Evangeline Lilly shares her style secrets

We spoke to Evangeline Lilly, who plays Kate in drama series Lost, about getting 'glammed' up, how she stays in such great shape and why men never chat her up

How do you stay looking so good after all those days in the jungle?

Evangeline Lilly: My character, Kate, wears basically the same clothes all the time and her hair is just the way it is when I get out of bed in the morning. She's covered in dirt and grunge, so it's not like she has a secret wardrobe and make-up case stashed away. I wish she did!

Is it nice to get dressed up after looking so sweaty all day on the show?

Evangeline Lilly: A lot of people always say to me: 'You must love this - all the glam and the red carpets,' but it is so far from my comfort zone. Though having said that, during the hiatus, it was nice to cut my hair and dress up after wearing dirty castaway clothes for weeks. The producers don't like to let us off the island very much so we have to wait until we get on the mainland to get nice dresses, and that can make award shows and those kind of things a little hectic.

What's your greatest wardrobe indulgence?

Evangeline Lilly: I love shoes, every colour of the rainbow. I like to wear heels when I'm dressed up and flats when I'm out around town. I love any shoe that has a very vintage look.

Did you find it hard to meet the requirements of being a 'star' in a fashion sense?

Evangeline Lilly: Not really. My mom is the classiest, most beautiful lady you'll ever meet so I've had a good teacher. She was a cosmetician who worked for Estee Lauder and I got my first makeover when I was in grade five. When I was in high school, I used to go through our Halloween dress-ups and pull out a gypsy costume and pair it with a T-shirt to wear to school.

Whose style do you admire?

Evangeline Lilly: If I had to relate my sense of style to anyone, I'd say it's quirky, like Diane Keaton.

Has being in the spotlight made you more self-conscious?

Evangeline Lilly: When I'm alone, I never think about what I look like, what I'm wearing or whether I'm too fat or thin, but the second I'm with other people, those insecurities are all driven home. It's a very scary place to be when people have seen you on TV in your bra and underwear!