Celebrity Man of Style: Penn Badgley By InStyle Editors InStyle Editors Instagram Twitter InStyle's mantra is "Everybody's in," and that means anyone who finds their way to our stories should find themselves reflected in them. We prioritize bringing the right writer to every story and sometimes collaborate as a team to ensure we're including points of view across race, gender expression, body size, skin and hair type, and more. Our editors and writers comprise decades of expertise across the beauty, fashion, lifestyle and wellness spaces in print and digital. We prioritize journalistic integrity, factual accuracy, and also having fun with every story we share. For more about our team, click here. InStyle's editorial guidelines Updated on October 20, 2009 Pin Share Tweet Email Photo: Thomas Whiteside Man of Style: Penn Badgley 01 of 03 Penn Badgley Thomas Whiteside Has the style on Gossip Girl educated you about fashion? It's made me realize that taking care of your appearance is a good thing. Spending over $100 on a pair of jeans is not crazy, because if they look good and you wear them a lot, it's worth it. Do you take anyone with you?Blake is largely responsible for every nice thing I have. She's got great taste. What do you like that she wears? Just about everything. But when a girl can wear a loose white V-neck, jeans, flats and a ponytail, be confident, and make that look good, it's the sexiest thing. 02 of 03 Penn Badgley Thomas Whiteside Is there something you wouldn't be caught dead in? I can't rock hats at all. I don't know how guys pull them off, but if I put one on, I'm like, Why is this on my head? Ever make any fashion blunders? Well, I met John Galliano recently at an event in his honor but had no idea who he was. He looked like a fantastic pirate in a leather vest with no shirt on and a tall top hat. We were introduced, and I said, "I'm sorry, what's your name?" And he's like, "John." Blake thought it was hilarious. 03 of 03 Penn Badgley Thomas Whiteside Do you collect anything? Vinyl. I grew up listening to soul music, hip-hop, RampB, and jazz funk and am verging on 300 records, 200 of which are all old jazz reissues or first pressings. And now you're writing music too. I am. My dream is to play live shows with a small orchestra—strings, horns, an organ. I'd play keyboards and guitar and sing. But I wouldn't be the frontman. Have you written a song for Blake? Yeah. The best gift I've ever given was a song I wrote. Is that the most amazing feeling? You know, she seemed to like it. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit