Natasha Lyonne Says She’s ‘Too Seasoned’ for Uncomfortable Clothes: ‘I Won’t Play That Game’ (Exclusive)

For Natasha Lyonne, comfort and style go hand in hand. 

The Poker Face star — who fronts Old Navy’s newest campaign, launching today — knows how to turn it up for a red carpet or a night out, but always in something that makes her feel confident and completely herself.

“I really like being able to walk,” she tells PEOPLE exclusively of how she builds an outfit that’s “authentically Natasha.” “The thing I like the least about a look is not being able to move in my shoes. I find that so many people go to award shows and spend the whole night complaining about their shoes or clothes. I won’t play that game anymore. I’m too seasoned.”

Natasha Lyonne for Old Navy.

Ramona Rosales/Old Navy

That fashion philosophy made the Emmy nominee, 44, the perfect fit for Old Navy’s latest campaign, which is all about comfort, confidence, authenticity and taking compliments when they’re handed to you.

The fall campaign features Lyonne in two of Old Navy’s signature pants — the Pixie Pant ($39.99+) and the Taylor Pant ($49.99) — as she navigates two different scenarios, one as a “boss lady” and another heading to a concert. In both cases, Lyonne is tasked with taking a compliment on her looks, responding with, “Thanks, it’s Old Navy.”

Though the campaign makes light of how hard it can sometimes be to just take a compliment on one’s style, Lyonne tells PEOPLE that it’s something she deals with in real life, because she finds herself wanting to “apologize” for her existence. 

“I think I’m getting better, though,” she adds. “I feel a real instinct in me to be self-deprecating right away, and I’m working to try to take the gift and keep it simple. It’s an empowering thing for younger people to see, you know? I like to think of myself as a bit of an elder now who helps kids to realize they need to say thank you.”

In Lyonne’s Pixie Pant look, she wears a monochromatic ‘fit in a red-orange shade — which complements her signature strawberry blonde hair — and tells PEOPLE she felt “pretty great” in what she was wearing.

“Those pants seem like they would just hide it all, no matter what kind of day it was,” she shares. “They’re just the perfect pair of pants. There’s also a little matching cardigan that we didn’t end up using in the thing, but I did steal it, because it’s the perfect cardigan!”

Natasha Lyonne for Old Navy.

Ramona Rosales/Old Navy

For her concert look, Lyonne switched into a tailored suit with the Taylor Pant. The all-plaid look allowed her to go bag-free (even in her fictional storyline), which is something the actress is all for. 

“I felt very cool in my tailored suit — it just felt exactly like something I would wear,” she says. “I like having pockets and no bag when I go out. How cool am I in the video? She doesn’t have to worry about that. I just hope she hasn’t overloaded her pockets. Thanks to it being a commercial, I had nothing in my pockets.”

Though a bag-free lifestyle is Lyonne’s ideal, she tells PEOPLE that if she does have a bag, she wants it to be practical — none of that microbag or mini-clutch trend is in the cards for her. Along with being comfortable, she wants her fashion to be useful.

“Sometimes someone will make a sort of fake clutch for an award show, and you’re like, ‘Where do you want me to put my cell phone?’ I don’t like that kind of camp,” she says with a laugh. “I like having practical things that are real and usable. Maybe it’s because I’m a city kid — New York is very day-to-night seamless, and I take that approach to my outfits always.”

Natasha Lyonne for Old Navy.

Ramona Rosales/Old Navy

The last piece to Lyonne’s comfy, chic outfit puzzle? The right layers.

“I like being temperature-correct,” she says. “I like a blazer or something I can throw over my shoulders so that I’m not going to end up too cold or too hot.”

She says she’s happy to turn to an “egalitarian” place like Old Navy for those pieces, because even though she loves to sit front row at Fashion Week for shows from Schiaparelli or Rodarte, the popular store’s affordable options bring a fashion-forward bit of fun to everyone.

“There’s no gatekeeping element here,” she tells PEOPLE. “I think it’s really important that everybody gets to feel good in what they’re wearing, and Old Navy lets you do that. That’s what I love about them.”

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Source: HIS Education