The idea of women’s power shines through in her wardrobe, where female designers are the focal point. Equally at home in a metallic Batsheva gown at South by Southwest as the crimson cocktail dress she wore to BAFTA’s Los Angeles tea party, Feldstein has one style rule: keep things upbeat. “Erin [Walsh] and I just have so much fun together, and I think it’s really meaningful to be yourself and feel confident in clothes,” says Feldstein. “I like to enjoy myself, I love color and accessories, but I also think that my style is pretty classy and simple.” The clothes might set the mood, but the high point of Feldstein’s awards season adventure has been sharing the spotlight with pals, like Booksmart co-star Kaitlyn Dever and The Politician’s Ben Platt. “It’s been beyond my wildest dreams. Not only do I get to go to these events, I get to go with all of my dearest friends,” says Feldstein. “They’re truly like a family to me, so that always makes things fun—it feels like being at a Bat Mitzvah!”
As one of a new generation of body-positive stars, representation in media is something Feldstein is passionate about. The unattainable imagery that used to typify fashion was a source of frustration. “It’s hard when you’re not the same height as the model, or whatever that thing is that makes you different from the images you see,” she says. “If you’re not like them, you can feel like, well, can I wear these clothes? Are the clothes going to look right on me? So to be in this group of women who come from all different backgrounds [and are] all shapes, sizes, was significant to me as someone that didn’t always see that [when they were younger.]” Now in a position to change the narrative, Feldstein wants her 2020 to be focused on opening doors in Hollywood for diverse voices. “I want more people that haven’t been allowed to tell their story—whether it’s in cinema, art, or other types of media—to just have those chances,” she says. “I always say it’s not for lack of talent; it’s for lack of opportunity.”
