So, season 3 of Gossip Girl premiered this week. The biggest scandal of the episode wasn’t Serena’s desperate cry for attention, Blair and Chuck’s twisted sexual game or Vanessa hooking up with Dan’s secret brother. Nope. It was the clear disdain, nay, hatred! that the wardrobe and hair/makeup departments unleashed on most of the female stars. Let’s take it frame by frame:

First up, Taylor Momsen. She’s 16, about 10-feet tall, blond and a model. How hard can it be to make her look good? Apparently, it’s pretty damn hard, so they stuck her with scraggly hair, too much makeup and crotch-eating hotpants with suspenders:

Next up we have Blake Lively. She’s 22, about 10-feet tall, blond…do you see a pattern here? She has the best hair in the world, not to mention a killer body. So, naturally, the best look for her would… also be hotpants. Instead of suspenders, however, these come in the form of a romper, topped with the world’s ugliest jacket. I know it’s kind of hard to see here, but you don’t have to take my word for it. Seriously, look!

And since she does have miles of amazing hair, what did the stylists do? A sexy blowout? Romantic curls? No. They shoved in about 30 bobby pins and called it a day:

Blake and Taylor aren’t just competing in the ugly shorts competition. Taylor rose to the occasion with her own bad hair, and then upped the ante with an insanely short dress (the better to flash you with! Also, you can’t tell in the pictures, but she was sporting a heinous updo with that polka-dot mess).

Next up we have unfortunate Jessica Szohr. Not only is her character boring and whiny, she has the worst. fake. hair. ever. Check it:

I know, right? Take a gander at the back; you can actually see the delineation between her real hair and extensions so bad they’re bordering on dreads:

C’mon, people! This is a show about Manhattan’s upper elite! These people are supposed to be millionaires! We watch this for the amazing fashion! What happened here?

The only possible explanation for this madness is that Leighton Meester paid off the gals in wardrobe, hair and makeup, because she spent the entire episode looking AWESOME. Seriously, a pink cloche:

She also pulled off a kick-ass brocade number while Blake Lively was forced to stroll alongside her wearing what appears to be a maternity dress:

No wonder she’s smiling.

Also. Thank God they didn’t mess with Chuck Bass. Cause Blair Waldorf will cut a bitch.

As summer winds down (I can’t believe it’s almost September), I’ve been feeling the need for change. I’m ready for jackets, pumpkin spice frappuccinos and a new television season. And, on top of that, I’ve been in the mood for some new music. I’m tired of summer’s hip-hop beats, and in the mood for something funkier, both for working out and passing time in the car as I commute to class.

And I think I’ve found exactly what I want: Cobra Starship’s Hot Mess. Full of writhing electronic punk beats, this CD just makes your toes tap as it veers from the electronic-Brian Setzer-ish “Nice Guys Finish Last” to the hard beats of “Good Girls Go Bad,” (my favorite) featuring a surprisingly capable Leighton Meester (of Gossip Girl fame) to the Warren G shout-out “Wet Hot American Summer.” On “The Scene is Dead; Long Live the Scene,” lead singer Gabe Saporta references his own pretty face, which is indeed good-looking. This fun CD from an entertaining band should take me nicely through the Fall.

Gabe probably could make me go bad. If I had ever been good in the first place. Check it out:

Gwyneth Paltrow has been catching a lot of flack lately for her lifestyle blog Goop, which seeks to “nourish the inner aspect.” I guess that because 1) she’s an actress, not a health expert, and 2) a lot of her suggestions involve alternative healing, people assume that’s she’s kooky and doesn’t know what she’s talking about, especially when she discusses her various detoxes. Granted, she has always had a sort of ice-queen, holier-than-thou unapproachability, so I guess now that she’s reaching out to the masses people aren’t willing to take her seriously. But actually, I like a lot of her advice and suggestions, and I think she’s her own billboard. I love this picture of her. She’s natural, fresh-faced, toned and glowing, with shiny, fantastic hair. And if her celebrity manages to clue in more people to the power of alternative health methods, then all the better. Goop on, Gwyneth.

As I continue on my journey toward better holistic health and wellness, I have been implementing small changes. Here are some of the recent steps I have taken:

• Quitting my high-stress job: I just resigned from a job that was making me miserable. It’s scary to quit a job in this economy, but the minimal pay and benefits paired with the intense workload were just too much. I’m now on the hunt for a low-stress part-time job that will leave me enough free time to pursue my real interests and passions, so that I can really live my life instead of just working through it.
• Working toward becoming a certified yoga instructor: I have an appointment next week with a studio that offers Yoga Alliance certified teacher training. Once I have the part-time job to pay the bills, I can use the spare time to pursue my dream of becoming a yoga instructor. Most studios have very regimented schedules for teacher training, so I’m grateful to have found one that is both flexible and offers a lot of one-on-one training.
• New vitamins: In addition to the doctor recommended Vitamin D supplement that I take, I have also started taking two new vitamins. Both are from Garden of Life’s Vitamin Code Line; one is a multivitamin for women, and the other is a B-12 supplement. I like this particular line because it is vegan, raw(!), and gluten-free. I just started taking them, so it will probably be a few months before I can tell how well they work.
• No prescription medication: After several years, I am finally off all prescription medications. This means that there are no antibiotics or hormones messing with my system. I’m all-natural!
• Rebounding: I finally invested in my One Lucky Duck rebounder! Rebounding is one of the most fun forms of exercise, and it elevates your heart rate really quickly. It’s also good for you on a cellular level. According to One Lucky Duck, “By combining the forces of acceleration and deceleration, body cells are tricked into believing they are being subjected to increased gravity, which challenges your body’s cells to strengthen.”
• Meditation: Meditation has never come easily to me, but it’s my goal to develop a twice daily meditation routine. Ideally I would like to do it first thing in the morning and right before bed at night. In order to facilitate this, I’ve requested a couple of meditation CDs from the library; I’m hoping to use these guided meditations as a jumping off point to self practice.
• Reading: As I prepare to have more free time on my hands, I’m stocking up on a variety of health books. Right now I’m working on Kathy Freston’s Quantum Wellness and Quantum Wellness Cleanse, as well as Alejandro Junger’s Clean.
• Saving up for detox processes: I don’t have a lot of disposable income at the moment, but I’m hoping that once I start working again I’ll be able to set aside some money each month for massages and colonics, both of which are useful detox tools. Massages always make me feel great, and are a nice way to release toxins. Colonics usually make me feel pretty crummy, which is a sign that a lot of toxicity has been released. I don’t enjoy feeling bad, but I do enjoy the idea that I’m cleansing myself on a deep, internal level.

As I’m sure you know, I’m a fan of natural body care. The skin is the body’s biggest organ, so whatever you put on your outside eventually gets absorbed inside. With that in mind, I try to avoid coating myself in chemicals: parabens, glycols, sulfates, etc. On the flip side, I love the spa-like feeling you get from body lotions and oils, bubble baths, face masks and more. So I’m always on the hunt for organic, natural products. Here are three that I’m into right now.

1. RMS Beauty Lip and Skin balm. I just purchased this in the vanilla flavor, and so far I really like it. It hydrates and smoothes, and can help erase fine lines when used on the skin. It also smells and tastes yummy.
2. RMS Beauty Living Luminizer. I haven’t tried this yet (it’s been sold out!), but I like the description: “Instantly ads life to the face, a must have product. This formula is the ultimate illuminator to create a healthy, sheer, glowing look to the skin. Best of all, it enhances the skins natural youthfulness without being sticky, greasy or glittery.” It’s definitely on my must-try list.
3. Frangipani Organic Bronze Shimmering Oil. Delicious tropical scent? Check. Hydrating oil that gives you a sexy, bronze glow? Check. On sale? Check. Count me in.