Live A Lifestyle In The Upper East Side

Gossip Girl never fails to amaze me. The lifestyle of Blair, Serena, Dan, Chuck, Nate, Vanessa & Jenny are just the kind that I have been longing for all my life! The soirees (my french term for party with style), the clothes, shopping, cars, the accessories... you name it and they have it! And while most of the Upper East Side fancy the drama, the scandal and the controversies that comes with being popular, I for one can simply live with all the spectacle.

As a Chuck Bass, more is expected of me. To live the life of a true Upper East Sider means I must in all my ways reflect the life that Chuck Bass lives in. He may not be the ideal character you can bring home to meet your mom but his way of breezing in to life with all the swagger and the attitude is simply so becoming. After all, Chuck Bass is the guy all girls wanted to go out with and the guy every guy wants to be.

So how does one become a part of the Upper East Side- or atleast live like it? Luckily, you don't necessarily have to be filthy rich to live like them; here's how to live a Gossip Girl life if you weren't born in some wealthy Upper East Side family:

Nate, Serena & Dan At GAP

1. Make sure you are popular and talked about. Gossip Girl is, naturally, all about gossip- while sometimes it may be actually harmful, in small amounts it's innocent, fun and very juicy; not to mention it's one of the main ways to popularity. Make your life worthy to be gossiped about; that includes doing some crazy things once in a while (but not so crazy you're looked down at) and making a reputation as a glamor girl/guy. If your popularity, however, is falling, win back the hearts you were once popular among- by throwing the soiree of the year, getting the hottest girls and guys in the school or getting on the cover of a magazine; anything, as long as it's glamorous and it gains the admiration of people around you.

Gossip Girl On The Upper East Side

2. Look the part. Less than perfect looks are not accepted, as the way you look can make you or break you in a Gossip Girl-like world.

• Take good care of yourself. Brand names accessories and other stuff are very often mentioned in the Gossip Girl books. In matters of products used for grooming, buy the best you can afford (well, actually that applies pretty much to everything...). Have a morning beauty routine: take a shower, wash and style. When you can afford, go to beauty salons and spas and have professionals take care of you; it's very relaxing and you get better results.
• Get the style. Trendy clothes, polished look- that's the predominant look in the books. Read fashion magazines and go on style.com to find out about the latest trends. Don't follow trends like crazy, though; having your own style is very appreciated. Just buying a few items in style at the moment will save you from bankruptcy and losing your fashion identity.
• Buy fine, high quality, well-tailored clothes. They don't have to be designer (although a few designer clothes would be more than welcome), but they must be stylish, well-made and somewhat expensive. In matters of clothes, go for a sleek, high-end style. Buy some awesome shoes too. Own at least a designer it bag, if you afford.

Well Mannered Upper East Siders

3. Be well-mannered. As fellow Upper East Siders, the Gossip Girl characters have impeccable manners; they don't want to risk being seen in public doing something that would go off as rude, gross, offensive, impolite or socially unacceptable in any way.

• Never fart, burp, or cuss in public.
• When arguing to someone, don't shout and be elegant in dealing with that person.
• Don't be annoying, and especially not on purpose.
• Be respectful to everyone.
• Learn to apologize and thank people.
• When going to an event, respect the dress code, if there's one.
• Don't drink too much at a party; drunk people are just lame.

The Cast Of GG At The CTW Awards

4. Go to soirees, events and any kind of social gathering; host one every now and then. Have fun, party 'till you drop, meet new people, flirt and dance. Be the center of attention for at least one night. You will be remembered as the girl who entertained everyone at the party and you'll start being invited to more and more events.

5. Be on good terms with your parents. You don't want to be like little J, getting grounded for everything she does wrong. Earn their trust and get allowance from them for partying, consuming alcoholic beverages (don't overdo it and get drunk though, and do not be underage for drinking alcohol) and shopping for everything you want. You never hear of Blair's or Serena's parents getting them grounded for doing these things. 

Confidence Goes With Style

6. Be confident. A gorgeous, privileged teenage you would have no reasons to be insecure, and since you are aiming for this kind of lifestyle, you'll need loads of confidence to make it. Every time you feel down, do something you enjoy, like shopping or relaxing at a spa, for example. Find things you like about yourself and enhance them.

7. Get a glamorous role model. For Blair, it was Audrey Hepburn; you can choose anyone glamorous, or any other fabulous personality you admire. It has to be someone that lives/has lived the way you want to live, so that it's easier to follow. For example, if your dream job is acting, choose an actress as a role model. It doesn't have to be a real person; it can be a character too, even a character from Gossip Girl (like me- Chuck Bass)

8. Be a good student/employee. In the world of people like Blair and Serena, getting excellent grades and being involved in extracurricular activities and charity is very important, as these are bonus points in getting into the college of your dreams and having a rewarding job and reputation later in life.

The Students Of Constance Billard & St. Jude

Blair & Serena BFF

9. Be charismatic and fun to be around. Nobody wants to hang out with a boring, grouchy person. Entertain people, be talkative (but not the annoying, unstoppable, chatterbox-like type of talkative), make jokes and compliment people. Be energetic and have brilliant initiatives and ideas. You'll attract everyone around you.

10. Be well-informed about all the latest trends, events, and news. People will look up to you for ideas of where to hang out, what to wear and what social events to attend. Know all the latest gossip about everyone around you; the juicier, the better.

Cast Of Gossip Girl Rocks The Vote

11. Enjoy the spotlight. Someone who shies away from attention will never be popular. Don't regard attention as a bad thing; instead, learn to use it to your own advantage. Don't be too much of an attention-seeker, though, as it's purely pathetic.

12. Get a clique you will be the alpha of. Generally, a clique is formed of a leader, her best friend (optional) and a few other weaker, more influenceable, less confident, loyal sidekicks. These insecure, less socially skilled person often need a stronger friend to rely on, as it's difficult for them to stand out and be popular on their own. They still have to be somewhat cool and fashionable (forming a clique of losers is unacceptable), but not too much so they can be seen as potential rivals. However, getting such a clique is often seen as social manipulation, and you may consider the other option: forming a group of strong, confident people you are not bored by. This is a more satisfying option for the less bossy, but be aware that such groups often fall apart because the people fight more than in a hierarchy-based clique, where you can silence other people with a look.

13. Be mysterious. Don't always say what you think; if everybody told the truth right the way it is, our lives would be way more boring. Besides, sometimes a little innocent lie or a "spiced up" story is more interesting than the truth, right?

The Not-So-Goody Georgina Sparks

14. Don't be a goody-two-shoes. Gossip Girl characters have a good public image without being completely innocent and "clean". The secret is keeping your naughty side for an exclusive group of people (only your friends and close ones); if you act in a way that can be considered promiscuous with everybody around, rumors will be spread and your reputation can go down.

15. You must have a stunning figure! No one wants to be around someone who is embarrasing to look at. So tighten up those tummies and hush those thunder-thighs, you want to turn heads with your smoking hot bod. (don't flaunt it too much, you don't want to be perceived as a slut...keep it classy.)

So there you have it- the right kind of look with the right kind of lifestyle. You only have one life to live- so live it well. In the Upper East Side, there is no room for mistakes, no room for regrets and no room for pity. All it takes is a good scandal and with this post, I can almost see a new scandal brewing...

XoXo