Zooey Deschanel has found her comfort zone.
The 39-year-old “New Girl” actress — who in November was named a brand ambassador for Crocs — revealed in a new interview that she no longer wears heels. Despite being a high-profile celebrity who walks many a red carpet, Deschanel told Parade magazine that she is embracing more comfortable footwear.
“I used to wear a lot of high heels and one day I said, ‘No. My feet can’t handle this anymore. I don’t like this.’ I’m perfectly happy and I feel stylish wearing flat shoes now,” she explained. “So it’s just different ways of looking at things, but I think it starts with being comfortable in your own skin.”
The star said her shoe switch-up has not only helped her keep up with her two energetic young kids (daughter Elsie, 3, and son Charlie, nearly 2), but allows her to be a role model for them in a world where there is tremendous pressure to conform to certain fashion and beauty standards. “As a mother of a daughter, I think about [this] in a different way now,” she told Parade. “Everywhere you look, there are messages saying, ‘You don’t look like this’ and ‘If you don’t look like this, then you’re not [this].’”
Deschanel’s new marketing campaign with Crocs, the third installment of the brand’s “Come As You Are” series, is set to roll out soon. She is joined by a group of international celebrities including British actress Natalie Dormer, Japanese actress and model Suzu Hirose and Chinese actress, dancer and model Gina Jin. The idea behind the campaign is to encourage consumers to express their unique selves and celebrate the notion that style and comfort are not mutually exclusive.
“When Crocs asked me to be a part of their campaign, I was excited to have the opportunity to join a fun and colorful brand but, more importantly, have the opportunity to inspire others to embrace their individuality,” Deschanel noted.
Last month, Crocs shared a sneak peek on Instagram of Deschanel on set, dressed in denim overalls and modeling a pair of pink clogs branded with her first name.
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