Gossip Girl (2021): A Critique of the Critique

Spotted: Racially Motivated Critiques Dressed in Sheep’s Clothing

HBO’s new reboot of the beloved 2007 hit show Gossip Girl has left many fans with many words to spew, not many being positive and not many going without their true colors peeking through the at times eloquent words chosen to describe their viewing experience. Having an almost hell-bent vendetta against the new show for going against what they believe to be the core of the original, what they like to call “old money”.

Old money and new money have been the token phrases that have been thrown around in reference to both the original and the reboot. A fancy way for people to put, “I will only tolerate having the one token person of color”, and justify it to themselves. As a person who has been born and raised in NYC, I will be the first to say it is nothing similar to how the original Gossip Girl portrayed. Granted while I am one of many non-white, non-wealthy people who live in the outer boroughs and not the Upper East Side, I am no stranger to the wealthy that dominate the area. The clear racial disparity has and unfortunately will remain in place for years to come. However, the existence of BIPOC within these wealthier communities would be purposefully ignored if it followed the whiteness of the first cast.

The term new money has turned from a mere descriptor into a demeaning phrase frequently used in these disputes. Its meaning simply being wealth that has been recently obtained, as opposed to old money that has been passed down through generations. The specific era of old money commonly spoken about is not one to be praised, coming from the times of slavery and exploitation of numerous BIPOC. Keeping that in mind, many of the new characters do indeed come from old money, and assuming they are not a microaggression within itself. Monet de Hann is confirmed to be descended from generational wealth and is the richest of the new bunch. In contrast to Chuck Bass from the original who is both from new money and the wealthiest.

A fact that is willfully ignored by viewers while explicitly stated by himself more than once, “He [Bart Bass] was born poor, I was born loaded but if the only way to impress him was if I started with nothing then why doesn't he just take it all away.”

But it’s not “new money” because he is a straight cisgender white man, right?

Regardless of the true meanings behind the two phrases, there are certain aesthetics people associate with the two, even if they are not guaranteed. The look that is frequently grouped with old money is similar to that of the original, with preppier styles and to be blunt⁠—whiteness. With that said, the style is not what is in this current trend cycle and not exactly what people are truly quick to point the finger at.

The characters in the reboot are dressed in nothing short of outfits emulating their wealth. From a quick search, it is evident that not the average person would be able to purchase these goods, most being upwards of the $300 mark for a single piece. Brands are likely eager to have one of their pieces featured on the show and HBO’s budget presumably has dedicated plenty extra to ensure the characters are dressed to the nines. All pieces being aligned with all the current trends of the new decade and all coinciding with its source material.

Gossip Girl had the same amazing stylist on their team that was able to use their limited budget—more so in the earlier seasons⁠—to dress these Upper East Side characters accordingly. Take Blair’s ice-skating outfit for example. The set was entirely from Zara and is well presented in a manner that matches the aesthetic of Manhattan’s elite. 

The reboot’s resident fashionista, Luna La, takes a stab at the clothing choices of its predecessor in the first episode, “We should have a no Zara rule at school. Zara: East of Lex only”…something that viewers should do more often.

Now, one does not need to spend an exorbitant amount of money to look good, but the point of Gossip Girl is that the characters are the children of the extremely wealthy. The critique that the characters in the reboot are not dressed “expensive” enough falls flat once price tags are revealed.

While the styles of the original fit well with the fashion of the time, there were some unmistakably questionable choices made throughout the show. The titles of being best dressed and timeless, not always being merited. The style of the original simply does not completely align with the current trends of 2021, it would be more of a disservice to the characters than it would seem. Instead of having these teenagers seem up to date with the trends and socially aware, they would be considered out of touch amongst younger crowds. The hyper-focused critique about the fashion is a lazy way of trying to mask the racist sentiment of how BIPOC cannot be considered classy. No matter how they’re dressed and no matter how they act.

The original cast did an incredible job at bringing Gossip Girl to life. Yet one should not have to walk on eggshells to describe how their whiteness reigns above all else about them. Most of the popular hot takes that have been circulating on social media boil down to the appearances of the characters, not the plot, cinematography, performances, editing, etc. (with there being existing issues in those departments). The main difference between the two shows lies in the new cast being miles more diverse and having room in the budget to spare expenses on clothing and finer details in its first season.

Out of the eight leading characters, Audrey Hope has been a noticeable fan favorite, a detail that can be quickly brushed over if not given a second thought. Taking a glance at the cast, it is apparent she is the only white woman, something that cannot simply lie on coincidence. On one hand, Audrey bears many similar characteristics to the popular mean girl, Blair Waldorf. On the other, these qualities are not limited to only her, the aforementioned characters of Monet and Luna both embody those same qualities. Yet as soon as they had their quippy one-liners, they were marked as annoying and unnecessary.

As a fan of the original dating back to when it was still on the air and from when I had not even reached a decade in age, it is frustrating to watch viewers try to hold the reboot up to the “standard” of what it once was. Because what it once was, wasn’t perfect either and far from being held away from criticism. As much love as I have for it, it has not withstood the test of time. The characters all having done many inexcusable actions throughout the series that were ignored. Ex. Chuck trying to take advantage of two people in the first episode alone, Georgina outing Eric, Chuck trading Blair for a hotel… It’s safe to say that has gotten the ax for as far as romanization goes.

The Gossip Girl reboot gives the rich people messiness that viewers so richly desire except in 2021, not 2007. The show is intentionally created not to replicate the original but the year currently doesn’t permit for it either. If the original characters were taken and transplanted to 2021, all of them would have elevated fame and large online platforms. Similar to the popular nepotism-babies that seem to dominate everyone’s Pinterest boards. Serena van der Woodsen would not be concerned with the likes of being on page 6 but with her next Instagram post⁠⁠—just like Julien Calloway. The Influencer has become the new Socialite in the present day.

With everything considered, it is not to say that I am fully backing the revamped show. It has been a mere three episodes in comparison to a six-season long show, who is to say further issues cannot arise? However, if you are going to critique something, do it right and without racist undertones.

Give it some thought. XOXO.