Is the “Blake” the new “Rachel”? “Gossip Girl” star has most coveted hairstyle

It seems like every generation has an "It" hairstyle that women run to their stylists trying to achieve. In the '70s it was Farrah Fawcett's feathered disco look. In the '90s, Jennifer Aniston popularized the "Rachel," a bouncy shag worn by the character she played on "Friends." No hairstyles have been as popular as these two styles in recent decades, but hair stylists are wondering if Blake Lively may change that.

CW's drama "Gossip Girl," may be aimed at teens, but women of all ages have watched it since the beginning. The 22-year-old star, Blake Lively, plays Serena van der Woodsen, but their trendy style as well as their perfectly imperfect blonde locks are the same on-screen and off. There's not much to the hairdo, yet it always looks chic. Some face-framing layers, a subtle wave, softly curled ends, decent volume, and the slightest disheveled layer of frizz characterize the "Blake."

Stylists in salons across the city are seeing requests pour in for her look. Robert Gioria of Robert G. Salon in the West Village of Manhattan says brunettes are asking to go blonde and those with straight hair want it wavy. John Barrett, who owns a salon inside Bergdorf Goodman in Midtown Manhattan, confirms the style's popularity and says Blake Lively has "aspirational hair." He insists his clients "don't just want the hair, they want the life." St. Marks Place SuperCuts stylists are often asked for the "Blake Lively" or inspired styles. Nuri Yurt, of Toka Salon on Madison Avenue says most of his long-haired customers request similar cuts. "Her hair right now is a big trend," says Yurt, but "if anybody can handle it-that's a question mark." He claims the style works best on tall, slim ladies like Lively herself. It's also not something anyone can achieve. "Some girls are born with amazing hair," said Michael Wilson of Bumble and bumble, and mimicking Lively's look "sets an unrealistic expectation...It looks accidental, but actually it takes work."

What do you think of Blake Lively's hairstyle? Do you think she is responsible for starting a hair trend, and will it last? [NY Times]