The Kate Holmes Outfit Formula, Explained

Heavy is the head that wears the street style crown. 

Fashion in the age of microtrends and a competitive attention economy can feel downright exhausting. One day, everyone is mob wife-ing in big faux fur coats and leopard prints; the next, the algorithm gods favor sundresses and mesh flats. It’s hard to keep up, and that’s doubly true for the influencers, celebrities, and It girls who rely on fashion clout to make a living. Between the pressure to jump on the latest aesthetic and the endless parade of TikTok-brained trends, influencing does not look easy these days—unless you’re Katie Holmes.

Unlike Gen Z stars who share a steady drip of just-curated-enough outfits to keep us interested, Holmes doesn’t even have an Instagram. When mega-celebs like the Kardashians want to see and be seen, rumor has it, they call the paparazzi on themselves. Holmes, on the other hand, appears to have no idea when she’s about to be photographed on the streets of NYC if her still-wet-from-the-shower hair and sandals are to be believed. Whereas New Yorkers like Julia Fox and Emily Ratajkowski rely on risky fashion choices like an outfit made of condoms or particularly naked “naked” dresses to generate buzz, Holmes can drum up attention with a nondescript tote bag bought at the mall.

When it comes to fashion, Holmes isn’t like the other girls—or rather, celebs. She’s a proud outfit repeater. She always looks comfortable. Her style is so refreshingly normal—practical, even—that at first glance, you might think it’s nothing special. Look closer, however, and you’ll notice an eye for quality (peep these square-toe ballet flats), a willingness to experiment (feast your eyes on this sheer lace set), and an appreciation for the classics. Perhaps most impressive of all, though, is her effortless everyday uniform.

It goes a little something like this: Take one pair of statement jeans (often, but not always wide-legged), add a simple white tee or blouse, and throw on your most comfortable shoes (loafers, Mary Janes, and sneakers all apply). Show restraint with accessories, but keep them luxe. Add outerwear as needed, and, above all, pay attention to the details. 

The Katie Holmes Outfit Formula has the power to sell out everything from comfortable flats to sandals, thanks to a potent, hard-to-resist mix of relatability and luxury. The look is very no thoughts just vibes, and we can’t get enough. See it on the downtown mom whose shoes you might take note of amidst an otherwise unremarkable outfit or the cool girl wearing a gorgeous coat and Birkenstocks. You want to be her. And if you’re a fashion brand, you want to be on her. 

Case in point: French ready-to-wear brand A.P.C. launched a capsule designed in collaboration with Holmes earlier this month to capitalize on her elusive yet undeniable appeal. Naturally, the assortment includes all of her favorite essentials—like Mary Jane flats and chic cardigans—but according to Artistic Director Judith Touitou, she and Holmes are most proud of the collection’s humble white tee. 

“We worked on so many aspects of it,” says Touitou. “The fabric had to be a reminder of the classic men’s military T-shirts. The cut, slightly longer with a rounded hem. The length of the sleeves and the cuffs. And the perfect (not too obvious but still very sexy) Jane Birkin-inspired neckline.” Unassuming on its face but carefully considered upon further reflection, this tee perfectly encapsulates the actress’s sartorial philosophy of undone luxury.

Of course, there’s more to Holmes’s style than T-shirts. When she takes on a trend, it often goes mysteriously viral. In 2022, she and stylist Brie Welch somehow convinced scores of traumatized millennials to give the Y2K dress-over-pants trend a second chance by pairing a navy Tove corset mini with wide-leg jeans from Reformation. Just a few days ago, Holmes single-handedly convinced me, a Kendrick Lamar fan, that the Drake-approved giant pants trend might just have legs. Last but not least on her viral hit list, Holmes set into motion a years-long sweater set obsession and hundreds of dupes with a single 2019 paparazzi photo and a Khaite cashmere bra top.

Time after time, Holmes has proven her talent for styling a divisive trend in a way that even the biggest skeptics can get on board. The secret, though, seems to lie in her curatorial skills rather than any one piece of clothing. It’s not just the viral Khaite sweater bra, Touitou explains. It’s the jeans she wears it with. “I’m really drawn to the way she mixes styles in her own personal way, especially when she wears very casual and more chic pieces together,” she says. “What makes it so cool is that she wears it with distressed jeans, for example. It makes the bralette extremely wearable.”

That’s just it. Holmes understands the power of the unexpected. She knows that mixing trends with classic pieces will have more impact than the trend alone. She combines luxury and mass-market brands to add a certain effortlessness to her styling.

Her three-word TikTok style persona (as if she would ever join) would be comfortable, confident, and unbothered. Just look at what became of that viral cashmere bra. Holmes admitted earlier this week that instead of holding onto what has become a piece of fashion history, she gave it to a friend. “I was like, ‘I’m not going to wear this again. I can’t,’” she shared on Vogue‘s “The Run Through” podcast.

That’s right, Katie. Keep ’em guessing.