Described as "a girl of extremes" by creator Cecily von Ziegesar,[3] she is a New York City socialite and a comical overachiever who possesses both snobbish and sensitive sides.

Due to her position as queen bee of Manhattan's social scene, Blair's actions and relations are under constant scrutiny from the mysterious Gossip Girl, a popular blogger.

The story primarily follows Blair Waldorf and her best friend Serena van der Woodsen during their years in high school and college.

[8] She is described as an alluring brunette,[9] and occasionally models her appearance and demeanor after famous actresses, including Marilyn Monroe and, most often, Audrey Hepburn.

In a review for The New Yorker, Janet Malcolm remarked that Blair's issues made her "both a broader caricature and a more real person" than the other Gossip Girl characters.

[8] In a 2009 interview, Gossip Girl creator Cecily von Ziegesar claimed to identify with Blair the most, stating, "She is so unpredictable and dramatic.

[18] She later grows closer to Chuck Bass (which initially occurred in the series' television adaptation), who she'd previously known for years, which leads them to briefly date one another.

"[19] The New Yorker's Janet Malcolm remarked that unlike some of her forerunners in film and literature, "Blair already has all the money and position anyone could want.

[19] It is unclear how much of Blair's perception of Serena is in line with reality; the narrative describes both characters as "hands down the two hottest girls on the Upper East Side, and maybe all of Manhattan, or even the whole world.

"[9] In 2010, Yen Press began publishing a manga adaptation titled Gossip Girl: For Your Eyes Only, written and illustrated by HyeKyung Baek.

[23] In addition to this series, Blair also appears in a manga adaptation of the novel Gossip Girl: Psycho Killer, a parody of horror stories.

[25] Among fans and the media, Blair's bond with Chuck Bass was commonly known by the portmanteau "Chair", while her relationship with Dan Humphrey was referred to as “Dair”.

'[27]To prepare for the part of Blair, actress Leighton Meester, a natural blonde, dyed her hair brown before auditioning, and also studied the first novel.

Prior to the show's debut in 2007, the actress stated that, "The only way to play Blair, or any character, and make her human, is to find what she is inside me.

[33] In Season 1 of Gossip Girl, Blair is introduced as the Upper East Side's beautiful and popular queen bee.

[39] A large portion of her story line in Season 2 revolves around her love-hate relationship with Chuck Bass, which was labeled "the heart of GG" by People magazine.

[53] —Joshua Safran, producer[54] Amidst the fourth season, the romance between Dan and Blair became a polarizing topic among viewers which also drew significant media interest.

Dawn Fallik of The Wall Street Journal was less positive, asserting that "both characters have been so Blandified that there's no fun left in the show.

"[62] MacKenzie also called the show's explanation "disturbing, particularly given the young, female target demographic of Gossip Girl and The CW.

[8] In addition, several critics have likened Blair to the character Lila Fowler of the earlier Sweet Valley High series.

[6][7][71] In the 2007 book Children's Literature and Culture, writer Harry Edwin Eiss chastised the depiction of Blair's bulimia.

"If handled properly, the inclusion of her illness could have provided a powerful lesson for young adult readers who worry about their weight and food consumption.

[72] Emily Nussbaum of New York magazine had similar comments, calling the bulimia "more of an icky weakness than a full-fledged pathology."

"[31] While commenting on Meester, New York magazine's 2008 cover story of the series states, "Her villain-you-want-to-root-for is the most sophisticated performance on the show.

"[76] Variety described her performance as similar to that of "a predatory junior Joan Collins who practically breathes fire out of her pinched, perfectly WASP-ish nostrils.

"[76] FHM Online ranked the actress the "Hottest TV Star" of autumn 2008, stating that as Blair Waldorf, "Leighton Meester has stolen the spotlight with her mind-blowing good looks and amazing performance.

[82] In a review from The Atlantic, Blair and Serena's friendship was praised as "it offered a relationship whose depth and complexity approached Rory and Paris' [from Gilmore Girls].

[84] Television Without Pity listed Meester in their "Golden Globes 2009: Overlooked TV Shows and Performances" article, labeling Blair "so multi-faceted, well-dressed and beautifully played that she elevates this teen soap to something we don't even feel guilty about admitting we love.

[92] The character's wardrobe—credited to designers Abigail Lorick and Eric Daman[93][94]—was popular, earning mentions from periodicals such as InStyle[95] and New York,[96] along with recognition from websites.

[101] In a Vanity Fair interview, costume designers Eric Daman and Meredith Markworth-Pollack named Audrey Hepburn and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour as their inspirations when dressing Meester as Blair.