Jennifer Garner: My Mom Taught Me Not to Prioritize Beauty

— -- Jennifer Garner moved to New York City from Charleston, West Virginia, in the early 1990s, but in the March edition of Southern Living magazine, she insists she didn't leave her southern values behind, especially when it comes to her appearance.

In particular, the 42-year-old actress said she learned that looks aren't everything.

"What my mom did that I valued so much was to not place beauty high on the list of priorities," she recalled.

Indeed, Garner admitted it was "a shock" when her classmates at Denison University in Granville, Ohio, told her she was attractive.

Even when she's walking the red carpet, Garner likes to keep things simple. "Although I adore it on others, you won't see me wearing many one-shoulder, asymmetrical, cool things. I can't feel like I'm wearing a costume."

Garner said she wouldn’t trade growing up in West Virginia for anything.

“I feel so fortunate to have grown up in a place where people look out for each other,” the actress said. “Community is the one thing people crave most, and it’s hard to come by. I grew up with such an excess of it that now wherever I go, the first thing I do is build my group.”