Sydney Sweeney Shares How Fashion Empowers Her as a Woman and Reveals Her Go-To 'Comfort' Outfit (Exclusive)  

Sydney Sweeney is a certified It girl with major style appeal to prove it.

She could probably pull off a red carpet moment in her sleep, she’s willing to take risks at iconic events like the Met Gala and always gives it her all during press tours. (Remember when she made 10 outfit changes in 48 hours during her Anyone but You era?) 

But at the end of the day, the 26-year-old actress and producer feels most like herself when she can just be Syd, the side of her that prefers “full-blown comfort” over glam when the cameras are off.  

Wanting to introduce this slice of her fashion world to her fans, the Euphoria star partnered with HEYDUDE, the casual footwear brand that she and her family have been “obsessed with” for forever. 

As the brand’s new global spokesperson, Sweeney is ready to put everyone onto her favorite shoe and show what her style is truly all about.

“I've definitely noticed that the brand's really popular among young men. And I always gravitate towards brands that I want to bring to a younger female audience because I really think that this footwear is for everybody. Everybody should be comfortable and confident,” Sweeney tells PEOPLE. 

In her new HEYDUDE campaign, she’s redefining what it means to be a “dude” while showing what makes Syd, well, Syd. 

“I'm always really proud to be very unapologetically myself and the director of my own life, which is what I think it means to be a dude. I think that this campaign really just pulls back the curtains and shows who I am behind the camera and inspires people to be confidently themselves.” 

Sweeney can always rely on HEYDUDE shoes to take her through the day. The first pair she ever owned was the Wendy slip-ins, and she’s stayed loyal to the style ever since because they go with her everyday attire, which usually consists of sweaters and a T-shirt or overalls.

While she favors comfort, Sweeney can appreciate a high-fashion look for what it is and really does have fun channeling her creative energy into her outfits.

“Fashion is a really fun way of embracing different sides of yourself. Some days, I might feel very girly, some days, I might feel edgy. Others, I might feel like I want to be more laid-back. It's a way of being able to express those different sides of how I feel or who I am."

“It's always going to change,” Sweeney adds of her style. “That's what's so amazing, especially about being a woman, is being able to embrace all the different sides of ourselves, because we are so multifaceted and there's so much going on. I can never imagine being one thing for the rest of my life.” 

When it comes to connecting with the clothes her characters wear, Sweeney takes a more hands-off approach, as opposed to the popular method-dressing of today. She leans into "the comforts of different characters and how they dress" where she can, like when wore a custom Miu Miu gown inspired by one of her dresses from Anyone but You, which paid homage to Julia Roberts' bridesmaid dress in My Best Friend's Wedding.

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Whether she's in sweats or a gown, Sweeney is a public figure whose fashion choices are debated about online almost everyday. When asked if the outside noise ever impacts her, Sweeney says this:

“If I put [clothes] on and I smile and I feel good [in them], then I know that's what I want to wear. I don't really let other people dictate how I should feel or what I should be doing or wearing, because if I'm happy and it's making me feel good, that's what matters."