Selma Blair in accessible fashion and sex on screen

TS Eliot may measure his life in coffee spoons, but millennial girls do it in Selma Blair movies.

We hit high school when she hit the big screen. Cruel intentions; When she registered her law degree, we got a diploma Legally blonde. Our first G-strings were inspired by her. Very sweet thing Sexcaps: We copied her Hellboy Teasing (annoyingly) when the cat is called to the gym. We’ve copied her style, too: her shiny leather jacket from her Chanel campaign, the peek-a-boo black lace from the Miu Miu ads, the swingy Marc Jacobs bag (actually called “The Selma”) paired with simple tanks. And jeans. And we root for her—constantly, compulsively, still—as she reveals her struggle with multiple sclerosis (so true Good) biography It means baby. and docu-series Introducing Selma Blair.

This month, Blair unveiled another role—official space style icon—just in time for our annual fall fashion wake-up call. Here’s how the actress once wore Valentino, what she wants us to learn from her on-screen sexiness, and where she thinks accessible fashion can go next.

True or False: You worked at The Gap before you were famous.

so true! I really love The Gap, because the staples and recycled staples are my fashion language, you know? Back in Michigan, I worked at the Gap in the mall. It was a very teenage mall thing—like, I’d get a cookie from the food court on my break, and I’d try to get a Bennigan’s margarita. But I moved to New York and working at Gap was like a celebrity.

how so?

Oh, the last one was high-low! And that’s always been me… I mean, it’s the ’90s and I’m this young woman living in the Salvation Army, and trying to be an actress, and I worked at the Gap on the Upper East Side, which was like of The space was clean inside, and everyone who worked in fashion came to this space. Models would come in, Pat McGrath would come in, and Valentino—I was personally painting Valentino at The Gap.

keep it up. Were you Valentino’s personal space stylist?

I’m sure it was. I was personally selling him a t-shirt, I was going down to the basement to get more information. I said, “No one touches him,” and they said, “Who, the man of the Tanna?” They are kind of. I said: “Guys, Tan man It’s Valentino, and I’ll sell him every single pocket t-shirt in this store, and he’ll take every guest on board and in his outfit at Gap. I remember to know By the way, it was amazing when I gave the clothes to Valentino, who was very kind. “These T-shirts are so cool; You have to make everyone on your boat comfortable. He said, “Wow, what a great idea!” he said. I think it was the first time I felt like a celebrity.

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Give us more Gap tea.

Well, in addition to helping Valentino, I became an expert at folding things into beautiful, uniform piles. I’m still good at folding. At The Gap, we had this pleglass “folding board” that we used to make it look just right. But you can just use a cutting board. That’s what I do.

Can you help resolve a dispute at the ELLE.com office? What is the best Gap campaign ever?

Wait, what is it? yours

I love you Carole King one– The ones in the piano ring me – but Claire is 100 percent strong Mild yellow.

I’m a dancer at heart, so I’m going to go with the Swing Khakis ad. Everyone is seeing the shape and movement of those clothes, and that excitement in fashion is spreading through the airwaves in a big campaign. I find it amazing. Audrey Hepburn dancing is always fun. While there’s dance in the campaigns, you’ll see this Gap image looking gorgeous as it moves across the frame. You see these people wearing clothes that give them freedom to dance and ease of movement. Don’t you see freedom?

Freedom is also about accessibility, right? Has your experience with MS and mobility shaped your perspective on fashion accessibility?

Ultimately, it has to come down to style. I think all body types are so different, and finally when they’re being recognized and not produced—ability, size, shape, they’re all getting more respect. I mean, in the 90s and early aughts, it was pretty shameful if you weren’t a certain body type. It seems that only certain entities are allowed to be “cool”. Now we know what we bring to it is cool… and obviously, the “accessible” style is correct. Style. But let’s not kid ourselves, accessible fashion is still a big place and something that deserves a lot of attention. I hope it’s something I can do for the rest of my life because as I get older and I use a cane or I use mine. [service] Dog, I still need to acknowledge the strength in the ways or vulnerability that keeps me active, instead of overwhelmed. Anytime we do anything I feel left out by the fashion industry, this really gives me hope. Obviously, I hope this campaign helps others feel more hopeful about that.

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You have had a wonderful career in fashion and film. This is hard to believe Very sweet thing It came out 20 years ago. You went from being a Gap employee to a character dating a guy at the mall.

oh my god. The costume part was my favorite. It was mine. lovable. That was the day after my birthday [and] I was in order to I was tired that day. But I remember being really excited to shoot that scene, because it was funny, and you know, back then, girls couldn’t drive the narrative of “sexy” scenes. in very sweet, I was not ashamed that we did! To this day, I am very proud of this. Like, why I wouldn’t have done it. Are we excited about sex, and talking about sex, and having some funny moments around sex? Also, I have really bad TMJ.

oh no. Was there actually pain in that scene?!

It was more, like, I had a lot of compassion, you know? So he was shooting the penis-to-mouth thing—we used bananas—but shooting a movie scene would take all day. So like eight hours of bananas in my mouth which is a lot! So while I’m crying at the picture from TMJ? I was so closed off that I was crying. But I remember it was Johnny Messner. Really Sweet about it. I mean, I had to go cry for hours watching him, crunching a banana in my mouth under the lights on his sweaty groin. And I love that we did that! [Laughs.]

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I love what you did too.

It’s amazing where women have made comedies about sex. We They were joking. I mean Cameron. [Diaz] And Christina [Applegate] They were the best people on the planet. I couldn’t believe I was working with them. Christina and I, you know, have been through a lot together; We are still very close…and I love Cameron very much. She is so beautiful, incredible, fun, generous, everything. So when I look back very sweet, Those are happy days. There was no sadness for me on that road. It was a blast.

Let’s focus on security for a second. You’ve talked a lot about cold water swimming as part of physical and mental rehabilitation. But it’s taking that first jump into cold water heavy. How do you make yourself do something that you know is harmful, even if it is beneficial?

Oh, I know what you mean. And “it hurts the first few seconds, but after a couple of minutes you’ll see what works and you’ll feel great!” Even when you say It’s just hard. The first time I took an ice bath, it hurt so much and I hated it so much, I literally cried and cried. I’m sleeping in order to Well that night, but I didn’t get into the ice bath again. Instead, I get into a 50 degree pool. I don’t heat my tub anymore; I just went in. It was amazing for my body and mind. And the first time you do it, you have to remember, it’s okay to scream. Shout out to yourself as long as you’re doing it anyway.

This interview has been edited and expanded for clarity.