Katie Holmes Is Finally Discovering the Thrills of Vintage Fashion

Katie Holmes is considered one of the most influential dressers in the world. The actor is a rare example of a famous person who wears “clothes” as opposed to “fashion.” Her wardrobe is direct, approachable and often affordable, rarely straying from denim and ballet flats, which are nothing if not the effects of an everywoman with enough soft power to launch an APC collaboration.

And yet, there are few examples of Holmes wearing vintage–she is more likely to be sent and therefore be photographed in new-season Toteme, Khaite, and Nanushka than scroll through the annals of Vestiaire–which is perhaps unusual for someone whose relationship with clothes is held in such high regard. But that might soon change: Holmes was earlier this week papped at the Blink Twice after-party in New York, dressed in a pin-check jumpsuit from Jean Paul Gaultier’s spring 1995 collection. I.e., the same collection that featured Madonna cradling a young pup from an antique pram when it first debuted in Paris.

Holmes wore that archive piece with two of her most hardworking accessories, a Khaite Amelia carryall in tan and Miu Miu’s spring 2016–old but not vintage–buckled ballet flats. She’s worn those patent slippers on at least three other occasions: at the American Ballet Theatre’s production of Like Water For Chocolate, the Theatre World Awards in June 2023, and at Alan Cumming’s New York cabaret show in March 2024. (The only thing more sustainable than wearing second-hand, is rewearing something you already happen to own.)