Sebastian Stan might not have been one of the core characters on the TV show Gossip Girl, but he understood the ins and outs of the teen series. Playing Carter Baizen, a rich and scandalous playboy, seeing Stan onscreen meant that audiences were going to be in for a wild ride, as he upped the drama in every episode he appeared in. Like all of the other characters in Gossip Girl, Carter got lots of time and attention from the costume department, as the clothes on Gossip Girl are a character in and of themselves.

Sebastian Stan is an actor you might have forgotten appears in Gossip Girl, but he easily blends into the world of the New York City elite. This series is just as much a part of his career as his high-profile work in superhero movies like Captain America​​​​​​, playing Bucky Barnes. In recent years, Stan has spoken about his time on Gossip Girl and how this has shaped his work as an actor. Additionally, he's mentioned fun tidbits that provide insight into the behind-the-scenes activity and decisions that every Gossip Girl fan will be interested in.

Sebastian Stan Revealed That Gossip Girl Had A "No Belts" Rule

Stan Was Told He Would Never Were Belts Again

In an interview with Variety, Stan talked about how it wasn't just his character who wouldn't be wearing a belt on Gossip Girl, it was everyone. It's easy to miss this big fashion choice when watching Gossip Girl, but since Stan pointed this out, it's impossible to ignore that belts are conspicuously absent from the series. While many of the women on the show were often wearing skirts and dresses, there wasn't a belt to be seen on any suits, with the pants carefully tailored to stand up on their own.

The audience learned who the characters were through their clothes on Gossip Girl, and the same is true for every other TV show in history. While each character is given unique attributes and signature styles, all of them were forbidden from wearing belts. In some ways, this was a key piece of the status of the characters, as they were meant to be the children of the richest and most powerful people in New York City. Their clothes, more often than not, were made for them.

Jersey Shore Was A Big Reason For Gossip Girl's Belts Ban

Gossip Girl Wanted To Differentiate Itself From Other TV Shows

Fashion was a huge part of the DNA of Gossip Girl, as the series didn't become one of the best teen romance TV shows ever made by accident. The series was as much about the style and atmosphere as it was about the characters and their relationships. A belt might not initially seem like an accessory that would be banned from Gossip Girl. However, the costume designer Eric Daman explained why belts weren't allowed on set to Variety. Tailoring and sleek lines were a large part of it, as well as the tone of the show.

The early 2000s look of wearing over-the-top belts with grungy bootleg jeans felt like a different part of the fashion world that the characters on Gossip Girl wouldn't be a part of. Compared to an enormously popular reality series like Jersey Shore, Gossip Girl was intended to be the complete opposite of this visually, if not dramatically. The wealth and status of the characters on Gossip Girl were inextricable from their wardrobes, and the belts of the time wouldn't have fit into this.

Sebastian Stan Is Still Close With Nate Archibald Actor Chase Crawford

The Pair Were Friends Before Working On Gossip Girl

When talking to E! News about his relationship with the cast of Gossip Girl, Stan immediately highlighted Chace Crawford, stating:

I knew him before Gossip Girl so we stayed close. Penn Badgley, I did his podcast at one point—but really Chace.

In of career trajectory, Stan and Crawford have both transitioned from teen heartthrob roles to more serious acting, as well as dipping their toes in the superhero genre. Though Bucky Barnes is a much more traditional hero than the ones portrayed on Crawford's series, The Boys, Barnes and The Deep both give the actors a lot to work with. They're complex parts worthy of Stan and Crawford, who have proven themselves to be fantastic performers.

It's nice to hear that Crawford and Stan have maintained a relationship, as it's easy to forget that more often than not, the actors who play our favorite characters are more coworkers than friends. However, growing up together on a show like Gossip Girl and watching each other flourish later on in their careers has doubtlessly given the pair plenty to talk about. Gossip Girl was a cultural touchstone, and it's not shocking that so many actors on the series have remained friends to this day.