O Brother, Where Bart Thou? - Part 1 of 2 - Frustrations & a Funeral

Episode Synopsis:  Bart Bass has died, leaving us glad we no longer have to recap his boring business suits. Lily is relieved she can end her most recent marriage with a funeral rather than a court appearance, and Chuck is devastated that he and his father never could see eye to eye. Serena still can't decide between Dan and Aaron the Artist, even though the former considers coffee in Williamsburg a date, and the latter wants to whisk her away to Buenos Aires. The funeral leads to a Chuck Bass Bender and the Chuck Bass Bender leads to a Blair confession that surprises no one, but still remains one of the most heartfelt moments in the series.

Lily, like all good UES trophy wives, has had her share of divorces. Widow territory, however, is totally out of her element. As evidence, we find her focusing on the food for the wake, rather than the fact that her husband is dead.



Dealing with Bart's death still hasn't dimmed our Lily's fabulosity though.  Love the layered gray and mauve jackets, paired with a string of chunky olive glass beads and smooth blond waves.

And who is it comforting Lily during her time of need?



No judgement, but not sure how Lily can trade those business suits for a man who wears kitchen towels as scarves.  Rufus certainly does stick to his fashion guns--if we can even call this fashion.  That coat saw better days as a burlap sack for potatoes.

Aaron asks Serena to go to Buenos Aires for Christmas with him.  All in all, a pretty spectacular gesture he hopes will distract her from Lonely Boy once and for all.



Frankly, he would be better off not dressing so depressing, even though it's a funeral.  Becuase even though Aaron's father is a successful entertainment lawyer who even knows Cyndi Lauper (Inconceivable!) he's clearly not into the whole UES scene.  Which means he doesn't realize that there's no funeral like an UES funeral.

Serena, with all that blue blood flowing through her veins, understands what the occasion demands.  Black, naturally, but not just any LBD--Serena chooses a tight one shouldered affair paired with several strands of natural stones.

The double-breasted trench with military collar she wears to the funeral is really classy, so of course she discards it as quickly as possible.

Dan's been dating--and not dating--Serena long enough to be familiar with what's expected, even at a funeral.  Here he pairs a simple white shirt and gray tie with a gorgeous gray heather wool coat and black leather gloves.

Sister Jenny pairs a dull gray frock with this awesome black boucle jacket and killer leather gloves.  The safety pin purse might be pushing it, but she still looks fierce.

The fiercest funeral participant has to be Blair, though, in her classy black shift with navy blue touches.

Nobody wears pearls (or a pout) quite like the Queen B.

The only sour note is this ill-fitted blue jacket with the sloppy bow neckline.  

I've also got to give snaps to Eleanor for wisely staying away from anything black or shiny.



This dark navy velvet blazer is gorgeous, especially with the orchid silk blouse.  And like her daugher, she understands that pearls and funerals are the perfect pairing.

Cyrus, like his son Aaron, just doesn't get the fashionishta parade that is a UES funeral.



Too dark, Cyrus.  We need a touch of color, even gray, somewhere.

If not a color, then something fun and sparkly, like Grandma Cece.



Her suit is stunning--I love the sparkly lapels and the tie emphasizing her tiny waist.  She, like Blair and Eleanor, know just went to break out the pearls, this time with a sparkly diamond clasp.

Poor Chuck and Lily.  They seem to be the only two characters here actually broken up by the death.



Chuck would normally be rocking this wide pinstriped ssuit with black tie, and accent purple pocket squre, but the disheveled and distraught Chuck clearly couldn't get beyond picking out the appropriate items of clothing.  He looks ilke he hasn't seen an iron or a shower in a few days too many.

Lily doesn't even bother picking out something fabulous.  She phones it in, donning a plain black shift with the most miniscule trim hiding along the collar.  

The coat she dons on top of the dress isn't any better.



It's just too simple, and let's face it, her wonderful waves gone a little too limp to qualify.  

O Brother, Where Bart Thou? - Part 2 of 2 - Revelations & Rings

With Bart's death, there's naturally a run on the closely guarded information he'd collected about his family.  Lily wants everything he learned to stay secret, while her mother seems eager for her "big secret" to become public knowledge.

Maybe it's Lily's frustration that leads to this pathetic attempt at post-funeral chic.



The cranberry red is lovely, as is her hair, but the cut is just sloppy and unflattering.

Unlike the object of his affection, Rufus actually looks pretty good in his sweater.



Rufus should dress like this all the time--the turtleneck sweater is well-fitted and classic, but the jeans add just the right edgy rock n' roll touch.

Cece, always the fashion maven even at her age, looks so chic in this oatmeal embellished jacket.  Doesn't Lily know this isn't what you wear to buy secret information about your daughter's past?

 

Chuck, buyer of aforementioned secret information, looks like he not only had time to finalize the deal but also to shower and brush his hair.



The plaid pattern of this suit is awesome, and is a definite return to Chuck Bass form.

Serena continues to be the single most indecisive characters on television by having breakfast with Dan while still contemplating going to Buenos Aires with Aaron.



She also continues to look killer while vacillating.  The black wool military jacket paired with gray scarf is really flattering--and those gray and black colorblocked gloves are drool-worthy.

Maybe Dan isn't her final choice because he doesn't put in the proper effort into this brunch attire.  I can't tell if that's a plaid scarf or a shirt but in the end it doesn't matter becasue it's still plaid.

As for Aaron, well . . .he gets the girl. But really only by default because it can't be this wedding suit that wins the game for him.



Hasn't anyone ever told him that if he isn't going to wear a tie, wearing his shirt buttoned up to his Adam's apple makes him look like an extra on Fiddler on the Roof?

Especially when Serena looks so gorgeous in her cream-colored ensemble.



Her khaki trench is just flawless, and the cream dress beneath it is even more stunning.



Love the red accent beads, just delicate enough not to overwhelm the outfit, and the sequinned hem adds just the right celebratory touch.

Even Dorota gets into the wedding spirit, wearing this beautiful bejeweled headband and a flattering gold dress with embellished neckline.



I'd be willing to bet that Blair lent her that headband.

Blair herself doesn't don a headband, but she more than makes up for it with her dress.



The pleated fan touch is definitely beautiful and even though it adds a little bulk to the Queen B's frame, the cream and gold of the silk sets off her complexion flawlessly.

As for the blissful couple themselves, they definitely do not disappoint.



See Aaron?  A tie is undoubtedly called for here.  So many shades of white and cream could be difficult to coordinate but Cyrus (or Eleanor by extension), really does an excellent job of pairing them.

And Eleanor herself. . .so classy and beautiful and not a shiny fabric in sight.



 This jacket is a really beautiful piece.  I don't buy for a minute that Jenny made it.