refuse to believe that I will never watch a new episode of Gossip Girl ever again. I've never felt so attached to a TV show and its characters. But anyway - let's talk Finale. SPOILERS AHEAD.



So firstly DAN HUMPHREY IS GOSSIP GIRL? I have such mixed feelings about this. On one hand, he was one of my top suspects and it does make sense - he is, after all, there in most situations and obviously had something against the other characters in the early days. On the other hand DAN HUMPHREY IS A MALE. HOW CAN HE HAVE THE VOICE OF KRISTEN BELL? Oh the confusion. I also just can't imagine Dan signing off "xoxo, Gossip Girl". There's also the problem of scenes in past series where Dan sees posts and appears shocked, or there's a photo of him that he couldn't possibly have taken - however, the producers did half cover themselves by mentioning that Jenny knew of Dan's secret identity. I think we all knew it was Dan all along, we just didn't accept it and now we know for sure it's just so obvious. Just think back to the finale of Series 2 when Serena texted Gossip Girl to meet up with her and Dan turned up. We were shocked at first then immediately bought his story of just looking for Serena - and so did she.

I loved the episode in general, it was a great end to a great programme. There were, however, some things which annoyed me. NOT ENOUGH JENNY. I really loved Jenny and I was kind of hoping for her to team up with Waldorf designs, which she apparently did according to the bag she was carrying which said 'J - Waldorf Designs' or something, but I feel she was completely skimmed over, despite being such a huge character in the past. I also feel that Rufus and Lily's relationship was not put to bed the way it should have been, although it hasn't been a main storyline it shouldn't have been skimmed over. And seriously - she gets back with psychopath William? You've changed, Lily. To be honest, the whole Ivy-trying-to-destroy-Lily-but-failing wasn't really covered and I was expecting Lola to make an appearance but once again, not a main storyline and I suppose they only have forty odd minutes.

Of course, all great TV/film legacies have to round things off with a flash forward and, though giving closure and adding a heart-warming touch, I feel this part was quite weak. As much as I loved Henry Bass, it was really just about Dan and Serena, which I can understand as this was exactly how the programme began but it would have been nice to have more closure on other relationships, careers etc. I loved the very end bit, giving the impression that Gossip Girl will live on in society.

Now for all of the feels. I feel more emotional about Gossip Girl ending than Harry Potter - a bold statement. I've never felt so attached to every aspect of a show - after watching an episode I often find myself looking up the soundtrack of the episode, outfits of the cast, reviews of the episode, the places in NYC featured in the ep, texting my friend (an equally huge fan) my opinion of the episode and occasionally looking on newyorksocialdiary.com to look inside the 'real' Gossip Girl world. What ever kind of week/day I've had, I could usually always indulge in the elite and magical world of the Upper East Side for an hour every Tuesday. But no more. I realise how incredibly cliché and over emotional this all sounds, but Gossip Girl has been a key part of my life for a few years now - something I always make time for, can quote in apt situations and discuss religiously with friends. It's also (this is where it gets abnormally sad) something I incorporate into my life. Whether that's through clothes, music, films, books, the way I do my hair or career aspirations, it's genuinely influenced areas of my life. And there's constant reminders of it - whenever I hear Young Folks I think of Serena on the train and the first time we hear of Lonely Boy. If I watch an Audrey Hepburn film, I instantly think of Blair's dreams of being Audrey in various films. I see a book by Scott F. Fitzgerald and think of Serena in L.A. I drink gin, I think of Cece. I speak French, I think of Blair and Louis in Paris. Sad, right?

So how will I cope without my favourite programme? Unfortunately I really haven't the time at the moment to rewatch every episode, which will have to wait until after exams. So until then, you'll be able to find me cuddling my Series 1 boxset and listening to all the soundtracks of the series. No one can thank Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz enough for everything they've done and I have already decided that my future children will be forced to watch AND LOVE the programme, even if rope must be involved.

Bises et larmes (tears),

xoxo Riona

P.S. Stephanie Savage answered some of our suspicions here about Dan being Gossip Girl. http://tvline.com/2012/12/18/gossip-girl-series-finale-spoilers-dan/

Goodbye Gossip Girl xoxo

It's here. The day we never thought would come, that we may not even have believed would come, has arrived. I'm not talking about the whole 2012 Maya thing, but it is indeed the end of the world of Gossip Girl.

Unfortunately, living in England means I don't get to watch it until it goes online tomorrow (God I love 1channel.ch), unlike the lucky Americans who can watch it live tonight. Or not so lucky, considering there's an ad break basically every time we hear their GG iPhone blast alerts (an awful lot). The show's had a good run, lived a good life, but I think we can all kind of agree that it was her time to go. After having an incredibly successful first two series, the viewing figures have been dropping ever since and, while it kills me to say this, I have to admit that this series has been a bit of a disappointment. The 'scandalous' girls on 90s cartoon Recess have hatched revenge plans superior to Blair Waldorf's as of late and definitely did so with more conviction. Blair's character especially has been completely watered down - where are the snide comments we all love to hear when a Humphrey walks through the door? The tantrum when Dorota gets a dress order wrong? As much as I love Leighton Meester and her character, in this series she may as well have moved to Brooklyn and got a loyalty card at Trader Joe's.

However, the extreme change in character personalities still doesn't stop me from adoring the show. Personally, I think the reason it's so popular, certainly with my friends and I, is because it's the perfect mix of fantasy and... er... to be honest, I'm not too sure what it's a mix with - drama? To me, they live the dream life - the life I would choose for myself, if it were possible to choose which life we'd like to live. High rise apartment on the Upper East Side, a trust fund to last a lifetime, a summer house in the Hamptons, invitations to all NYFW shows, unlimited access to Chanel, Marc Jacobs - you name it. I also think the setting itself (New York, a split between the elite Upper East Side and slightly slummier Brooklyn) has played a huge part in the programme; you really can't imagine it being shot anywhere else, the surroundings represent the characters so well. It's definitely the life to aspire to, but I have a feeling it's only achievable if you were born into a Stately Home and Unlimited Trust Fund inheriting family. Oh.

Anyway, I got all emotional earlier about my favourite show ever finally coming to an end and got thinking about how it's actually kind of heavily impacted my life, in a social cultural political way. (...and then I just CHUNDERED EVERYWHERE). No, I'm joking. Kind of. As over emotional and cringey as it sounds, Blair Waldorf in particular has influenced the way I think. I sometimes ask myself "What would Blair Waldorf do?" in situations and the outcome is usually the way to get what you want. She may be a scheming power hungry doe-eyed princess, but she is ultimately a strong, straight-thinking woman with an impeccable taste in clothes.

Speaking of clothes - Gossip Girl has most definitely influenced my dress sense. I've always been a lover of headbands but Gossip Girl introduced me to a few more items which are now staples in my wardrobe...

• The Trench

I adore trench coats, when I'm wearing one I can't help but feel like running out into the rain and screaming 'CAT! CAT!' and then violently attacking George Peppard's face in a tender, loving way. This feeling is intensified by the fact I bought it in the 5th Ave branch of Zara in New York.

• Coloured Tights

A key item of the Gossip Girl wardrobe, these instantly add a pop of colour and brighten up any subdued outfit. Sah preppy.

• Sailor Style

Blair's style especially is very 'sailor', with lots of navy, white and red. She also wears a lot of tailored, structured pieces, though absent in this photo of the sailor jacket. Her outfits often involve top-buttoned shirts with large collars.

I'll miss you B.

I'll let you know as soon as I've watched the finale... I might actually cry.

Bises,

Riona