Blake Lively covers the December 2009 issue of Marie Claire.

“Living in New York, I feel stronger and more like a woman than ever before. In high school, it was like, what power do I have — I have long blonde hair, you know? But working as hard as I do now, I feel a sense of power and respect, too. And I’ve learned an incredible amount about fashion on “Gossip Girl.” Clothes are a personal expression, and my style is as ever-changing as I am: I’m growing, maturing, developing, I’m going through new things in my life, and with that, what I choose to wear changes.