FashionClub.com Daily

Gossip Girl: "The Last Days of Disco Stick"

Hearts hung in the balance this week, as the pressure of escalating tensions made for an explosive week on the Upper East Side. As relationships ended, others never began in this week's all-new episode of Gossip Girl. 

In the wake of last week's intimate encounter, Dan Humphrey, Olivia Burke, and Vanessa Abrams struggle to overcome a new and overwhelming sense of awkwardness. Despite Dan's emphatic denials to friend Nate Archibald, the tension in the air is palpable as Vanessa and Olivia struggle to win the attention of their lovable Lonely Boy. With Vanessa and Dan's annual Morrissey concert on the horizon, a forgotten event plays a key role as Blair Waldorf, in her quest to join the "in" crowd of actors on the NYU campus, reminds Olivia of the group's upcoming cabaret party. Occurring on the same date as Vanessa and Dan's concert, the event draws an interested Olivia, as she sets her sights on winning the evening with Lonely Boy. 

As an aspiring writer, Dan embraces the event, as he learns that it offers the opportunity to write and also perform in his very own production. Hopeful of earning future admission into NYU's prestigious program for playwrights, Dan pins his goals on currying favor with the school's influential actors and actresses. While Olivia informs Vanessa of Dan's change of plans, Vanessa is shocked as a conversation with Dan brings Olivia's manipulations to light. Eager to put Olivia in her place, Vanessa ultimately uses Dan's trust to not only convince him to work with her on the script, but also to let her direct the entire production. A Lady Gaga-inspired musical rendition of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, the script casts Dan as the Prince, Blair as the Evil Queen, and Olivia as Snow White. 

Angered by Vanessa's sudden participation, Olivia's jealousy explodes as accusations of inappropriate behavior erupt between the former friends. Accusing Vanessa of harboring feelings for Dan, the pair face off in a war of words that lead both of them to storm off. Overhearing the details of the trio's recent encounter, Blair uses the information to blackmail the feuding friends into returning, but is frustrated yet again as a conflict between Olivia and Dan mid-way through the performance triggers yet another dramatic exit by the actress.

With Vanessa forced to assume the role of Snow White, Dan closes out the production with a climactic kiss. Discovering Olivia soon after, Dan is stunned as she claims that her departure was merely a means of reconnecting him to Vanessa. While it appears Dan is indeed enamored with with his long-time friend, the pair are shocked as Vanessa fails to return the feelings, and even casually admits to having another potential boyfriend in the works. Surprised, Dan is nevertheless grateful for the evening's outcome, as his successful performance leads the influential members of NYU's drama department to offer to help him with his application to the college's program for playwrights. Olivia also seems optimistic, as she decides once and for all to take a temporary leave of absence from NYU to film another movie. Blair, meanwhile, uses her connections to entertain the audience at the cabaret party with a Lady Gaga concert. 

Serena van der Woodsen struggles against temptation this week, as she valiantly works to overcome her attraction to Congressman-elect, Tripp Van Der Bilt. With Blair still angry over a perceived slight last week, Serena seeks out Nate Archibald to prevent her from turning to Tripp. While the pair reconnect over a few drinks, Tripp is stunned as Nate's mother informs him of his wife Maureen's election-day deceit. Turning to Nate, Tripp runs into Serena, and with his marriage in shambles, the pair share an explosive kiss. 

Chuck Bass, meanwhile, invites an ambassador and his son to stay at his vaunted Empire Hotel. Determined to make a good impression, Chuck offers to show the ambassador's son, Damien, around the city, and even includes Jenny Humphrey to help show him a good time. To Little J's surprise, though, there is more to Damien than meets the eye, and she discovers that he is, in fact, a high-class drug dealer. Attracted to her classy, new, bad-boy, Jenny accompanies Damien to another deal, but is caught as Chuck quickly catches onto his scheme. While Chuck ultimately kicks the ambassador and his son out of the Empire, Jenny's connection to Damien remains as she goes behind Chuck's back with plans to meet him again.

Gossip Girl returns in two weeks, as the Upper East Side celebrates with a special Thanksgiving episode entitled, "Treasures of Serena Madre." This holiday season, look forward to the dramatic climax involving Tripp and Serena, as well as a shocking pregnancy.

To find out what happens, stay tuned and stay fashionable,

--Alaythia

Make Your Holidays Sparkle with FashionClub.com!

Diamonds may be a girl's best friend... But so are pearls, gold earrings, charms, and bracelets! This winter, Make Your Holidays Sparkle with November's exciting new theme at FashionClub.com!

This holiday season, deck the halls with boughs of jewelry as we show the hottest styles around! Did you know that FIDM is known for its industry-leading Jewelry Design program? It's true! Check out the season's most-talked about pieces from FIDM grads like Rafia, Bansri Joaillerie, Vitalwan, and Isaiah Garza! Plus, with our exclusive Jewelry Trends to Inspire You, we'll have you looking fabulous in no time!

Looking to beat the cold this winter? Stay warm with our 5 Fab Movies starring Jewelry! These are films that feature show-stopping pieces, and star on-screen legends like Nicole Kidman, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe and Kate Winslet! But don't take our word for it... Watch these dazzling films and see why they deserve to be in your permanent collection! 

Now that you've seen some of the world's most fabulous jewelry, meet one of its most exciting designers, Tarina Tarintino! A fourteen year veteran of the jewelry design industry, Tarintino designed a collection honoring the 70th Anniversary of the Wizard of Oz that appeared at FIDM Museum and Galleries earlier this year! Learn more about this iconic woman who has created pieces for the likes of Cameron Diaz, Avril Lavigne, and Miley Cyrus!

Finally, keep the momentum of an exciting holiday season going by starting your own High School FIDM Fashion Club! Whether its jewelry design, fashion design, or another one of FIDM's 18 exciting majors you crave, there's no better time to get started with your own fashion club!

'Tis the season to get stylish with FashionClub.com!

Enjoy!

--Alaythia 

Gossip Girl: "They Shoot Humphreys, Don't They?"

In a decadent event brimming with social ramifications, the Upper East Side hosted its annual Cotollion last night. As things changed, they also stayed the same in an exciting new episode of Gossip Girl on the CW. 

Sitting on top of the social ladder at Constance, Jenny Humphrey is forced to confront her worst fears as the arrival of Cotillion finds her without a suitable escort. Unable to earn the hand of Upper East prince, Graham Collins, she is relieved as a suddenly forgiving step-brother, Eric van der Woodsen, volunteers his boyfriend, Jonathan Whitney, to be her escort. While it appears that Eric has Jenny's best interests at heart, the plot thickens as Kyra, a school mate--and admirer--of Jenny's, talks Graham into inviting Jenny to Cotillion via text message. Eric ultimately intercepts the message, however, and in a shocking twist, conceals it and informs Graham that she is already spoken for. 

With Cotillion just days away, the van der Woodsens host a party at their Manhattan condo for the Upper East Side's current set of debutantes. Matching past-participantes to this year's crop of privileged elite, the party aims to prepare the girls by assigning each a temporary mentor. On Chuck Bass's advice, Blair ultimately attends the party in the hopes of making up with Serena van der Woodsen, but is sorely disappointed as the only concession Serena is willing to make involves mentoring Little J. Rolling with the punches, Blair begins counseling Jenny, but is interrupted as Little J learns of Eric's betrayal. Taking control of the reins, Jenny pledges to invite Graham, and consequently spurns Eric, Jonathan, and Blair.

Humiliated, Eric and Blair join forces in the hopes of taking down Jenny. While Blair takes Kyra under her wing in the hopes of installing a new Queen Bee, Eric uses a childhood relationship with Graham to blackmail him into quietly dumping Jenny, and escorting Blair's protege. In the end, they succeed in embarrassing  Jenny, but to their surprise an escort-less Little J calls Nate Archibald to reverse her fortune. Agreeing to be announced as her escort, Nate gives Jenny vindication, while Eric is indirectly punished as his collaboration with Blair causes the end of his relationship with Jonathan. 

Serena, meanwhile takes a job in Tripp Van Der Bilt's office as his newest assistant. Occurring as a result of last week's reconnection between the pair, the position is soon complicated as the Tripp and Serena begin to develop feelings for one another. Devastated by the stress of temptation, Serena is soon forced to turn to Blair for advice, as Chuck Bass hatches a plan to trap the feuding friends in an elevator. In a long conversation that goes well above and beyond Serena's dilemma, Blair advises Serena to quit her job, and avoid Tripp altogether. The plan backfires, however, as Serena finds herself unable to quit, and as a result continues to put herself in harm's way with the married Tripp. 

Dan Humphrey also faces a surprising situation this week, as girlfriend Olivia Burke reveals plans to begin filming her next movie. Teaming with Vanessa Abrams, Dan tries to sway Olivia's decision to stay in college by exposing her to many of the fun activities enjoyed by the average student. As the trio romps through fourteen of the fifteen most popular aspects of college life, Olivia is forced to concede that she has no other choice but to film the movie, but as her last request, asks that they complete the final most popular activity. To her surprise, it involves an intimate encounter between the three friends, and in a split second the trio kick off their own raunchy experiment. The next morning, however, brings notification of the movie's cancellation, leaving Olivia, Dan, and Vanessa to face their actions in the light of day. 

Also, in a final surprising note, Lily Humphrey intercepts a letter from the mysterious Dr. van der Woodsen to his daughter, Serena. 

Next Monday's episode, entitled "The Last Days of the Disco Stick," features Blair, as she tries to impress students at NYU with a private Lady Gaga concert, Serena, as she turns to Nate for support during a difficult situation, and Jenny, as she agrees to do a favor for Chuck. 

WIll Serena ever see the letter from her father? What of the friendship between Olivia, Dan and Vanessa? Furthermore, will Serena and Blair remain friends, or is this truce simply an illusion?

To find out, stay tuned and stay fashionable,

--Alaythia

Reel Good Jewelry

Plots have been created around accessories. Take Cinderella for example. It just wouldn't have been the same had it been her cake plate she left behind. No, it had to be her glass slipper.

Jewelry in particular has had quite the starring role in movies. Let's take a look back on memorable jeweled moments in Hollywood.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

A PR success story--get your company's name in a movie title and cast Audrey Hepburn. "Well, when I get [the mean reds] the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany's. Calms me down right away. The quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there. If I could find a real-life place that'd make me feel like Tiffany's, then - then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name!"

Photos | IMDB.com

Pretty Woman

The scene in which Edward snaps the necklace case down on Vivian's fingers was improvised by Richard Gere; Julia Roberts' reaction (laughter) was totally natural. The filmmakers liked it so much, they decided to leave it in.

 

Find more movies with jewels on fashionclub.com!

--Gigi Hooghkirk

Project Runway Screening at The Getty

Who watched Project Runway last night? I did...at The Getty!

The designers' challenge was to create looks inspired by their visit to The Getty. 

So, The Getty invited their Facebook fans to a screening of the episode, followed by a lively informal panel discussion about the influence of architecture on fashion design. Moderated by Brooke Hodge, the panel guests included Marie Claire West Coast Editor Mary Alice Haney and Fashion Designer Jasmin Shokrian.

All five of the Project Runway designers' looks were rolled onto the stage before the panel discussion began. What a surprise!

Haney had just come back from Paris Fashion Week. She said Althea's design could almost be something in a Prada show and Irina's look was very "flowy and very Lanvin-esque."

The discussion broadened and Hodge went on to talk about the structural pieces in the Jil Sander Fall 2009 collection. Raf Simons was influenced by French ceramicist, Pol Chambost. Simons was interested in how the artist used color on the inside. He was influenced by "the lips of the vases and the curves and linear shapes of the vases," Hodge said. "To me there is something very architectural about the clothing in terms of their lines and their volume and their shape and their silhouette."

Photo | Marcio Madeira, style.com

Haney had to run off to a fashion event in Beverly Hills. So we had a great amount of time getting to know LA Fashion Designer Jasmin Shokrian. Hodge introduced Shokrian as "a designer who often cites art and architecture influences."

Shokrian has been working on her brand for the last eight years right here in LA. And lately, she has been experimenting with making fabric. The fabric in the piece below (from her Fall Collection) was structured with different materials including chiffon, muslin mixed with a silk canvas, and a silk charmeuse. There is burlap in the collar and it's covered with chiffon to make it stand architecturally. Shokrian explains that the use of these vastly different materials makes the piece both humble and dressy.

Photo | jasminshokrian.com

Jasmin Shokrian also weighed in on the discussion of structure and architectural influences in fashion. She said she created an entire collection based on the Fibonacci Series. She says that basically it's the idea that "everything you see in nature is somehow mathematically related to architecture." The geometry of it inspired her collection, which included "a lot of strong geometric shapes that protrude about the body."

She says she is greatly influenced by the work of architect Terunobu Fujimori, who she said mainly designs treehouses (photo below). She says this is truly her aesthetic. "There is just something about the shape, the texture, the organic quality and then the artificial. It's surreal."

On another note, Jasmin Shokrian advised that the time limits the designers are given on Project Runway are pretty real. There are deadlines in fashion design that absolutely must be met. So she said being on the show is good training for the fashion business. "It's very fast-paced."

Hodge says it's important to have Project Runway in LA because New York doesn't really take LA seriously in terms of fashion. She says, "Some of the best architecture in the world is in LA, and some of the best art and museums. And we have a lot of great fashion designers." Haney serves on the LA Fashion Week committee and is working on giving the fashion scene more of a presence in LA.

The Getty invited their friends on Facebook to attend, free of charge. They said it is the first of many Facebook invitations to follow.

--Gigi Hooghkirk

Gossip Girl: "The Grandfather: Part II"

Betrayal marred a special election day episode of Gossip Girl, last night. With the Van Der Bilt name on the line, drama stole the vote as controversy ignited a firestorm of old tensions between the suddenly not-so-close members of Manhattan's privileged elite.

Spending election day in the penthouse of Chuck Bass's Empire Hotel, the Van Der Bilts are rocked by Tripp Van Der Bilt's disappointing showing in the polls. In a race against an opponent backed by the arch-rival Buckleys, the campaign's failure to attract a majority of voters draws the concern of Tripp's powerful grandfather. Conceding that it may be too late to save the family from the throes of a humiliating defeat, he notes that only a well-timed "miracle" can guarantee Tripp's election.

Amazingly, the Van Der Bilt's wishes are soon answered. In a walk along the piers, Tripp responds to the desperate cries of a drowning man. Jumping in to recover him from the water, the entire event is captured by a documentary-filming Vanessa Abrams. Upon further review of the tape, however, Vanessa soon realizes that the "miraculous" event was staged, and confronts Nate with the incriminating information. Proving his family loyalty, Nate asks Vanessa to keep the information quiet. Stubbornly, however, she sells the footage to Channel One, leaving Nate with little choice but to take more forceful measures.

Nate, in turn, manages the situation by sending someone to pose as a representative of Channel One to collect the tape. Realizing this, Vanessa responds by providing a copy to the real representative, causing word of the hoax to spread like wildfire. Accusing his grandfather of staging the drowning, Tripp is devastated by the news, and announces his plans to pull out of the race. Nate, however, beats him to the podium, and publicly takes responsibility for the entire hoax. Ultimately Tripp wins the election, and the real conspirator--his wife, Maureen Van Der Bilt--steps forward to Tripp's grandfather to privately accept responsibility. 

Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf continued to fight this week, as both earned invitations to Tripp's exclusive election night party. While Blair's attendance is no surprise, Serena's invite is anything but expected, as her conflict with Nate continues unabashed. Bullying her way into the party, she makes her appearance solely on the whim of K.C. Cunningham, who seems driven on winning Patrick Roberts a starring role in a new political film by allowing him face-time with the Van Der Bilt's political friends. As Patrick continues drinking, however, his behavior becomes uncontrollable, and Blair is forced to check him into one of the Empire's suites. Angered by Blair's involvement, the situation causes even more distrust and suspicion between the former friends, as Serena accuses Blair of trying to undermine her job. 

In an effort to make Serena jealous, Blair, meanwhile, decides to invite an attractive, well-dressed new "best friend" to the party. Failing to realize that she is nothing more than a high-priced call girl, Blair is forced into an embarrassing situation as Serena learns of her true identity. As both sides trade jabs against the other, Serena pushes Blair's face into a cake, leaving her fuming. Cleaning up, Blair lights into Serena's actions and questionable lifestyle, and for the first time since the debut season, the pair break off their friendship. Angry, Serena eventually turns to Chuck, but finds little solace as he reminds her that she is no longer in high school, and warns her that staging juvenile fights with Blair could very well permanently end their relationship. 

Dan Humphrey, meanwhile, is forced into an awkward position as he suddenly becomes known by the moniker of "bathroom boy." Taken from a embarrassing story shared by girlfriend, Olivia Burke on a recent appearance with Jimmy Fallon, Dan is prevented from seeing the interview by a nervous Olivia. Eventually finding out, he scares her by leaving without a word, but in a pleasant surprise, the two make up when he reveals that he simply learned from the interview that it was their one month anniversary. Planning an at-home candlelight dinner, Dan's gesture relieves an anxious Olivia, and the two lovers end the night with some romance. 

Next week's episode entitled "They Shoot Humphreys, Don't They?" features Jenny Humphrey as she tries to land the hottest escort for Cotillion, Chuck and Nate as they try to help Serena and Blair repair their friendship, and Olivia as she considers leaving school for a movie project.

Where will this Manhattan story take us next?

To find out, stay tuned and stay fashionable,

--Alaythia

How the Coco Costume Designer Channeled Chanel

Can you imagine the challenge of creating costumes for a movie about one of the most iconic fashion designers in history? That's just what Catherine Leterrier did for the film Coco Before Chanel. If you haven't already seen it, you must. (See here for release dates.)

Catherine Leterrier is an award-winning costume designer. You may have seen her work in Bon Voyage and The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc.

According to Sony's website, Catherine Leterrier says, "In fashion, every designer has their own line, color, and material codes. Chanel's is instantly recognizable. What Karl Lagerfield did in adapting the Chanel line to the future, I did backwards towards the past. I went back in time, designing the first models that Chanel might have created and which could have fashioned her style. The Chanel style is distinctive in its cut, the supple hang of the fabric and the perfect simplicity of the finish. The costumes designed for the film had to be up to the exacting standards of haute couture."

Catherine Leterrier shared with Sony about her preparation for the design process. "I hunted down the cotton braids, silk ribbons, buttons and other period accessories at flea markets and antique dealers. I even found a platinum and diamond necklace that had belonged to Mademoiselle Chanel at the Louvre des Antiquaires. In the film this magnificent piece adorns Audrey Tautou's graceful neck in the restaurant scene where she appears in a black sequined evening dress."

See for yourself. Are these designs not channeling Coco perfectly?

 

Photos | IMDB.com

If you have a love for fashion and film, you could make a career out of it. Find out about FIDM's Film & TV Costume Design Program and see where it takes you.

--Gigi Hooghkirk

Gossip Girl: "How to Succeed in Bassness"

Broken promises and tattered loyalties were the themes of the night, as blatant dishonesty caused dramatic conflict on an all-new episode of Gossip Girl on the CW.

In the wake of last week's betrayal, Blair Waldorf tries in vain to win back a distracted Chuck Bass. With his eyes set firmly on running the Empire Hotel, Chuck shows little concern beyond improving lackluster profits within his massive capital investment. Determined to make the Empire the hottest hotel in the city, Chuck decides to open his long-anticipated speakeasy in a retail portion of the hotel in just a single day. Disillusioned by Blair's lack of trustworthiness, he chooses not to let her in on his plan, forcing her to learn it from none other than Serena van der Woodsen.

As an assistant to famed publicist K.C. Cunningham, Serena serves as Chuck's confidante for all matters related to publicizing the new speakeasy. Breaking his trust, Serena not only notifies Blair, but hides the entire project from K.C., so as to selfishly guard its direction. Discovering her assistant's dishonest actions, K.C. nearly fires her, but ultimately relents with news that Serena has discovered a way to break up Dan Humphrey and Olivia Burke, and reunite Olivia with her idolic, actor/ex-boyfriend. By virtue of creating such fantastic promotion, Serena is forgiven of her misstep, and rewarded by getting to keep her job. 

Aching to be involved, Blair finds the perfect opportunity in Chuck's difficulty in obtaining a liquor license. Calling on Jack Bass at the Alcohol and Beverage Commission, she has one expedited--and while it's delivered on time, the sheer involvement of Chuck's uncle is an unpleasant twist that leaves Chuck boiling. Another wrinkle emerges, however, as it becomes clear that the license is fake, and in a surprising move, Chuck calls the police to bust his own establishment. Revealing that he would rather shut himself down than give Jack the pleasure of reporting the fake license, Chuck ultimately creates a massive buzz on behalf of the Empire Hotel that drives business up to nearly full capacity. Following the club's closing, Chuck entrusts Blair with his plans to create a unsanctioned, illegal speakeasy, and in a much-needed romantic moment, the pair kiss and make up.

Serena, meanwhile, earns the losing end of the bargain, as the speakeasy's closing puts her celebrity clients in an awkward situation. With Olivia's ex-boyfriend in tow, the fact that Olivia is seen kissing Dan is only the beginning of Serena's problems, as she discovers that Chuck and Blair merely used her and her influence to deliver K.C.'s celebrity clients. Considering herself all but fired, Serena decides to end the night with a bang, and surprises the paparazzi with Olivia and Dan in the midst of a full-blown kiss. Left to address the matter of Olivia's ex-boyfriend, Serena offers the cameras her own shocker as she announces that they too, are dating. Grateful for the positive publicity, K.C. once again finds reason to maintain Serena's job, leaving both of them happier than ever.

Little Jenny Humphrey begins adapting to her role as Queen Bee by alienating friend and step-brother, Eric van der Woodsen. Escalating a dispute over where Eric and his boyfriend, Jonathan, can, and can't sit, she first orders her friends to spill yogurt on Eric, then plots an egg-throwing attack on Jonathan on Halloween. While Lily Humphrey tries to intervene, her efforts are largely futile as Jenny rebels with even fiercer aggression. In a symbolic move, Jenny ends the episode by throwing away her old clothes, and even tossing away her beloved sewing machine.

Next week, in an all-new episode entitled "The Grandfather: Part II," Olivia tries to keep Dan from finding out what she said during her appearance on Jimmy Fallon's talk show. Blair also makes a new friend and takes her to a party at Chuck's hotel in the hopes of making Serena jealous.

What drama lies in store for the Manhattanites next week?

To find out, stay tuned and stay fashionable,

--Alaythia

Walk the Walk of the Gossip Girls

We've already shown you what shoes they wear. Now we're going to show you how to walk in their footsteps!

On Location Tours has launched a three hour Gossip Girl guided bus tour in New York. Fans can now see and visit 40 locations used in filming the show -- the mansion, the homes, the school. You'll even shop at Henri Bendel, a favorite of Blair and Serena. Remember the movie theatre where Serena stood Dan up for their date? You'll see that too.

The tour is $38 and runs on Fridays and Sundays at noon. What better time to sample a treat from the Humphrey's favorite bakery.

Tickets can be purchased online at screentours.com. 

Gossip Girl: "Enough About Eve"

Competition and jealousy overwhelmed the social elite last night, as the Upper East Side was rocked by secrets that threatened relationships and crumbled friendships. Gossip Girl offered more questions than answers this week, in an all-new episode entitled, "Enough About Eve."

The ever-lovely Blair Waldorf begins this week’s episode with a dose of anxiety, as the approach of New York University’s freshman dinner has her hoping for the opportunity to offer its famed toast. Learning that two girls are in consideration for the honor, Blair is shocked to discover that one of the them is none other than Vanessa Abrams. Confidently assuming that the contest is between herself and Vanessa, Blair approaches Mr. Ellis, a powerful NYU alumnus who is making the decision, and takes him to task for even considering Vanessa. Her efforts are misguided, however, as she learns that she was never part of the equation, and that the other girl is, in fact, Olivia Burke.

Learning that Olivia is Ellis's choice as freshman representative, Blair is relieved when she hears that Vanessa hopes will also be dashed. Rubbing news of the snub in her rival's face, the news is not only hurtful but ironic, as Vanessa herself is responsible for convincing Dan Humphrey to invite the previously-absent Olivia to the dinner. With her mother coming in from out-of-town to see her give the toast, Vanessa desperately lies to both of her friends, telling Dan that Olivia is uncomfortable with meeting his parents, and Olivia that Dan's parents hate Hollywood-celebrity types. Ultimately the exploitation of her friends' trust pays off, and with Olivia out of the picture, Vanessa accepts Ellis's last-minute offer to give the toast.

Blair hopes are anything but dead, however, as she persuades her minions to work furiously to prove that she is the better speaker. In a last-ditch effort, Blair entices her beloved, Chuck Bass, to pose as an enticing decoy to corner Ellis into a compromising situation. Watching from the background, she strikes as Ellis plants a big kiss on Chuck, and after hitting him with her purse several times, he agrees to let Blair offer the toast. The move rankles Vanessa, however, and at the dinner, the situation devolves into chaos as she is pushed to her limits by Blair's constant gloating. Seeking revenge, Vanessa hides the podium microphone in her purse, and lures Blair into a public tirade that is ultimately broadcast in front the entire audience.

Humiliated, Blair's war of words is made all the more harmful by what Chuck doesn't know. Unaware that his deception with Ellis was merely part of a ploy to win speaking rights to the toast, he leaves the party heartbroken by Blair's betrayal. Olivia is also put in a difficult situation as Vanessa's deception causes her to first cancel, than force a disastrous meeting with Rufus and Lily Humphrey. Angered by their supposed dislike of her, she offends them by playing an over-the-top obsessive Hollywood princess. Ironically, Blair and Vanessa's actions lead to a victory for Olivia, and she kicks off the dinner by offering the toast. Vanessa, meanwhile, accidentally announces to her mother that she wishes she had Rufus and Lily as parents. Emotionless, her mother skips their breakfast date, and returns home. 

Nate Archibald and Serena van der Woodsen struggle to save Carter Baisen, as they learn that the Buckleys have enlisted him to pay off his debt by working on an oil rig. Horrified, Serena turns to Nate, who claims that the only way to save him is by winning back his debt in a game of high-stakes poker with the Buckleys. Claiming to have insider-knowledge, Nate reassures Serena with a series of facial "tells" that tell her when the Buckleys are bluffing. 

Quickly losing their $25,000 investment, Nate increases the stakes with a compromising photo of his cousin, Tripp Van-der-bilt, who is running for Congress from Manhattan. An obvious boon to the Buckleys who are strongly opposed to Tripp's candidacy, they accept the photo, and offer to cede Carter in exchange for a loss. Using Nate's facial "tells," Serena goes all in, and to her horror, loses the rest of the money, and the picture.

While Serena is mortified by the turn of events, Nate's reaction is anything but natural, and she quickly discovers that the picture of Tripp is actually a fake. Using Carter's situation to his family's benefit, Nate's confesses to trying to trick the Buckleys into releasing a bogus picture, thus winning the election for Tripp. Angry, Serena calls the Buckleys to warn them against using the picture, and in turn secures the release of Carter. The move backfires, however, as Carter expresses a desire to pay off his debt, and in a heart-wrenching move decides to move with the Buckleys to Texas.

Next week's episode, entitled "How to Succeed in Bassness," features Chuck as he asks Serena to spread the word about his new hotel, Blair as she tries to secretly to help Chuck, Dan as he watches one of Olivia's scandalous scenes, and Jenny Humphrey, as she chooses between her role as Queen Bee and her friendship with Eric van der Woodsen.

What lies in store for this fall's hottest show?

Stay tuned and stay fashionable,

--Alaythia