Selma Blair on accessible fashion and on-screen sex

TS Eliot may have measured his life with coffee spoons, but millennial girls do in Selma Blair movies.

We went to the high school as it hit the big screen Cruel intentions; we got our degrees after she finished her law degree Legally blonde. Our first G-strings were inspired by it The sweetest thing sexcapades; we copied it hell boy I’m embarrassed when (annoying) I catch you in the gym. We also copied her style: the shiny leather jacket from her Chanel campaign, the black lace from her Miu Miu ads, the Marc Jacobs sling bag (called “Selma,” of course) she paired with tanks simple. and jeans. And we rooted for her—constantly, compulsively, still—when she revealed her struggle with multiple sclerosis through her (many well) autobiography Mean Baby and documentary series Introducing Selma Blair.

This month, Blair unveils another role – Official Style Icon of the trench – just in time for our annual fall fashion call. Here’s how the actress once wore Valentino, what she wants us to learn from her on-screen sexual antics, and where she thinks accessible fashion might go next.

True or False: Before you were famous, you worked at The Gap.

Very true! I really love The Gap because their staples and reinvented staples are my fashion language, you know? Back in Michigan, I was working at the Gap downtown. It was very much a teen-centric job – like, I’d get a cookie from the food court on my break and try to get Bennigan’s to serve me a margarita. But then I moved to New York and working at the Gap was like being a celebrity.

How so?

Oh, it was the ultimate 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 a Gap on the Upper East Side that was really, like of Emptiness. The interior was immaculate and everyone who worked in fashion came to this Gap. The models would come in, Pat McGrath would come in, and Valentino—I was personally styling Valentino at The Gap.

Wait. You were Valentino Gap’s personal stylist?

I certainly was. I personally sold the T-shirts, going down to the basement to get more inventory. I told everybody, “Nobody’s touching it,” and they’re like, “Who, man?” I said, “Guys, circus man it’s Valentino, and I’m going to sell every pocket tee in this store, and he’s going to take them on his yacht and dress every one of his guests at the Gap.” I remember knowing It was so great that I was delivering clothes to Valentino, who was so kind, by the way. I remember saying to her, “These shirts are so beautiful; you have to give it to everyone on your yacht so they’re comfortable.” He said, “Wow, what a great idea!” I think it’s the first time I’ve ever felt like a celebrity.

Give us more Gap tea.

Well, in addition to helping Valentino, I became an expert at folding things into a neat, identical pile. I’m still great at folding. At The Gap, we had this plexiglass “folding board” that we used to make it look right. But you can also use a cutting board. This is what I do.

Can you help settle an argument in the ELLE.com office? What is the best Gap campaign of all time?

Wait, what is it? yours?

I like that Carol King— send me piano bells—but Claire is 100 percent determined Soft yellow.

I’m a dancer at heart so I’ll have to go with the khaki swing ad. Everyone is seeing the shape and movement of those clothes, and just having that sense of fun in fashion being broadcast in a big campaign, across the airwaves. I think this is extraordinary. Audrey Hepburn, where she is dancing, is also always a thrill. When there’s dancing in the campaigns, you see this Gap silhouette being really elegant as it moves across the frame. You see these people wearing clothes that give them the freedom to dance and the ease of movement. Isn’t that the most iconic thing, freedom?

Freedom is also about accessibility, right? Have your experiences with MS and mobility shaped your view of accessibility in fashion?

Ultimately, it has to come down to style. I think the fact that all body types are so different, and finally being accepted and unashamed – ability, size, shape, they’re all getting a lot more respect. I mean, from the 90s to the early years, there was a lot of shame if you didn’t have a certain body type. It was like, only certain bodies were allowed to be “cool”. Now we know it’s what we bring well… and obviously, “accessible” style just is style. But let’s not kid ourselves, accessible fashion is something that still deserves a bigger space and a bigger focus. Hopefully this is something I can work on in my future because as I get older and use a cane, or use [service] dog, I have to get creative with ways that make me still feel alive, or accept strength in weakness, instead of feeling stifled. Whenever we do something that may have felt left behind by the fashion industry, it makes me really hopeful. Of course, I hope this campaign can help others feel more hopeful about it.

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You’ve had an iconic career in fashion and film. It’s hard to believe this The sweetest find it came out 20 years ago. You went from being a Gap employee to a character who is obsessed with a boy in the center.

Oh my God. The dressing room scene was my favorite. It was mine preferred. This was the day after my birthday [and] I so tired that day. But I remember being really excited to shoot that scene because it was embarrassing and, you know, back then, girls could never drive the narrative of the “sexy” scenes. IN the sweetest thing we did and we were not ashamed! To this day, I am very proud of it. How, why I won’t we’re excited about sex, talking about sex, and having some really funny moments about sex? Also, I have really bad TMJ.

Oh no. Were you in real pain during that scene?!

It was more like I had a lot of sensitivity, you know? So we were shooting the penis in the mouth thing—we used a banana—but shooting a movie scene takes all day. So it’s like, eight hours with a banana in your mouth, which is a lot! So when I was crying on stage from TMJ? I was really crying because I was so closed. But I remember it was Johnny Messner really sweet for him. I mean, I had to grind his sweaty groin with a banana in my mouth under the lights, just look at him and cry for hours. And I love that we did! [Laughs.]

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I like what you do too.

It’s amazing that women have made a comedy about sex where we they were the ones making jokes. I mean, Cameron [Diaz] and Christina [Applegate] were the coolest people on the planet. I couldn’t believe I was working with them. Kristina and I, you know, have been through a lot together; we are still very close…and I love Cameron very much. She is amazing, incredible, fun, generous, everything. So when I look back The sweetest find, these are happy days. There was no sorrow for me on that road. It was a blast.

Let’s go back to wellness for a second. You’ve talked a lot about cold water swimming as part of your physical and mental recovery. But taking the first jump into cold water is difficult. How do you force yourself to do something you know will hurt you, even though it also helps?

Ugh, I know what you mean. And even when you say, “The first few seconds hurt, but once you’re on it for two minutes, you’ll see what it can do and it’ll feel great!” 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 slept so well that night, but I never got into an ice bath again. Instead, I’ll get in a pool that’s like 50 degrees. I no longer heat my pool; I just jump in. It has been so amazing for my body and mind. And the first few times you do, you just have to remember, it’s okay to scream. Allow yourself to scream, as long as you’re doing it anyway.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.