How I Shop: Kristine Froseth

We all buy clothes, but no two people shop the same. It can be a social experience, and a deeply personal one; at times, it can be impulsive and entertaining, at others, purpose-driven, a chore. Where do you shop? When do you shop? How do you decide what you need, how much to spend and what's "you"? These are some of the questions we're putting to prominent figures in our column "How I Shop."

As Nan St. George — the adventurous main character of Apple TV's Gilded Age romp "The Buccaneers" — Kristine Froseth is no stranger to a corset. Nor is the Norwegian-born and New Jersey-raised actor a stranger to a high fashion moment: She's attended the Met Gala twice (wearing Chanel in 2019 and Tory Burch in 2021), served as a Chanel ambassador since 2019, starred in Rodarte's Spring 2024 lookbook and sat front row at shows like Miu Miu, JW Anderson and Simone Rocha.

Now, the 28-year-old is expanding her already-stacked fashion repertoire to include an American Eagle campaign (in which she stars alongside Nikki Rodriguez, Coco Gauff and Trevor Lawrence) launching in tandem with the brand's "Live Your Life" platform centered on self expression and acceptance. (Froseth hopes it will "create conversation between people about how we're really doing and how we can be the most authentic version of ourselves.")

But Froseth's relationship with American Eagle is nothing new: When jetting between Norway and New Jersey in her younger years, American Eagle was the hot spot on any stateside mall trip.

"It was just such a fun experience to bring it back to Norway where the style was different and just to see the reaction," Froseth says of her American Eagle memories. "[...] It was just such a special experience to go to the mall and link up with your friends and just adore the clothes and hopefully buy some. I miss those days. I haven't been to the mall in a really long time."

These days, Froseth's ever-evolving personal style remains grounded in oversized, comfy silhouettes with flecks of androgyny, grunge and the sought-after Scandi girl aesthetic. Ahead, she discusses how her Norwegian heritage and American upbringing impacted her style, exploring press-tour method dressing à la Zendaya and Anya Taylor-Joy, and some of her all-time favorite looks she's worn.

"I would say [Norwegians are] very functional people. We usually wear outdoor clothes. We're ready for whatever weather is coming. We wear comfy shoes. And it's all kind of a minimalistic lifestyle as well. I think that really brought out the functional side of me, and then I think the American really brought personality and it was a bit more bold.

"I feel like I'm really learning a lot about myself and with that comes different styles I'm trying out. But right now I'm shooting and so I am finding myself in sweats a lot of the time and in very comfortable clothing. I do like to still be very pragmatic and comfy, but I'm also really into grunge and androgynous vibes.

"We are on Season 2 [of 'The Buccaneers'] and my character's style has definitely changed. In Season 1, she was supposed to be a bit more of a tomboy. I mean, she only got to wear pants once, but it was definitely trying to be different than the other women who had to be more constrained. I wore my corset really loose... But now she's a duchess, so it's pretty much the opposite. It's very sophisticated, elegant, it's more mature, tighter corsets and just more constrained overall.

"I love a comfy, oversized T-shirt and comfy, oversized jeans and some sneakers, usually. That's my go-to. And a hoodie or sweatshirt if it's a little chilly, but the overall theme is oversized. [Comfort] can still really be chic. I really do also love that fashion is embracing the casual and the sneakers and I love that it's become more acceptable to be a little bit more relaxed.

"I'm obsessed with Billie Eilish. Honestly, I wish I had every piece in her closet. It's how she puts it together, too, is just incredible. I have such admiration for people who can style and put pieces like that together. But I think I think she's my top. She's my favorite.

"The first fashion show I ever [attended] was Chanel [Fall 2018]. It was my first time ever experiencing that world. I had no idea what it was going to be like. And the whole setting and the staging of the show was just breathtaking and so cinematic and visceral....It was just such a celebration of fashion. It's crazy how the designers put you in this different universe — it was in these woods, and it smelled like the woods, and I remember just being blown away.

"I got to go to Miu Miu this February. Did you look at the collection? I mean, drool. Did you see all the older models? I thought that was really cool, how they were really celebrating women aging and women just staying true to themselves. I hadn't really seen Miuccia Prada do that so much, so I thought that it was really cool.

"Nowadays, I'm trying to be more conscious of what the film is, what the premiere will be like and what can enhance that process. I think it's really cool when actors do that. Anya Taylor-Joy is so good at doing that, and Zendaya is really good at doing that. It's a conscious effort...That's where I'm wanting to go.

"[Working with stylist Sandra Amador, I've learned to] trust instincts and not be afraid to try out different things. I came from the Chanel world, and now I'm trying different brands and styles, and she's just very supportive.

"[My Met Gala looks] were just extraordinary. The first one was with Chanel and the second was with Tory Burch. Very different vibes, but just getting to know the process behind it all and the actual experience of being on the carpet and how that felt — those will forever be memories of mine.

"I love JW [Anderson]. I got to wear Kiko Kostadinov, which is one of my favorite designers. I always would love to be in some Kiko.

"I really try and get into what the brand is itself. I feel like with Loewe, it was kind of easy because they're so playful. And I thought if I'm going to be in that world, I really want to go all in. So they had some really quirky outfits and there wasn't enough time to do fittings and stuff so those ones didn't fit, but then I found this all-denim piece and it was just the right amount of quirk, but also perfect for what the event was.

"I don't have a good track record of getting the right sizes, so I usually like to go [shopping] in the store. I'm trying to go with my first instinct, to what I gravitate towards, and then I kind of play from there. I just like to keep calm and I usually have my AirPods in and I'm listening to music and it's just really not that deep. It's kind of whatever your heart feels, or however you want to express yourself and I'm just really trying to listen to what that is for me.

"For jeans, I love American Eagle, and I stole so many pairs from the shoot. So I don't know if I'll need another round for a while. But they just have such good jeans. I live in Brooklyn, so I do thrift a lot, to be honest. I try to find random pieces here and there. Me and my friends, we exchange clothes as well.

"I actually haven't bought anything in a while... I kind of made a point of not buying so many things because there was a phase, when I started dating my boyfriend — he loves fashion and he kept introducing me to brands. And then I kept buying so many things and I needed to hold back. I got a sick Kiko Kostadinov dress, which I really adore.

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"I usually rotate through the same T-shirts. I have vintage T-shirts that usually go with most of my jeans or sweatpants. I'm always in sneakers... I do love Hokas. I love Salomons, you know, they do cool hiking shoes, and they also just collaborated with Sandy Liang. I got a pair of their collaboration and it's so comfy.

"They're mostly graphic [T-shirts] with just nice little sayings or funny sayings or funny images. Yeah, whatever speaks to me while I'm in the store. Right now, I'm wearing one that says 'Find Hope' and I usually wear that when I'm feeling a little down or I just need some happiness. It's bright yellow and the font's in two different blues. And it makes me happy and usually people comment on it and it creates conversation, which is always fun.

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"I love [Sandy Liang's] jewelry, anything that's kind of funky and chunky. I'm really obsessed with safety pins that have become jewelry... It's either Candyland or it's '90s grunge. There's nothing in between. I need to find the middle ground.

"If I want to try out something new, but I'm feeling kind of scared, I usually text [one of my best friends] and I'm like, 'Do you think I should get this?' Her style's quite bold and I just need a little push of her being like, 'Heck yeah' or 'Heck no' and she hates it... And then my boyfriend is very much into detail and nuance, and he knows a lot of designers. If he's unsure, he'll offer other suggestions or opinions, and he's also getting to know my style really well. So he's a good guide."

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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