Reese Witherspoon is as happy to reminisce about her frothy character in Legally Blonde as she is to discuss the rise of women in the U.S. government. (What, like it’s hard?) The multi-hyphenate is an actress, an author and an entrepreneur (she helms Hello Sunshine, a media company dedicated to telling female-centric stories) and a creative partner (officially storyteller-in-chief) with Elizabeth Arden, but talking to the Big Little Lies star feels as relaxed as catching up with an old friend…who happens to be an Academy Award winner. 

 

ON ELIZABETH ARDEN:

“She loved supporting women. She famously gave out red lipsticks during the women’s marches in New York in 1912 when they were fighting for the right to vote. She believed in making women feel good but also really thought about how she could affect women’s lives in a bigger way.”

 

ON LIFTING WOMEN UP:

“It’s been an incredible year of women banding together to support and lift each other up. It has also been amazing to see how many women have risen to leadership positions in the U.S. government within one year. It’s a historic time for women, and I’m thrilled to be here to witness it—and for my daughter to see it!”

 

ON THE POWER OF A LIP:

“I’ll never forget watching my mother get ready to go to work every morning when I was growing up. She always put on a bright lipstick, and I felt like, ‘Oh, that’s how you put yourself together and face the world.’” 

 

ON THE BEND AND SNAP: 

“People still come up to me and ask me to do the bend and snap [from Legally Blonde]. I’ll probably be doing it when I’m 85 years old! It makes people very happy.”

 

ON FRAGRANCE:

“I really like White Tea Vanilla Orchid. It’s very light and easy to wear. I don’t like heavy perfumes, so this one is perfect for me.”

 

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Elizabeth Arden White Tea Vanilla Orchid Eau de Toilette Spray ($65 for 100 mL) 

 

ON HER LAST GREAT READ:

Educated by Tara Westover. I was just blown away by her story.”

 

ON FASHION: 

“I am such an archivist. I have every dress that I’ve ever worn on any red carpet. Isn’t that crazy? It’s excessive, but I’m sentimental—memories are so important to me. You only get to live once. I need Marie Kondo. Too many things bring me joy!” 

This article originally appeared in the April 2019 issue of ELLE Canada.