Fans Swear Blake Lively Just Brought Back Serena van der Woodsen With This Look

Good morning, Upper East Siders! Gossip Girl here with an important update: Serena van der Woodsen is back and better than ever. Oh wait … is that actually S, or is it her alter ego Blake Lively? Judging from a recent photo, it’s hard to tell where Serena ends and Lively begins.

Lively was definitely giving off Golden Girl of the Upper East Side vibes in her latest Instagram pic, which, if her caption is to believed, was actually taken a year ago. “Happy one year anniversary to the day I meant to post this photo,” the actor cheekily wrote of the snapshot. The long, flowing golden waves worn casually over one shoulder are 100% Serena’s signature beachy glamour, as is that teeny Sergio Hudson purple minidress accessorized with sky-high red Christian Louboutin platforms. The rooty blonde, minimal makeup and neutral rose lip aren’t just Serena’s go-tos; they’re also a mainstay in Lively’s own beauty routine.

Fans were quick to point out the resemblance to Ms. van der Woodsen Humphrey (do you think they’re still married?) in the comments. “Serving Serena van der Woodsen,” wrote one. “OMG SERENA VAN DER WOODSEN ATE,” wrote another, all caps necessary. Others couldn’t help but notice the striking purple hue of her dress, thinking it could be a hint about her good friend Taylor Swift’s Speak Now re-record.

Despite the fact that this IG pic looks exactly like the iconic Gossip Girl character back to wrecking havoc in New York City alongside her bestie Blair Waldorf, there is a difference between Serena and Lively, and it starts with her beauty routine. In 2018, Lively’s makeup artist Kristofer Buckle shared that post-Gossip Girl Lively prefers a softer touch. “When Blake was new in the business, she was so excited about the exploration of makeup,” Buckle explained. “She wanted all the bells and whistles — lashes, contour, an overdrawn lip — so we look back and laugh at those early Gossip Girl posters, because she looked very done.” Her eye makeup has also changed. “In the past, we’ve done that by piling on lots of black mascara. Now, we want to take the same approach to emphasize her eyes, but we do it by contrasting the lashes with an iridescent shadow, because that’s more modern,” he said of their approach. “We will also use brown mascara as opposed to black. She just prefers a softer lash now.”