Katie Holmes' best looks: from chic party dresses to cool denim staples

Katie Holmes' best looks prove that less is more when it comes to enduring style. The actress is almost as well known for her flawless fashion sense as her on-screen roles, understanding how to elevate even the simplest wardrobe staples into the most stylish ensembles.

Holmes is revered for her outfits both on and off the red carpet, regularly taking a spot on the best dressed lists

Holmes - who is mother to daughter Suri, who she shares with ex-husband Tom Cruise - first rose to fame on TV show Dawson's Creek. Since then, the A-lister has starred in films such as The Secret, First Daughter and Batman Begins. She has even gone behind the camera, directing All We Had and Alone Together.

However, just as much as her on-screen career, the Hollywood star is revered for her outfits. She is regular on best-dressed lists after big red carpet events and is a stalwart of magazine and Instagram street style. She's even tried her hand at designing, with her clothes line Holmes & Yang in business for several years before shutting up shop in 2014.

If you're keen to give your old clothes, shoes and accessories a new lease of life, then Holmes is well-positioned to provide plenty of sartorial inspiration. She has as much of a knack for choosing a show-stopping dress for a glamorous evening event as putting together a casual look to run errands around her home city of New York. 

Katie Holmes' best looks

1. The dress over jeans

Holmes sparked serious nostalgia when she attended the iHeartRadio Z100’s Jingle Ball 2022 in New York. Katie showed off how to wear a dress over trousers, in a look that was deemed pure 'Y2K'. She wore a navy strapless Tove minidress over blue straight-leg jeans, with a pair of black New Balance sneakers for a smart casual ensemble.

2. The sparkly suit

As a dedicated fan of good tailoring, Holmes has stepped out in numerous trouser suits over the years. Katie wowed in a sparkly blazer and matching flared trousers while backstage at the Christian Siriano fashion show in New York in 2021.

3. The purple gown

Holmes may be known for her more relaxed style, but she certainly knows how to dress up when the occasion requires it. She pulled out all the stops at the Met Gala in New York in 2019, opting for a stunning purple Zac Posen floor-length taffeta gown with a fishtail train.  

4. The fringed skirt

One of Holmes' favourite styling tricks is to pull together an outfit of capsule wardrobe staples paired with one standout piece. Her look for the opening night of 'The Wanderers' play in New York in 2023 was a case in point. She elevated a classic beige blazer, white top and black court shoes with a statement black fringed skirt.

5. The crocodile skin midiskirt

Even as a young actress, Holmes displayed a distinct fashion know-how. She stood out at the New York premiere of X-Men in 2000 in a classic white t-shirt which she dressed up with a crocodile print leather midi skirt and a pair of strappy heels. 

6. The shiny red dress

Holmes is best known for her long brunette locks - but she mixed things up at the Met Gala in New York in 2008 by rocking a striking fringed bob. Her outfit for the stylish evening was an off-shoulder, shiny red dress which she paired with gold jewellery and blue heels. 

7. The distressed flares

One of Holmes' many sartorial talents is stylish dressing in the comfiest way possible. The Hollywood star wowed in a slouchy grey jumper and distressed khaki wide-leg jeans - that she smartened up with elegant heels and a handbag - for an outing in New York in 2023.

8. The classic trench

Holmes is always one to ensure her outfits are practical as well as fashion-forward. She channelled the ultimate French capsule wardrobe in a chic beige trench coat, along with blue jeans, black heeled boots and sunglasses, while navigating the rainy New York streets in 2020.

9. The all-white eveningwear

If there's one person who can pull off tonal dressing, then it's Katie. The star stunned in an all-white look at a Skin Cancer Foundation gala in New York in 2019, comprising of a silky bejewelled midi dress, court shoes and a white bucket bag.

10. The gladiator sandals

A girl after our own hearts, Holmes is a fan of dressy flats. If you're bored of your best white trainers, then follow her lead in opting for gladiator sandals. Katie was spotted in a pair while running errands in New York in 2019, along with a long printed dress and co-ordinating blue handbag.

11. The strappy black maxi dress

You can't go wrong with an LBD (long black dress) for a night out, and Holmes demonstrated how to pull off the shade in her trademark relaxed style at a Bulgari event in New York in 2022. She wore a strappy loose maxidress along with a pair of black leather boots and minimal gold jewellery.

12. The black hooded frock

Holmes isn't afraid to make a statement when the occasion allows for it. She wore a slinky black dress with none other than a hood to a Tom Ford fashion show in November in 2022 - finishing off the look with an edgy sleek fringe and a teeny clutch that makes one of the best evening bags if you're traveling light. 

13. The classic white t-shirt

Need some outfit inspiration for those moments when you're rushing out the door? Holmes dressed up a plain white t-shirt and blue jeans combo - essential to any minimalist capsule wardrobe - with statement sunglasses, a colourful Prada 'Galleria' handbag and black Adidas 'Gazelle' sneakers in New York in 2023.

14. The statement pink heels

Despite being mostly dedicated to a neutral colour palette, Holmes isn't afraid to mix it up from time to time. She looked stylish in a white trouser suit while out in New York in 2022, which she dressed up with satin fuchsia pink heels and bright pink lipstick - both of which are a more subtle way to enjoy Barbiecore. 

15. The straw handbag

Holmes often prefers to let her accessories do all the talking. For a stroll around New York in 2023 she wore a classic blue t-shirt and straight-leg denim (one of the best jeans styles) - however, she gave the ensemble a more stylish edge with dark sunglasses, wedge heels and a straw handbag. Proving the latter accessory is as much for the city as your vacation.

16. The printed cardigan

Holmes upped the game with her knitwear at a women's filmmaking lunch in 2022. Pairing a printed Chanel cardigan, with wide leg jeans and a cream bag also from the French clothing brand, and finished off the ensemble with a pair of black ballet flats.

17. The boho midi dress

You can't go wrong with a statement midi dress worn with black leather boots for a smart-casual outfit idea. Holmes stunned in a long-sleeved, patterned boho-style frock by designer Ulla Johnson in New York in 2022. 

18. The grey feathered suit

Holmes rocked a grey power suit at an evening event in New York in 2018. However, the star gave it her trademark fashion-forward twist, opting for a Prada design featuring feather detailing. Katie paired her two-piece with a slicked-back bun as well as strappy black heels and an elegant handbag.  

19. The ruffled fishtail gown

Holmes was a vision at the Met Gala in New York in 2017. Her off-the-shoulder navy Zac Posen gown featured a fishtail skirt with numerous ruffles and a head-turning train. She finished off the look with diamond jewellery, a sleek up-do and dramatic make-up.

20. The silver net frock

Holmes certainly isn't afraid to be daring with her style. At the CFDA Fashion Awards in New York in 2022, the star wore a sheer 'netted' silver midi dress, which featured fringe detailing at the hem. By keeping her silver heels and bag simple, she let the dress do the talking, ramping up the glamour in the beauty department with slicked-back hair and a striking red lip.

21. The bouclé red jacket

For a lesson in colour combos, let Holmes inspire you. At a Chanel lunch in New York in 2019, Katie naturally opted for the French fashion house, opting for an iconic boucle jacket. Leaning into a preppy meets nautical feel, Katie paired her bold jacket with seamed blue jeans, that cut high on the ankle to show off a pair of white heels.

22. The printed knitwear set

We're definitely here for Holmes' approach to comfort dressing. The actress wore a stripey grey knitted dress from Chloe with a matching shawl for an outing to the Good Morning America studio in New York in 2022. She finished off the relaxed ensemble with a pair of white trainers. 

23. The classic blue jean

Holmes never puts a foot wrong when it comes to denim. The star paired classic blue jeans with a printed pink top from Italian clothing brand Gucci to wander the streets of New York in 2019. She finished off the stylish look with black sunglasses, a brown handbag and white casual trainers.

24. The blazer over midi dress combo

One regular Holmes styling trick involves pairing smart and more relaxed wardrobe items together for a high-low look. Katie stunned at the Chloe show during Paris Fashion Week in 2022 in a low-cut white fringed midi dress, which she finished off with a black blazer draped over her shoulders and platform loafers, offering a more androgynous finish.

25. The off-shoulder jumper

If you hate feeling chilly in a party dress on an evening out but still want to get dolled up, then Holmes has proven that you needn't leave your knitwear at home. Katie slipped on a white, fluffy cropped jumper, which she wore stylishly off-the-shoulder - along with a pair of wide-legged white belted trousers at the Avra Madison grand opening party in New York in 2016.

26. The cut-out black gown

For one of her rare appearances at the Oscars, Holmes wowed in a chic black floor-length gown. The head-turning design at the star-studded Vanity Fair Oscars Party in Beverly Hills in 2022 was by Chloe, with the dress featuring a plunging neckline and cut-out detail. 

27. The silky wide-leg trousers

Holmes proved that eveningwear needn't be all about dresses and skirts. The star looked incredible in a pair of black wide-legged, silky trousers by Chanel, while attending a dinner at Balthazar in New York in 2023. She wore them with a white top, black leather jacket and tousled waves.

28. The knee-high black boots

Dressy occasions needn't always require heels. Holmes gave her black shirt dress a modern twist with a pair of knee-high leather boots at a Kate Spade presentation in New York in 2021. She finished off the monochrome ensemble with an elegant white handbag.

29. The slouchy leather trench

Holmes exuded chic upon arrival at the Good Morning America studios in New York in 2023. She wore a slouchy leather trench coat along with a stripey navy top, brown wide-legged trousers, silver court shoes and a green handbag - demonstrating that not everything needs to be matchy-matchy in order to look good together.

30. The white shirt dress

Demonstrating her ability to liven up a wardrobe essential, Holmes paired a classic white shirt dress with a stylish black handbag and strappy monochrome heels. Showcasing her natural beauty, Katie skipped the make-up and went bare-faced at the Christian Siriano shop opening in Connecticut in 2022.

31. The denim boiler suit

Holmes displayed her ability to throw together an electric mix of items at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York in 2017. She paired a denim boiler suit with a tweed blazer jacket, a brown handbag and a pair of black heels - and somehow it really worked. 

The shirt over dress combo

A loose shirt is a wardrobe must-have. Holmes threw her black one over a cut-out black floor-length dress at the Vacheron Constantin opening in New York in 2021. She kept things casual with a pair of white trainers and also wore her hair up at the sides for relaxed but chic results.