Gossip has a bad reputation. It may stem from kindergarten experiences with the “telephone game,” the one in which a message whispered around the room gets warped in passing. But gossip is a great tool for your characters to use. Imagine the potential for description without resorting to “as I checked my red hat in the mirror, I saw… .” And, as this article points out, not all gossip is bad.
Five Hidden Benefits Of Gossip
http://m.fastcompany.com/3043161/work-smart/five-hidden-benefits-of-gossip?partner=superfeed&utm_source=pulsenews&utm_medium=referral
sharon p. lynn 