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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

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

Attend a Special "Project Runway" Event at the Getty Center in L.A!

On Thursday, November 5, the famed Getty Center is hosting an exclusive screening of Project Runway's 12th episode, which was filmed at the iconic L.A. museum. Afterward, there will be a panel discussion on art and fashion, featuring Mary Alice Haney of Marie Claire and curator Brooke Hodge -- and you're invited!

To attend you just have to Become a Fan of the Getty Museum on Facebook and RSVP on the Event Page. One ticket per Facebook fan will be given and RSVP is required. It's totally FREE and even includes parking!

Style Scoop Interview: Eva Fredrickson

Thanks to costume designers like FIDM alumna Eva Fredrickson, actors and actresses are able to bring their characters to life on the small screen through their wardrobe.

We caught up with the L.A. resident to chat about attending FIDM, costumes, and the process of designing for television!

Name: Eva Fredrickson
Grad Year: 2007
Major: Film & TV Costume Design
Campus: Los Angeles
Job Title: Costumer/Costume Designer

How did you get your big break into the industry?
While I was at FIDM, I was awarded a NBC/Universal internship in the wardrobe department on the soap opera Passions working for Emmy-nominated designer, Diana Eden.

What do you love about your job?
Everything! But mostly it's the storytelling aspect of what we do in wardrobe. So much thought goes into how we dress our actors. We think about who this character is, what they've been through, how they see themselves, etc. There's a surprising amount of psychology involved.

What have been some of your favorite gigs so far?
Working on How I Met Your Mother has been amazing. And I just finished designing a pilot called Party People where I got the chance to dye and construct a lot of the costumes, which I miss from my days working in theater costume shops. 

What is your process as a costume designer?

First, I break down the script. I do whatever research may be necessary - this is especially important for period pieces, which are my favorite. I make a budget. Then I dive into the creative part of designing. I think about how I can use color, shape, texture, and style to tell the story.

How do you get inspired?
I draw inspiration from art, fashion, people, nature, and anything that feels connected to the character and the script. Sometimes I do sketches to show the director, producers, and network. I follow my instincts and I hope that I am on the same page as the aforementioned players. But if changes need be made, I make them. Then comes the acquiring and/or building of the wardrobe. Then fittings with the actors follow and if everything works and everyone is happy, the wardrobe goes off to set.

What is a typical day like? 
Every job is different and every day presents new challenges. One day I'll be researching serial killers for Criminal Minds, which is another one of my favorite gigs, and the next I'm gluing rhinestones on sneakers for the dancers on America's Best Dance Crew.

What do you think it takes to be successful? You have to be hungry. Jobs are not always going to find you so sometimes you need to be proactive about finding them. There's really no such thing as a steady gig in my line of work so you have to have to accept that aspect of the career you have chosen and always have faith that if you work hard and you really want to make it happen for yourself, you can.

How did you find out about FIDM?
I knew that I wanted to go to design school after college so I did some searching online and I found FIDM. As soon as I learned about the Advanced Studies in Film & TV Costume Design program, I knew it was perfect for me.

Why did you choose your major?
I couldn't be more passionate about designing costumes. And I have always known that I belonged in the film and television industry. It was a no brainer.

What did you love about your program?
I loved the access we were given to so many resources in the industry. We were taken on some incredible field trips to television sets, costume houses, and studio lots. We had some of the biggest designers in the business come and speak to our class. Our professors were like bottomless wells of knowledge and experience. And Mary Kay Stolz, the heart and soul of the program, works very hard to give her students every opportunity possible.

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

Missa's Monday Match: Inspiration Annalynne McCord

Brought to you by future student of FIDM's Fashion Design School, Maryssa "Missa" Stumpf of Missa by Design, Monday Match is your A-list source for red carpet looks at unbelievable prices!

This we're featuring actress and former model, Annalynne McCord. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, 22 year old McCord stars as Naomi Clark on CW's hit teen drama, 90210. Attending a party on Rodeo Drive recently, this Teen Choice Award nominee made a splash with a flirty red cocktail dress and peep-toe heels. 

Enjoy!

--Alaythia

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 

Missa's Monday Match: Inspiration Kristen Bell

Brought to you by future student of FIDM's Fashion Design School, Maryssa "Missa" Stumpf of Missa by Design, Monday Match is the original source for celebrity looks at unbelievable prices! 

This week, we're featuring former Veronica Mars actress, Kristen Bell. Star of the current film, Couples Retreat, Bell plays Elle Bishop on NBC's hit series Heroes, and voices the popular title character on CW's hit series, Gossip Girl. At 29, Bell is a respected style icon, appearing most recently at New York's Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.  

Enjoy!

--Alaythia

Gossip Girl: "Rufus Getting Married"

Secrets dominated another episode of Gossip Girl, as the season's biggest revelation made for a chaotic scene at New York's famous Botanic Garden. Reunification and acceptance, however, were the themes of the night as Gossip Girl vaulted into another exciting week with "Rufus Getting Married."

Georgina Sparks appears back in town, following a secretive visit to Scott Ronsson in Boston. Contacting Vanessa Abrams after a series of failed attempts in reaching Dan Humphrey, Georgina is dismayed to learn of her ex-boyfriend's new relationship with Olivia Burke. Angered by the news, Georgina decides to use her knowledge of Scott's identity as a means of blackmailing Vanessa. In an attempt to break up Dan and Olivia, Georgina forces Vanessa to call Dan and insist that he break up with his girlfriend. Confused, Dan ultimately sees though the plot, and learns from a reluctant Vanessa that Scott is, in fact, his brother. 

Rufus Humphrey and Lily Bass are still at odds, as Lily presumes that Rufus's relaxed nature may have led her daughter, Serena van der Woodsen, to defer her freshman year at Brown University. Fearing that Rufus is going to end up like all of her other ex-husbands, Lily emotionally pulls away, leaving him sleeping alone at his Brooklyn loft. Sensing trouble, Serena and her brother Eric van der Woodsen, team up with Dan and Jenny Humphrey to reconnect the ailing couple at a posh lunch spot. The meeting, which works in theory, ultimately erupts into a war of words, leaving Rufus wondering if he really wants to be part of Lily's world. 

Love prevails, however, and in a surprising twist, Lily and Rufus find themselves yearning to be together. More determined that ever to make the "jump," the pair decide to plan their entire wedding in just twenty-four hours. While romantic, the move puts Dan into an awkward position as he faces the liability of Georgina potentially revealing Scott's secret. Fearing it could impact Rufus and Lily's fragile relationship, Dan tries to pacify Georgina by pretending that he still loves her. Georgina catches the lie, however, and vows to make Dan pay. 

As the wedding day arrives, Lily is once again racked by concerns over Rufus. Fearing a disastrous future, her inability to write her wedding vows leads to an emotional showdown between the pair. Scott Ronsson suddenly appears, and without thinking, Lily angrily chastises him for interrupting their conversation. As he runs away, Georgina emerges, and reveals to Rufus and Lily that Scott is, in fact, their "love-child." Shocked the pair can only think to run after him in the hopes of talking to him. 

Catching him as he prepares to head back to Boston, Lily and Rufus reach out to Scott, but are spurned by his pointed observation that they do not love each other. Looking in each other's eyes, it becomes obvious that he is wrong, and they explain to him that they simply were afraid of getting hurt. Confessing their love, the pair ultimately get married in a small ceremony at Rufus's loft in front of their respective families. Overjoyed, Scott proceeds to return to Boston.  

Serena's relationship with Carter Baizen, meanwhile, hits another roadblock this week. Carter, it turns out, racked up major gambling debts this summer, and found a young rich Buckley to pay them off. Unhappily for Carter, the payment was contingent on getting married, and upon backing out, he drew the ire of the entire family, including his bride's cousin, Bree. 

Ultimately this revelation plays out in a number ways, as Nate Archibald is horrified to learn that Bree's interest in him was merely to gain the upper-hand in trapping Carter. Serena meanwhile, is shocked to learn that Chuck was well-aware of Carter's difficulty, and even offered him a one-way plane ticket if it meant leaving Serena alone. Ultimately, Carter comes to the wedding to explain the situation to Serena, and is dramatically captured by Bree's male cousins for punishment.

Next Monday's episode entitled, "Enough About Eve," features Vanessa as she vies with Blair Waldorf for the honor of delivering the freshman toast at NYU, while Dan invites Olivia to meet Rufus and Lily, and Serena and Nate try to help Carter. 

What surprises lie in store next week?

To find out, stay tuned and stay fashionable,

--Alaythia

Gossip Girl: "Dan de Fleurette"

Drama abounded in last night's all-new episode of Gossip Girl, premiering on the CW. Unfamiliar faces made for old-school gossip at the Upper East Side's newest home-base, New York University. 

Fan-favorites Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass emerged stronger than ever this week, following Chuck's efforts to help Blair reconcile herself to a less-than-favorable social position at NYU. Desperate to relive her prior glory, Blair jumps on the news that Jenny Humphrey has officially renounced the social-ranking system that has made her the new Queen Bee. In her first trip back to Constance Billiard, Blair installs her own set of social elite, and instructs Jenny's willing minions to ignore her.

In an attempt to reform the hierarchy, Blair invites the young aristocracy at Constance to a surprise renewal of the fabled Waldorf-sleepover. Chuck learns of the plan, however, and returns fire by recruiting Jenny to be his guest to a movie premiere scheduled for the same night. As word reaches Gossip Girl of the unusual pairing, Blair's young friends learn of Jenny's plum position, leaving Blair embarrassed and angry. 

Rushing to the theatre, Blair confronts Chuck, who confesses to orchestrating the revealing blast from Gossip Girl. Disappointed by Blair's insistence on re-living her prior glory, he encourages her to return to NYU and restart her social climb. He also privately advises Jenny to embrace her new role as Queen Bee, and with Blair out of the picture, Jenny emerges at the top of the social ladder at Constance. 

With Lily Bass back in town, Serena van der Woodsen finally reveals her plan to defer her first year of college at Brown University. Back from caring for her own mother, Cece Rhodes, Lily reacts with shock to Serena's announcement, and tries to talk her out of her decision. Serena responds stubbornly, and against her mother's judgment, she begins looking for either an internship or a job with which she can work during the school year. 

Eventually connecting with a celebrity publicist, Serena's efforts pay off as she begins working with actresses Olivia Burke, played by Hilary Duff, and Ursula, played by Tyra Banks. Hired to accommodate their needs, Serena immediately connects with Ursula, and the pair form a close friendship. Serena's job soon takes a sour turn, however, as she becomes privy to a potentially devastating secret regarding Ursula's new movie. Learning that Ursula's prized scene has been cut, Serena is forced by her boss to keep the information secret, so as to avoid a very-public boycott by the actress.  

Discovering the film's shocking omission for herself, Ursula is once again put in harm's way as her out-of-control publicist selfishly encourages her to engage in a public tirade. Instructed by her boss to agree, Serena decides to sacrifice her job by advising Ursula against staging such a potentially negative action. While Serena is immediately fired, her truthfulness ultimately pays off as a grateful Ursula presses her publicist into restoring her job.

Dan Humphrey, meanwhile, unknowingly meets Olivia in a chance encounter near NYU. Unaware of her identity, he quickly falls for her, and on the suggestion of Nate Archibald, proceeds to ask her out. While Olivia develops feelings for Dan, her intentions are stifled as he unknowingly bemoans the thought of dating a paparazzi-magnet. As her true identity comes to light, Dan is further rocked by the news that she is also Vanessa Abram's roommate. Ultimately, the pair come back together, and having established total honesty, they decide to try a relationship together. 

Next Monday's episode, entitled "Rufus Getting Married," features Rufus and Lily as they move up their wedding date, while Chuck uncovers a secret that Carter Baizen was hiding from Serena. Georgina Sparks, meanwhile, follows Scott Ronsson to Boston, and proceeds to pull Vanessa and Dan into one her schemes, while Blair Waldorf grows suspicious of Bree Buckley. 

What secrets will rock the core of Manhattan's Elite?

To find out, stay tuned and stay fashionable,

--Alaythia