Spotted: Gossip Girl Photo Shoot

Hello Upper East Siders. Gossip Girl here with the latest from Missa Victoria's bachelorette party weekend in prim and proper Washington, DC. Did the bride and her maids stay buttoned up during a weekend in our Nation's capital? Or did they let loose and bring Manhattan style and decadence to the 'Hollywood for the Ugly'? And who are those boys up above with our bride-to-be? That's a secret I'll never tell. XOXO, Gossip Girl.


...cue intro music...yes, I realize how lame this is...that's why this part is in italics...


I fully indulged my Gossip Girl fantasy during my bachelorette weekend earlier this month. I played the bossy Blair in advance, demanding that my ladies bring a fabulous and fun outfit with them for Saturday night to help me live out my heiress fantasy. While they were shopping, little did they know, I went on a shopping spree as well...for headbands for each of the girls and a photographer.

What could be more perfect than getting some of your closest friends together to play dress-up then get the Mario Testino treatment, a photo shoot inspiring confidence and sexiness? (As if we really needed any additional inspiration.)

I found photographer Julie Massie (Jewels) on Craigslist after reviewing over 50 responses to my job listing, and her photos turned out amazing! She worked like crazy for three hours with us to capture our individuality, fabulosity, friendship and unique beauty. Neither the homeless drug dealer, nor our touchy-feely friend from Kazakhstan broke her concentration, and some of her best shooting came from a vantage point sitting inside a Donovan House bathtub! She even embraced the Gossip Girl theme and wore a black outfit accessorized with a fabric flower brooch. So cute.

Jewels did great work and so did we! It was WORK. We exhausted ourselves, and it was so worth it. But enough talking, the images speak for themselves. See below for images that will forever remind me of how fabulous my friends and I were in our 20's.

First we took over the lobby lounge at the Donovan House Hotel:

The cast of characters from L-R: Carrie, Stephanie, Me, Melinda, Melissa

There was no music playing...


I'm being groped and chided for my stubbly legs ;)

We left the lounge for some place more comfortable; my suite. Wow, I had a suite. How Chuck Bass of me:

In my fantasy world, this would be our DVD cover art. We were making "Tyra eyes".

I wanted each of my friends to have their own model moment and they were ready for their close-ups. Get a load of us:


Carrie. Or Little J?

Melinda. Or Vanessa?

Melissa. Or Chuck?

Stephanie. Or Penelope?

Me. Or Blair?

I had some alone time with each lady and got some great shots!

It wouldn't be a fab photo shoot with a bunch of girls in a hotel without a pillow fight scene.



And the night wouldn't be complete without a shot on the steps of a church at midnight with a spray of confetti. Gotta end my life as a bachelorette with a bang!



Thanks for indulging my narcissism, ladies! Is it contagious?

XOXO,
Missa


(p.s. All photo credits go to the lovely Julie Massie, a DC/VA-based lifestyle photographer.)