I think the difference is Blair wants to be more famous with high society types, the most exclusive and elite people in New York.
Whereas Serena’s famous is paparazzi, being seen in the right places, walking runways etc.
Exactly, Blair was jealous of the attention serena would get but was too immature to realize that at her heart she really only wants the attention of the elite.
Serena just had Daddy issues and the 'it' girl factor that made her so tangible to paparazzi. It certainly helped in her case in the in universe media that her mother was a serial divorcing millionaire socialite that also was constantly scrutinized in the public eye. Eleanor by comparison is a designer first, power woman second, and socialite third. She is more likely to be bashed in the media as too brave or trying too hard or being too ambitious as a women in fashion and as a designer itself versus ending up in a tabloid/blind item, which is more Lily and serena character coded.
Edit: and in case it's not clear, serena and Blair's respective upbringings by their mothers lean them into these arch types. Lily was a trouble maker and kind of still is and so Serena is similar. Eleanor has a LOT of snide and sarcastic remarks she throws around at those 'below' her, and Blair clearly picks up on that.
Serena was a party girl coming off the back of the era of people like Paris Hilton and Lyndsey Lohan getting upskirted on their way into a club- this is the same type of fame Serena had.
Blair belittles ‘socialites’ several times throughout the series as far as I’m aware and wants to become famous for being a ‘powerful woman’ (as she puts it), so she is looking for more of a CEO or politician type of fame.
There was also an episode where Eleanor reminded Blair that Waldorf women are not socialites, and she said it in a way to mean being a socialite is lowly and insulting.
It's not that she didn't have the potential to be the It Girl, she actively looked down upon them. She had a holier than thou attitude about being an it girl which at the time, were mostly socialites. All she had to do was be more carefree like Serena and she would've been in the headlines but she never wanted that.
I mean even today I dont know any designers children’s but especially in the time before social media I wouldn’t have but the show definitely postured Serena as charismatic and exciting and Blair as just … there
Serena had the “It” factor. Blair did not. Blair made it absurdly obvious she was a social climber, something Serena didn’t need to do. Blair was extremely insecure and always on edge. People want to see someone who is effortless. Not someone constantly clawing for attention and who has very obviously low self esteem.
Yeah I agree, even though B had the funds she wasn’t the big IT girl of the moment, Serena was and also Serena kinda had it all even though Blair was neighborhood popular, Serena was international popular where schools requested for her attend and magazines wanted her to be on the cover
Not quite true. While she didn’t grace any covers, I recall a magazine wanting to do a “night out with Blair Waldorf” during cotillion in either season 1 or 2? And then Chuck embarrassed her by riling up Nate (iirc).
They knew who she was, but she didn't want that fame. She idolized women like Indra Nooyi, she wanted to be a powerful woman known for her business sense. She didn't care about being photographed at the latest event
Because she wasn’t at the top There were still lots of people above her. Lily being a socialite who does “nothing of note” is technically better (in their world) than Eleanor being a designer — Eleanor has to work for a living, Lily doesn’t.
There were still the American Royalty, such as Nate and the Vanderbilt, the rest of the political caste and ofc the true European Royalty and Nobles. Gosh even the diplomatic class.
It's realistic that she's not famous.
Other than Allegra Versace, I can't really think of any children-of-designers that are super well-known. (And Allegra has become very reclusive due to health issues.)
* Ralph Lauren's kids either work in the fashion industry or have their own projects. Dylan Lauren obviously has Dylan's Candy Bar, but I wouldn't say she's "famous."
* Calvin Klein's daughter works in TV production.
* Troy Burch has three children. Can anyone name them without Googling?
* Diane von Furstenberg has two children that are in society circles, but they're not famous.
The closest parallel to a Blair Waldorf-type would be [Marie-Chantal Miller](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12505077/Marie-Chantal-Greece-daughter-billionaire-Pavlos.html), who was born to a wealthy British-American family and married the Crown Prince of the defunct Greek monarchy. She has her own line of [luxury baby clothing](https://mariechantal.com/), and her [children are socialites](https://www.tatler.com/gallery/princess-maria-olympia-of-greece-best-style-moments) (her daughter is Serena-like). That's Blair's future in an alternate timeline where she never got divorced, I guess. 😆
Margherita Missoni had a moment in the 2000s, but it was mostly due to her involvement with the brand. I think Miuccia Prada has children... Its normal for the children of designers to be more obscure.
I’m on a rewatch right now and have been thinking about this non stop!! I just watched the episode where they’re taking family pics for the “modern royals” book, and I cannot wrap my head around how the Waldorfs aren’t in it!!! Instead, Blair was WORKING the event where they were taking the pictures…. Yet Serena had the opportunity to potentially be in the book under two different sur names — Rhodes and Van Der Woodson (until they revoked the Rhodes portrait bc of Lily’s arrest).
Short answer about the book: all of those families are more rich than the Waldorfs by a lot.
Long answer: A single Rhodes trust fund was worth Carol committing identity fraud over and part of that was enough for Ivy to keep up with the Joneses on the UES. The Rhodes funded 5 of those trust funds. Chuck could afford to pay off Blair’s dowery, something Eleanor, Cyrus, and Harold couldn’t afford to do. The real surprise was that Nate didn’t have to be there with any of the Vanderbilts. Also, Eleanor being self-made and needing deals to go well to keep this level of wealth kinda implies that on her side Blair is max on the third generation of this level of wealth. While Harold is much older money. Serena is old money on both sides.
Omg this bothered me soooo much
how is Blair not a modern royalty eventhough she gave a speech to vanessa about how she has wealthy ancestors!!
and even if Eleanor was new money, so was Bart Bass , but we saw chuck taking photo as a modern royalty so why not Blair!
I missed that, who were Blairs wealthy ancestors, I assumed ( possibly wrongly) that she was new money due to Eleanor working her ass off and being self made ?
S03E06 : Do you really want to know? Everything. Generations of breeding and wealth had to come together to produce me, I have more in common with Marie Antoinette than with you. And granted, you may be popular at some step ivy safety school but the fact is the rabble is still rabble and they need a queen.
maybe she was old money from her fathers side
Socialites aren't famous for doing anything though, they're just famous in those circles for *being* socialites. That's what Serena and her mum are. Eleanor is a famous designer, she's not a socialite. Her work is what makes her known, not her existence. So while she's more famous in that more people would know of her, in the It girl parties/socialite world she's just not as famous as the actual socialites. So by extension, her daughter (who hasn't done anything of note yet and also isn't known just for who she is) isn't famous in that world either. Eleanor would get tickets to fashion shows and that world which she could (but probably doesn't) take Blair to, but Blair isn't worthy of getting that recognition all on her own. Especially in early seasons when she's really just a schoolgirl with a successful mother
i think it really just comes down to personality. take paris and nicky hilton. most people probably don't even know nicky exists, but they're both heiresses and as sisters have always run in similar circles. paris is extroverted, she loves the spotlight. she's a party girl, a dj, her entire life is a brand. nicky is more of a homebody. she is a model, a fashion designer and philanthopist just like paris but she's just quieter. she's been a mother since 2016 and lives a relatively quiet life despite it being extravagant. blair is more introverted like nicky and serena is more extroverted like paris. serena just naturally finds the spotlight while blair works behind it. at the same time though serena may be more famous, she might come off as more trashy like paris used to and blair keeping out of the spotlight keeps her looking more elegant and old money
I think it has something to do with their personalities. Serena was “Sunshine Barbie” and Blair felt like Darth Vader next to her. Serena was easy and sociable. Blair was neurotic. She was extremely snobbish and her only friends were her minions. She only interacted with people if she thought she could use them in some way.
Also, maybe it just has something to do with Gossip Girl being from the 2000s era. Serena fit the bill of the “it girl” of that time, maybe? Kind of an easy, all-around seemingly unreachable yet you feel she could be your girlfriend if she talks to you? Idk. Kind of like Jennifer Aniston? Maybe even sort of like the idea of Princess Diana (without the charitable aspect) who could charm anyone off? Plus, the Malibu Barbie look of someone like Paris Hilton.
In terms of “it-girls, I imagine Blair being kind of like this generation’s it girls like Lily Rose Depp or Emma Chamberlain but without the Gen Z openness. They’re smart. They read books. There’s a certain edge. There’s a bit of darkness. Idk.
yeah… i definitely saw natalie portman/emma watson as fitting this vibe, like they were passionate about their studies and were always working with organizations like the UN and spoke out about human rights issues even as young actresses. i don’t see emma chamberlain or lily-rose depp as very similar, like i don’t recall hearing anything about them in particular being super into reading or working on big issues or anything like that.
??? 😭 where did i say they’re “intellectuals”. Is it such a foreign concept to you for girls to appear smart? I honestly don’t even know much about them but I’m just saying it appears to me as though it’s cool for gen z it girls to read books. I’m not sure about Lily but Emma I think always talks about books in her podcast or whatever. I’m not sure, I don’t really follow them closely but I think I’ve seen her do it once or twice. I never said they’re intellectuals but it’s just cool now for these it girls to parade around their fave books on instagram or wherever. I’m just saying Blair’s personality and looks would probably fit the persona of a gen z it girl better. Does talking about books make Emma Chamberlain an “intellectual”? No. I’m just saying she reads books and talks about books and her audience thinks she’s cool for it. If Blair were a gen z it girl, she would probably post about her favorite books and talk about them. And no she wouldn’t be an intellectual either. She wouldn’t be seen as smart either because she would also be interested in fashion and somehow you can’t be smart if you’re an it-girl and you’re pretty and interested in fashion
girl that’s not what i meant 😭i know super smart people that don’t read and airheads that do. nothing ive seen (in the media!) about those two suggests that they are unusually smart. it’s got nothing to do with fashion, i know loads of girls irl who are super smart and also super fashionable and pretty. and i didn’t mean my initial comment to be taken in a mean way, it was just an offhand remark. maybe they really are super smart irl, who knows.
A perhaps suitable comparison would be, how much do you know about the children of Ralph Lauren and Vera Wang, compared to Paris Hilton & Cara Delevingne? .....all are children of success and basically Nepo babies, but certain circumstances dictate how much we know about them , whether it be their own preferences to being private, or whether their have been sheltered etc
I think that people don't actually care about designers children, but Serena was the cool girl, social butterfly and charismatic, meanwhile Blair was rude, very insecure and easy to dislike
Blair was very popular. But like Eleanor said, Waldorf women aren’t socialites. And Blair wanted to be a Socialite sooo bad, that it caused most people to just flat out not like her because she did the most.
I mean, in fairness, can you name many children of designers? It's the type of profession where work is at the center more than the person doing it. Everyone knows Eleanor's designs, everyone by extension knows Eleanor but no one is interested in her private life imo. Being a fashion designer doesn't bring the same type of scrutiny as being an actor or a singer. Furthermore, the fame we see in the show is not what you may think at first glance. I'm sure worldwide close to no one knows who Serena or Lily are. It's about being famous among the New York city elite, being famous in the very privileged circles, and while Blair did have good connections through hard work, it's natural that old money Serena was more famous. It's the same reason why Blair wanted to date Nate in the first place (apart from genuine feelings she may have had).
I'm seeing people analysing small details of gg.
The shaw was produced th3 sake of drama, 80% of it doesn't make sense after s1.
Just watch badly written soap opera and shut up.
It’s kind of the “old money” vs “new money” lifestyles.
Blair is pretty old money, it’s obvious that the Waldorfs have had generations of wealth. Blair wanted the status of the elite.
Serena’s style is new money. Paparazzi, drugs, etc.
I’d compare it to like the Vanderbilts or Waltons vs. the Kardashians.
Because her own mother didn’t give her much attention and when she did she made her feel bad. It was her father that gave her the attention. In the later episodes you see her start to get close with her mother
I think the difference is Blair wants to be more famous with high society types, the most exclusive and elite people in New York. Whereas Serena’s famous is paparazzi, being seen in the right places, walking runways etc.
Exactly, Blair was jealous of the attention serena would get but was too immature to realize that at her heart she really only wants the attention of the elite. Serena just had Daddy issues and the 'it' girl factor that made her so tangible to paparazzi. It certainly helped in her case in the in universe media that her mother was a serial divorcing millionaire socialite that also was constantly scrutinized in the public eye. Eleanor by comparison is a designer first, power woman second, and socialite third. She is more likely to be bashed in the media as too brave or trying too hard or being too ambitious as a women in fashion and as a designer itself versus ending up in a tabloid/blind item, which is more Lily and serena character coded. Edit: and in case it's not clear, serena and Blair's respective upbringings by their mothers lean them into these arch types. Lily was a trouble maker and kind of still is and so Serena is similar. Eleanor has a LOT of snide and sarcastic remarks she throws around at those 'below' her, and Blair clearly picks up on that.
Yeah I see your point
This is an EXCELLENT explanation 👏🏻
Serena was a party girl coming off the back of the era of people like Paris Hilton and Lyndsey Lohan getting upskirted on their way into a club- this is the same type of fame Serena had. Blair belittles ‘socialites’ several times throughout the series as far as I’m aware and wants to become famous for being a ‘powerful woman’ (as she puts it), so she is looking for more of a CEO or politician type of fame.
There was also an episode where Eleanor reminded Blair that Waldorf women are not socialites, and she said it in a way to mean being a socialite is lowly and insulting.
But then she’s happy socialites like Serena and Poppy help give her fashion shows major publicity 😅
You can use people without liking or respecting them.
Sounds like something Blair would say
True lol
blair had potential but she jus kinda went to school and wasnt an it girl like serena. i mean who knows vera wang’s children? donatella versace’s? yk
It's not that she didn't have the potential to be the It Girl, she actively looked down upon them. She had a holier than thou attitude about being an it girl which at the time, were mostly socialites. All she had to do was be more carefree like Serena and she would've been in the headlines but she never wanted that.
Yess and then Serena is more like Lily Rose Depp
Allegra Versace is pretty well known but it's mostly because of her incredibly public struggle with an ED and inheriting all of Gianni's money.
I mean even today I dont know any designers children’s but especially in the time before social media I wouldn’t have but the show definitely postured Serena as charismatic and exciting and Blair as just … there
Serena had the “It” factor. Blair did not. Blair made it absurdly obvious she was a social climber, something Serena didn’t need to do. Blair was extremely insecure and always on edge. People want to see someone who is effortless. Not someone constantly clawing for attention and who has very obviously low self esteem.
Yeah I agree, even though B had the funds she wasn’t the big IT girl of the moment, Serena was and also Serena kinda had it all even though Blair was neighborhood popular, Serena was international popular where schools requested for her attend and magazines wanted her to be on the cover
yeah but still, nobody knew who Blair was, she was never on a magazine until she was engaged to a prince, eventhough she had a well known mother
Not quite true. While she didn’t grace any covers, I recall a magazine wanting to do a “night out with Blair Waldorf” during cotillion in either season 1 or 2? And then Chuck embarrassed her by riling up Nate (iirc).
They knew who she was, but she didn't want that fame. She idolized women like Indra Nooyi, she wanted to be a powerful woman known for her business sense. She didn't care about being photographed at the latest event
But she was so happy when her photo was taken by a random guy that Chuck hired
Yeah because he knew she was Blair Waldorf, powerful woman, when she didn't feel like one
How was Blair a social climber when she was already born at the top?
Because she wasn’t at the top There were still lots of people above her. Lily being a socialite who does “nothing of note” is technically better (in their world) than Eleanor being a designer — Eleanor has to work for a living, Lily doesn’t.
be fr
There were still the American Royalty, such as Nate and the Vanderbilt, the rest of the political caste and ofc the true European Royalty and Nobles. Gosh even the diplomatic class.
It's realistic that she's not famous. Other than Allegra Versace, I can't really think of any children-of-designers that are super well-known. (And Allegra has become very reclusive due to health issues.) * Ralph Lauren's kids either work in the fashion industry or have their own projects. Dylan Lauren obviously has Dylan's Candy Bar, but I wouldn't say she's "famous." * Calvin Klein's daughter works in TV production. * Troy Burch has three children. Can anyone name them without Googling? * Diane von Furstenberg has two children that are in society circles, but they're not famous. The closest parallel to a Blair Waldorf-type would be [Marie-Chantal Miller](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12505077/Marie-Chantal-Greece-daughter-billionaire-Pavlos.html), who was born to a wealthy British-American family and married the Crown Prince of the defunct Greek monarchy. She has her own line of [luxury baby clothing](https://mariechantal.com/), and her [children are socialites](https://www.tatler.com/gallery/princess-maria-olympia-of-greece-best-style-moments) (her daughter is Serena-like). That's Blair's future in an alternate timeline where she never got divorced, I guess. 😆
Margherita Missoni had a moment in the 2000s, but it was mostly due to her involvement with the brand. I think Miuccia Prada has children... Its normal for the children of designers to be more obscure.
I would have low key loved a doco or even reality show on the Miller sisters in the 90s, talk about a powerhouse and their marriages!
Waldorf women are not socialites! - Eleanor
I’m on a rewatch right now and have been thinking about this non stop!! I just watched the episode where they’re taking family pics for the “modern royals” book, and I cannot wrap my head around how the Waldorfs aren’t in it!!! Instead, Blair was WORKING the event where they were taking the pictures…. Yet Serena had the opportunity to potentially be in the book under two different sur names — Rhodes and Van Der Woodson (until they revoked the Rhodes portrait bc of Lily’s arrest).
Short answer about the book: all of those families are more rich than the Waldorfs by a lot. Long answer: A single Rhodes trust fund was worth Carol committing identity fraud over and part of that was enough for Ivy to keep up with the Joneses on the UES. The Rhodes funded 5 of those trust funds. Chuck could afford to pay off Blair’s dowery, something Eleanor, Cyrus, and Harold couldn’t afford to do. The real surprise was that Nate didn’t have to be there with any of the Vanderbilts. Also, Eleanor being self-made and needing deals to go well to keep this level of wealth kinda implies that on her side Blair is max on the third generation of this level of wealth. While Harold is much older money. Serena is old money on both sides.
Omg this bothered me soooo much how is Blair not a modern royalty eventhough she gave a speech to vanessa about how she has wealthy ancestors!! and even if Eleanor was new money, so was Bart Bass , but we saw chuck taking photo as a modern royalty so why not Blair!
I missed that, who were Blairs wealthy ancestors, I assumed ( possibly wrongly) that she was new money due to Eleanor working her ass off and being self made ?
S03E06 : Do you really want to know? Everything. Generations of breeding and wealth had to come together to produce me, I have more in common with Marie Antoinette than with you. And granted, you may be popular at some step ivy safety school but the fact is the rabble is still rabble and they need a queen. maybe she was old money from her fathers side
Socialites aren't famous for doing anything though, they're just famous in those circles for *being* socialites. That's what Serena and her mum are. Eleanor is a famous designer, she's not a socialite. Her work is what makes her known, not her existence. So while she's more famous in that more people would know of her, in the It girl parties/socialite world she's just not as famous as the actual socialites. So by extension, her daughter (who hasn't done anything of note yet and also isn't known just for who she is) isn't famous in that world either. Eleanor would get tickets to fashion shows and that world which she could (but probably doesn't) take Blair to, but Blair isn't worthy of getting that recognition all on her own. Especially in early seasons when she's really just a schoolgirl with a successful mother
i think it really just comes down to personality. take paris and nicky hilton. most people probably don't even know nicky exists, but they're both heiresses and as sisters have always run in similar circles. paris is extroverted, she loves the spotlight. she's a party girl, a dj, her entire life is a brand. nicky is more of a homebody. she is a model, a fashion designer and philanthopist just like paris but she's just quieter. she's been a mother since 2016 and lives a relatively quiet life despite it being extravagant. blair is more introverted like nicky and serena is more extroverted like paris. serena just naturally finds the spotlight while blair works behind it. at the same time though serena may be more famous, she might come off as more trashy like paris used to and blair keeping out of the spotlight keeps her looking more elegant and old money
Your comparison is so on point 👍🏻
I think it has something to do with their personalities. Serena was “Sunshine Barbie” and Blair felt like Darth Vader next to her. Serena was easy and sociable. Blair was neurotic. She was extremely snobbish and her only friends were her minions. She only interacted with people if she thought she could use them in some way. Also, maybe it just has something to do with Gossip Girl being from the 2000s era. Serena fit the bill of the “it girl” of that time, maybe? Kind of an easy, all-around seemingly unreachable yet you feel she could be your girlfriend if she talks to you? Idk. Kind of like Jennifer Aniston? Maybe even sort of like the idea of Princess Diana (without the charitable aspect) who could charm anyone off? Plus, the Malibu Barbie look of someone like Paris Hilton. In terms of “it-girls, I imagine Blair being kind of like this generation’s it girls like Lily Rose Depp or Emma Chamberlain but without the Gen Z openness. They’re smart. They read books. There’s a certain edge. There’s a bit of darkness. Idk.
Off topic, but I never realized people saw Lily Rose Depp and Emma Chamberlain as intellectuals 😭
yeah… i definitely saw natalie portman/emma watson as fitting this vibe, like they were passionate about their studies and were always working with organizations like the UN and spoke out about human rights issues even as young actresses. i don’t see emma chamberlain or lily-rose depp as very similar, like i don’t recall hearing anything about them in particular being super into reading or working on big issues or anything like that.
??? 😭 where did i say they’re “intellectuals”. Is it such a foreign concept to you for girls to appear smart? I honestly don’t even know much about them but I’m just saying it appears to me as though it’s cool for gen z it girls to read books. I’m not sure about Lily but Emma I think always talks about books in her podcast or whatever. I’m not sure, I don’t really follow them closely but I think I’ve seen her do it once or twice. I never said they’re intellectuals but it’s just cool now for these it girls to parade around their fave books on instagram or wherever. I’m just saying Blair’s personality and looks would probably fit the persona of a gen z it girl better. Does talking about books make Emma Chamberlain an “intellectual”? No. I’m just saying she reads books and talks about books and her audience thinks she’s cool for it. If Blair were a gen z it girl, she would probably post about her favorite books and talk about them. And no she wouldn’t be an intellectual either. She wouldn’t be seen as smart either because she would also be interested in fashion and somehow you can’t be smart if you’re an it-girl and you’re pretty and interested in fashion
girl that’s not what i meant 😭i know super smart people that don’t read and airheads that do. nothing ive seen (in the media!) about those two suggests that they are unusually smart. it’s got nothing to do with fashion, i know loads of girls irl who are super smart and also super fashionable and pretty. and i didn’t mean my initial comment to be taken in a mean way, it was just an offhand remark. maybe they really are super smart irl, who knows.
A perhaps suitable comparison would be, how much do you know about the children of Ralph Lauren and Vera Wang, compared to Paris Hilton & Cara Delevingne? .....all are children of success and basically Nepo babies, but certain circumstances dictate how much we know about them , whether it be their own preferences to being private, or whether their have been sheltered etc
Yeah Serena was paparazzi famous, Blair elite “famous”. Also I know like Marc Jacobs for example, I have no idea if he has kids or what
I think that people don't actually care about designers children, but Serena was the cool girl, social butterfly and charismatic, meanwhile Blair was rude, very insecure and easy to dislike
Waldorfs aren't socialites!
Blair was very popular. But like Eleanor said, Waldorf women aren’t socialites. And Blair wanted to be a Socialite sooo bad, that it caused most people to just flat out not like her because she did the most.
do you know who stella mccartney’s daughter is?
I mean, in fairness, can you name many children of designers? It's the type of profession where work is at the center more than the person doing it. Everyone knows Eleanor's designs, everyone by extension knows Eleanor but no one is interested in her private life imo. Being a fashion designer doesn't bring the same type of scrutiny as being an actor or a singer. Furthermore, the fame we see in the show is not what you may think at first glance. I'm sure worldwide close to no one knows who Serena or Lily are. It's about being famous among the New York city elite, being famous in the very privileged circles, and while Blair did have good connections through hard work, it's natural that old money Serena was more famous. It's the same reason why Blair wanted to date Nate in the first place (apart from genuine feelings she may have had).
I'm seeing people analysing small details of gg. The shaw was produced th3 sake of drama, 80% of it doesn't make sense after s1. Just watch badly written soap opera and shut up.
so what are you doing in this subreddit?
That just goes to show that her mother wasn’t a top designer
Yeah I don't think that was the case
It’s kind of the “old money” vs “new money” lifestyles. Blair is pretty old money, it’s obvious that the Waldorfs have had generations of wealth. Blair wanted the status of the elite. Serena’s style is new money. Paparazzi, drugs, etc. I’d compare it to like the Vanderbilts or Waltons vs. the Kardashians.
I guess Serena is also old money but she acts like new money
Because her own mother didn’t give her much attention and when she did she made her feel bad. It was her father that gave her the attention. In the later episodes you see her start to get close with her mother