The new “Gossip Girl” reboot was launched today with its very first episode. This reboot is not so much a reboot, but rather a continuation of the “Gossip Girl” world. All the characters are different and there are not too many similarities with the old cast. The story still follows the wealthy elite high schoolers of New York as they go on their crazy adventures while constantly being watched by the infamous Gossip Girl.
“Gossip Girl” was a show we all grew up with, and that is why I was scared that they might ruin it in their reboot. The unique aspect of “Gossip Girl” was that there was no social media back then and it was hard to look into someone’s personal life. I was wary that since the use of social media is rampant and everyone’s life is public, that shock factor would disappear. But I was happily mistaken because the drama is still very much there with this new format.
While watching the show today I was pleasantly surprised by the fashion and cast. The original Gossip Girl was the epitome of early 2000-2010 fashion, with every character always dressing on-trend. It became a show synonymous with incredible fashion and expensive designers items. I was worried that the reboot will not put an emphasis on the incredible fashion as behind-the-scenes images show the characters in bike shorts with designer bags. Though this look is very popular with celebrities today, I was accustomed to the more classic feminine look of Blair and Serena.
The new queen of Constance, Julian, can be seen as the anti-Blair in the opening shot. She is Black, which is huge considering the original cast was all white. She can be seen looking powerful with her shaved head, long white button-down, a loose tie, black bike shorts and white knee-high boots. The look is fresh and very 2021. Her counterpart and half-sister, Zoya, is a middle-class girl trying to find her place in the school. She shows up to school with a headband, a staple of Blair Waldorf, but Julian tells her to remove it; a clear signal that the fashion in this show will be very different.
The party scenes in the original “Gossip Girl” always made way for some incredible, over-the-top looks. The party scene in this episode was underwhelming compared to the original, but it was very appropriate. The show is set in a post-COVID world, so the looks are more understated, and more emphasis is placed on the silhouette rather than the “bling.” We did, however, see some very dramatic looks in the fashion show scene which were all designed by SCAD alumn, Christopher John Rogers.
This season is looking to be a season full of drama, betrayal, love and friendship. This show looks promising, and I cannot wait for the story to unfold. I am still skeptical of the fashion, but mostly because it is not my specific style. The fashion is very appropriate for the time, and we are still getting to look at some very expensive handbags and shoes.
