This 'Nylon' Cover Proves She's No Blair Waldorf

Let's be honest — Serena van der Woodson was no one's favorite Gossip Girl character. It was clearly all about Blair Waldorf, the meanest, most stylish girl on the Upper East Side. But according to Leighton Meester's November 2014 Nylon cover, Blair Waldorf is officially no more. Don't get me wrong — the former Queen Bee looks amazing. There's just no trace of the prim, proper, and headband-ed character she played for six years on television.

Meester's shaggy red and white star printed fur coat and paint-splattered jeans would fit far better in Williamsburg than on the steps of the Met. Her dirty blonde ombré waves, matte red lips, and shiny pinkish manicure have a rock 'n roll edge that (spoiler alert, oops) Mrs. Chuck Bass would never be caught dead sporting. But I'm glad her real-life counterpart is letting her inner bad girl come out to play, because she looks incredible. I'm loving the new Leighton.

With the release of her folk album, Heartstrings —which had the unfortunate fate of being released the same day as Taylor Swift's 1989 — the actress is turning her attention to her musical career. As fantastic as she was on Gossip Girl, Meester is an even more gifted singer. But she hasn't given up on acting just yet — she has a starring role alongside Gillian Jacobs and (real life husband) Adam Brody in Life Partners .

Leighton Meester looking more 'Almost Famous' than 'Gossip Girl'

So, is Meester ready to leave her fictional mean girl persona behind? It sounds like it. She told Nylon this of her time on Gossip Girl, "I started the show when I was so young, and once it was over, I wanted to do things that were more exciting and challenging and more me—more my adult taste. Of course, that's said with nothing but gratitude and love for that experience in that time of my life."

Sounds like things have been great in Leighton-land these days. I can't wait to see what she does next (and why she wears while doing it).

Image: Nylon