By Francesca Claybrook
Forget “Double Identity” – this episode should have been called “Extreme Identity,” because to me that’s what everyone dressed like – an extreme version of themselves. Serena? Extra sparkly (gold sequined blazer, anyone?) and extra colorful (because what better to pair said sparkly blazer with than cropped cobalt blue pants?) Though to be fair, the color of those pants was gorgeous. Vanessa was extra this week as well – extra patterned. I cannot say that brown textured-looking patterned pants, which really looked more like old upholstery fabric than anything, are flattering on anyone. Vanessa could have (and sometimes does have) great boho-chic style, so I’d love to see her in something more chic and less garage sale drapery. However, Blair was just extra amazing. I loved her red ball gown (though not with the pink clutch and jewels – red and pink is not a color combination I’ve ever been a fan of), but I LOVED her black and white (or could it have been navy and white? I wasn’t sure) dress – so classic and so chic. Even Nate and Dan were extra plaid this episode. In fact, they’ve seemed to morph into carbon copies of each other – plaid shirts, long sideburns, tousled hair. Is this just to emphasize the fact that Serena was trying to choose between them, or has Nate gone permanently Brooklyn? Only time will tell. Bonus points this episode to Chuck Bass, who not only looks like a young version of an old-school Frenchman (complete with vest), but he brought back the show’s single greatest line. What is it? “I’m Chuck Bass,” of course!