Sassy Serena

While lamenting the loss of my beloved J. Crew (it's experiencing a temporary Internet meltdown), I decided to scour the Nordstrom sales for some picks that satisfy the other spectrum of Gossip Girl lovelies, Serena van der Woodsen. As I said before, it's often difficult to pick up style tips from a 5'10" girl with the skinniest legs ever. I'm not going to go into whether one of the two ladies is "prettier" than the other, first of all because I don't appreciate judging like that and second of all because they're both so gorgeous I wouldn't be able to pick. So, for those of you that are more into Serena's laid-back, boho style (with lots of gam-showing), here are some things you should check out at the Nordstrom sales.

This black tunic with snaps up the sides is something that you could wear either without bottoms or with bottoms, but if you wanted to go full-on Serena it would probably be without bottoms. I love this piece because it's detailed without being too much, and it's on sale for $54.90.


This black sequined number from LaROK is another example of a classic black piece with a little bit of "Serena" injected into it with the silver sequin detailing. To me, the detailing in the front almost resembles a sequined vest thrown over a black dress, which sounds like something right up funky Serena's alley. If you're interested, it's on sale for $97.90.


This taupe jersey dress definitely has the "leg-showing" criteria filled, but I like how it's not particularly revealing on top, so you're not showing too much. Plus, the neutral colour is a perfect canvas for some accessories of your own, be they Serena-inspired or just you-inspired. It's on sale for $105.90.


This cream shirtdress with sequin detailing seems like something that our party girl Serena would wear to one of her more hip, young soirées. Again, the shift style that's pretty roomy on top is great for balancing out a very leg-displaying dress...it's also great for hiding a little bit of extra tummy. The dress is from French Connection, on sale for $109.90.


This black dress with a vest is kind of like the daytime version of the black LaROK sequined dress. The simple vest detailing adds a bit of boho while still remaining crisp, and again is a great palette to show off some standout accessories. You could go all-out Serena with a black studded bag, along the lines of her trusty Burberry "Warrior" bag, or you could just spice it up with some neons and chunky necklaces. Personally, I'd go for a pretty silk scarf and some fancy flats to girlie it up. The dress is on sale for $128.90 from Charlotte Ronson.


This yellow BCBG dress reminds me of Serena's lovely pale yellow ruffled dress in the wedding, though it doesn't quite carry the same designer tag. After looking at the dress on the model, I think it's safe to say that the style is quite difficult to carry off. This cocktail, modified version is much more wearable, and is a lovely departure from the usual spaghetti-strap or halter-neck evening dresses. Plus, it's from BCBG and it's only $159.90.


One thing I love about this orange flower-adorned dress from 3.1 Phillip Lim is that it's not any sort of imitation of Gossip Girl style, it's something that Serena herself may have worn. Yes, orange isn't a common colour in her wardrobe, but the easy, breezy style of this sheer silk dress is almost definitely something she would wear. And, of course, it has the requisite hiked-up hem. Thankfully, for those of us who don't have infinite amounts of budget money to spend on designer-filled wardrobes, this piece of Phillip is only $189.00.


Finally, this yellow number from Diane von Furstenburg is a lovely, long dress that is made for the lovely, long ladies out there. I'm all for wearing what makes you happy, but being 5'2" myself, I know that calf-length dresses like this usually drown my petite frame out. But on a tall and skinny girl like Serena, curves aren't even necessary to pull off this beautiful summery dress. If you're interested, it's only $206.90...which isn't bad for DVF.

Be Like Blair

Though many may find it difficult to pick between the equally gorgeous styles of Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen from Gossip Girl, I personally find it much easier to take style tips from Blair, just because Serena's style often requires long, skinny legs like hers (which sadly, not all of us are blessed with). I am about 5'2", so pulling off some of those shift dresses isn't exactly easy. Though Blair's style is pretty extreme, I like getting inspiration from her outfits rather than attempting to pull off an entire one. So, while browsing the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale today, I came across a large number of pieces that I thought would be fit for Blair Waldorf herself (not counting the price tag, of course).

I'll start off with one of the more simple ones, a beige puff sleeve dress. This neutral colour would be flattering on many different skintones, and leaves the way for a fun pair of flats or heels, depending on the occasion. But the fitted silhouette, puffed sleeves, and bow detail are all Blair. The $68.90 sale price? Not so much.


This short-sleeved white shift dress could be styled in many different ways, and may not seem to scream "Blair!" at first, but I found a couple of accessories that might bring it more into Waldorf territory. It's on sale for $68.90.


For a Blair Waldorf-approved look, I would pair this dress with a pair of red bow pumps ($29.99 at Piperlime) and a red bow headband ($2.80 at Forever 21)


This red, structured dress with bows on the sleeves is so Blair Waldorf that the Nordstrom model is even styled in a Blair Waldorf sort of way. The high bun, the pink lipstick...though I imagine if it was Blair she'd have a bit more blusher on, just to push the whole "innocent doll" look. It's on sale for $165.90, which isn't too bad for a nice evening dress that makes you stand out from the crowd (high bun and bright lipstick not required).


Finally, this black ruffled trench coat (which is a steal at $26.90) is a great way to add some girlie to a basic, everyday piece. A trench like this can be used in the fall or the spring, because the ruffled soften what would be a harsh piece. Plus, we all know Blair loves her belts and this trench sports its own. Unfortunately, it's only available in Medium, but if that's your size I would grab this ASAP.

Silver Sales

Here's a cute little sale-inspired outfit for all of you silver-loving folks out there:

I found this jacket while scoping out the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale. There are some pretty good finds out there, but a lot of things are only available in really obscure sizes. This pretty little silver jacket is only available in Small and Medium, and I think I would replace the buttons if I were to buy this jacket (maybe some vintage silver ones?), but I love the collar and the pleating detail. Plus this jacket is on sale for $58.90, so if you want it you'll have to grab it fast!


I would pair this with a pair of dark skinnies and a pair of grey pointed-toe flats, like this pair. They're on sale at Piperlime for $25.97 but they're only available in size 8. I love the button detailing on these flats.


I'm actually a big fan of this sale outfit idea, so look forward to many more of these in the future!