#brandon a

They say patience is a virtue, but in 2026, the slow burn between Brandon and Sage is starting to look less like a romantic dance and more like a test of public endurance. There is a very specific, deeply agonizing breed of chemistry where two people clearly belong in the same headline, yet insist on dragging out the prologue for as long as humanly possible. While the rest of the city is moving at the speed of light, these two seem content to just hover on the edge of something spectacular.

You’re completely losing your mind from the sidelines, Anonymous, and honestly? The entire Upper East Side is right there with you. Demanding that they "go and date already" isn't just a casual observation—it's a public service announcement. In a town built on flash-in-the-pan flings and instant gratification, watching Brandon and Sage circle each other without making a definitive move is nothing short of psychological torture for the gossip-hungry masses.

Are they genuinely trying to keep it low-key, are they locked in a stubborn game of romantic chicken, or do they just enjoy knowing exactly how much power they hold over our collective curiosity? In a generation where everything is immediately put on display, keeping a potential power-couple dynamic strictly behind closed doors is the ultimate tease.

Stop stalling and give the people what they want, you two. Before someone else decides to step into the frame and break up the match before it even officially begins.

You know you love me.

XOXO, Gossip Girl

They say you can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time—but you can’t fool everyone, especially not when the stakes are this high.

There’s a dangerous delusion that comes with power: the belief that because you’ve navigated the mess before, you’ve somehow become the exception to the rules. But in this city, every "untouchable" eventually hits the floor. It’s one thing to play the game when you’re younger; it’s another thing entirely to think you can manipulate the board once you’re in the big leagues.

The audacity isn’t just impressive anymore—it’s exhausting. And for those watching closely, it’s only a matter of time before that exhaustion turns into a thirst for a reckoning. You can run on ego for a long time, but even the best-laid plans have a shelf life.

Consider this a public service announcement: the grace period is officially over.

XOXO, Gossip Girl

RHYSAND — 9.5/10 The High Lord of the Night Court walked into a Manhattan gala and somehow made a navy blue suit with a bow tie feel dangerous. The rings, the bracelet, the watch — the accessories are doing exactly what Rhysand's accessories should do: whisper power without screaming it. He looks like he owns every room he's ever entered, which, to be fair, he probably does. The only thing keeping this from a perfect 10 is that we expect more drama from the most powerful Fae in Prythian. A little theatrical, darling. Just a little. @rhysandxx

BRANDON ADAMS — 7/10 Solid. Clean. All-black with glasses and a gold bracelet — Brandon came dressed like a man who means business and doesn't particularly care what you think about it. For "Love is a Lie" though, this reads more boardroom than Rainbow Room. He's handsome and put-together but the theme asked for feeling and he gave us function. Points for confidence, points deducted for playing it safe. @brandonadamsx

REID THORNTON — 6.5/10 Oh, Reid. Sweet, tattooed, light-blue-suit-wearing Reid. The powder blue linen with the open collar and the two-tone brogues has a certain roguish charm, and the neck tattoos peeking out add edge — but this is a gala at the Rainbow Room, not a Mediterranean yacht party. The fit is lovely but the occasion needed more. He looks like he wandered in from a completely different event and decided to stay for the champagne. Which, honestly, is a very Reid thing to do. @reidthorton

FRANKIE BARNES — 9/10 The asymmetric red gown with the single long glove and the crystal strap detail is stunning. It's dramatic without being theatrical, elegant without being cold. That one glove is doing so much heavy lifting — it takes the look from beautiful to memorable. Frankie understood that "Love is a Lie" means you show up looking like the most devastating version of yourself, and she delivered. A near-perfect arrival. Nate's assistant has officially outshone half the room — and Jordan Barnes is somewhere in this building. @frankiebarnes

DAN HUMPHREY — 5/10 Dan. Daniel. Lonely Boy. A tan corduroy blazer and beige trousers to a "Love is a Lie" gala at the Rainbow Room? He looks like he came straight from a coffee shop in Brooklyn where he was writing a very brooding essay about the commodification of romance. The open shirt has charm and the pin is a nice touch, but this is giving accidentally stumbled into the wrong party energy. We love Dan, but Dan did not love this theme. Someone should have intervened. @danhumphreyx

CRESSIDA WYNTER — 10/10 STOP. The black satin corset gown with red lightning bolt embroidery and the words "Til Death" on the skirt, paired with black opera gloves and a champagne flute? Cressida Wynter just won the entire evening. She didn't just dress for the theme — she became the theme. This is what "Love is a Lie" looks like in human form: gorgeous, theatrical, slightly threatening, and completely unbothered. The dark lip seals it. Gossip Girl bows to no one, but she's tempted tonight. @cressidawynter

HANNA MARIN — 9/10 Rosewood's finest cleaned up and arrived ready to destroy. That red sequin mini with the cutout detail and the diamond brooch holding it all together is bold, fun, and unapologetically Hanna. The silver clutch and choker necklace are the perfect finishing touches — she came to accessorize AND to collect enemies. The fact that she's standing in front of a neon broken heart sign like she planned it? That's not coincidence, that's Hanna Marin. A true Upper East Side import. @hannaomarin

MARY BOWDER — 8/10 The black strapless column gown with white lace appliqué wings on the bodice and crisp white heels is striking and beautifully constructed. The contrast is sharp and the lace detail is genuinely exquisite. It reads a little more Oscars luncheon than "Love is a Lie" gala, but Mary carries it with such quiet elegance that it almost doesn't matter. She's giving fallen angel, which is honestly perfect thematic energy even if it wasn't entirely intentional. Ryker is a lucky man. @marryy-bowderxoxo

AZRIEL — 9/10 The Shadowsinger arrived in head-to-toe black with a double-breasted suit, open collar, and wide leg trousers and looked like he materialized out of the shadows specifically to make everyone else feel underdressed. There's something quietly menacing about how effortless this looks — no jewelry, no accessories, just presence. Very on brand for Azriel. The theme might as well have been written about him. Rhysand and Azriel in the same room tonight is a dangerous combination and everyone in attendance knows it. @azrielxoxo

KAI JORDANS — 8.5/10 The red patterned shirt, matching dyed hair, black leather trousers, silver chain necklace and that walk — Kai Jordans came to make a statement and the statement is "I don't follow dress codes, I set them." The coordinated red-on-red of the hair and shirt is either a stroke of genius or complete madness, and in this case it's both simultaneously. It's rock and roll at a black tie event and somehow it works. Points off only because the Rainbow Room deserved slightly more polish. Points immediately added back because Kai clearly doesn't care. @kaijordansxo

IMOGEN CALDURO — 7/10 The pink hair, the red floral slip dress, the oversized black blazer draped off one shoulder, the cat-eye sunglasses indoors at night — Imogen Calduro arrived like she's perpetually the most interesting person in any given alleyway and she simply brought that energy to the Rainbow Room. It's effortlessly cool in a way that suggests she didn't try at all, which is either very chic or a complete disregard for the occasion. For a Fourth Wing girl, this tracks. The vibe is immaculate. The formality is... missing. But we forgive it. @imogencarduloxoxo

SAGE EDWARDS — 4/10 Sage, my darling, the pink and yellow floral chiffon gown is beautiful — genuinely lovely and ethereally constructed — but it belongs at a garden party or a spring brunch, not a "Love is a Lie" gala. It reads sunshine and optimism when the theme called for drama and heartbreak. Either Sage didn't get the memo, is making a deeply ironic statement about love's false promises, or... she was distracted. Perhaps by a certain Mr. Adams? The dress is gorgeous in the wrong room entirely. @sageedwardsxo

SPOTTED: BRANDON ADAMS – our city’s most talked-about retired Army vet – loading up his ride like he’s not just heading out for a weekend trip. That quick glance over his shoulder? The way he’s moving like he’s on a clock? Something’s not adding up, Upper East Siders.

Dressed head-to-toe in black and keeping his face low under that cap, he’s hauling a bag big enough to pack up more than just a change of clothes. Rumors have been swirling for weeks about him being linked to… let’s just say, operations that don’t show up on any military discharge papers. Is he leaving town to lay low? Or is he heading somewhere to finish what he started?

We’ve heard whispers of a high-stakes dispute involving old contacts from his service days – and that the people he’s meeting aren’t the kind you’d invite to brunch at The Plaza. Is that duffel bag carrying evidence? Payment? Or something far more dangerous?

Whatever secrets Brandon’s carting around in that patterned tote – trust us, they’re bigger than any war story he’s ever shared at those veteran charity galas.

Stay sharp out there. You know you love me.

XOXO, Gossip Girl

Intelligence and taste don’t always travel together. Being a neurosurgeon means she knows the brain—clearly not the heart. Flirting with Brandon isn’t proof that opposites attract, it’s proof that even the smartest people make baffling choices when ego gets involved.

Scalpels sharp, standards questionable.