The Buccaneers’ Kristine Froseth Talks Corsets, Comfort and Billie Eilish’s Closet: ‘I’m Obsessed with Her’ (Exclusive)

Kristine Froseth is all about comfort.

When she isn’t squeezing into corsets for Apple TV+ period drama The Buccaneers, the 28-year-old actress opts for functional looks that can take her from music festivals to hiking trails.

But don’t get it twisted: Froseth loves fashion.

From JW Anderson to Simone Rocha, the actress — along with her boyfriend and Buccaneers costar Guy Remmers — is often in the audience as new collections hit the runway, and the on- and off-screen love interests’ looks are always ones to watch. 

As American Eagle taps Froseth for its fall campaign, the Looking for Alaska and Sharp Stick star walks PEOPLE through her personal style philosophies — and gives a glimpse behind the scenes of The Buccaneers season 2.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Has fashion always been important to you? Is it important to you now?

No to the first part of the question. [Laughs] I struggled with my identity for a long time just because I moved so much back and forth, and I always kind of felt like I was the new girl and I had to just kind of wear what people were wearing. I just wasn’t really sure what my groove was.

I think as of late, I’m just gravitating toward things that match my mood, rather than following the trend. I love Billie Eilish. I wish I just had her closet. I’m obsessed with her and everything she wears, but that’s not realistic for me.

When did you cement your personal style?

It’s been a very slow discovery, where I realized I was kind of a new girl and then I was modeling for a long time. And then I became an actor and then being a different character all the time, I kind of had to just take a step back. But also through all the discoveries of the various characters I’ve played, I learned a lot about what I don’t like and what I do like.

Is there any fashion inspiration you’ve taken from your Buccaneers character, Nan St. George?

I mean, she is in very tight corsets — I know that corsets have kind of made a comeback. I struggle on set to be honest. I’m wearing more looser-fitting clothes. I love baggy jeans. I love sweatsuits, big, oversize sweaters and T-shirts. So kind of opposite of what Nan has to wear. She’s very constricted.

What is the hardest part — besides the corsets — about playing Nan?

What I find really difficult, actually, is just the pace of the show is really quick. So we will often have to start with one emotion and end with another in a short time span, and I find it difficult to do that. I think the only thing I’d like to change about that is just having more time with the characters and their emotions. I think it’s a good acting challenge.

Which Buccaneers cast member has the best style off-camera?

These people know how to dress. Alisha Boe just has the craziest, funky vintage pieces, and the way she puts things together, I’m always just like, “How?” Imogen Waterhouse just has such a cool, calm, relaxed, effortless, like, chic British, but also very, like, approachable [style]. They’re all really good, actually, at finding pieces — usually thrifted — that really connect to who they are as people. And I think that’s really cool. You can really tell by their clothes what they’re like.

What do you think your clothes tell people about you?

I definitely think I’m quite pragmatic. I like to be functional and I like to be comfortable. And I love playing with colors now — I used to just wear mostly black. I’m kind of always an extreme. I’m also really into grunge these days. I can’t wait for fall, when we can wear leather boots and tights and dresses.

As someone who is very open and vocal about mental health, what do you do to feel good in your skin and your clothes when you are not feeling your best?

Nowadays, I try and really find out what the emotion is first and foremost. I [used to] kind of be in this distracted mode, like I would just be on “go” all the time and depressed ’cause, I mean, that’s just such an easy out.

But now I really stop and I ask what the emotion is, and I try and figure out what it’s telling me. And if it’s really overwhelming, I might not be ready to face it yet, but sometimes I just literally sit down and I breathe and I just find the sensations in my body, and I try and get curious about it. It’s really been a game-changer for me.

This American Eagle campaign is about living life to the fullest — what do you look like when you’re doing just that?

Anything with layering, because then I can be ready for whatever. If I’m with my friends and we decide to go for a hike, I’ll go for more looser-fitting clothing and then I’ll be layering it. I’ll definitely have a good jean. And then a cute tee and a sweater so I can layer up, layer down — and a baseball cap! I love a good baseball cap. Anything where I can dance or be active and just be comfortable with my friends.

Is that also how you like to celebrate — dance, be active, be with friends?

Definitely. When I can take time and go to nature and be with nature and that’s definitely where I feel the most present and really connected to myself and the people I’m with. So I try and do that often. And music … there’s nothing like the feeling of being in a crowd of people when everyone knows this song and we’re all just grooving together. We’re like one, and that’s so magical.

What is something, big or small, that you’ve celebrated recently?

Oh gosh, wait, this makes me really reflect on … I should be celebrating life way more. I mean, it was my boyfriend’s birthday the other day. We definitely had a good celebration of that. It’s just been so busy. I’ve kind of just been in work mode again.

Did the whole Buccaneers cast get together to celebrate Remmers’ birthday?

Well listen, I was trying to host a surprise birthday party for the first time in my life. And I organized everything and everyone was coming. But that weekend, the schedule changed and so everyone went home. So it was basically just me and my boyfriend, unfortunately. I’m still having to try and make up for it. [Laughs]

But we had a really great time. We went for a beautiful hike and we had some great dinner and I baked him a cake, which he really liked. But the surprise birthday party … it’s gonna happen.

Does anything feel different about filming The Buccaneers this time around?

Not really. I think our characters just are a little bit more separated so we’re not seeing each other as much. Last time, we all lived in the same building and it felt like college, and now our storylines are a little bit more spread out. So when we get to see each other, it’s really special. I think that’s the biggest change.

On The Buccaneers, you have Guy Remmers, who plays Theo, but also a character named Guy, played by Matthew Broome. Does it ever get confusing to have two Guys on set?

Yes. [Laughs] It’s so confusing, and we were trying to give people nicknames trying to make it easier, but ultimately it’s still a problem. And honestly I feel so bad for the directors that come on, because we change out directors and they’re always — bless ‘em, you know — bringing the wrong cast to set and it’s just such an easy mistake.

Before watching the show, I didn’t know a single Guy — except maybe Guy Fieri.

Me neither! I had never met a single Guy in my entire life. And then all of a sudden, there’s Guy Remmers and then there’s Guy in the show. And I’m like, “Why is this happening?”