Katie Holmes Breaks Up With Her Staple Coat for the Denim Trench Trend

Even the patron saint of wardrobe staples appreciates a new piece.

Katie Holmes walks in New York city wearing a denim trench coat
(Image credit: Getty Images)

There's no greater love story in street style than Katie Holmes and her camel coat. She's styled her longline jacket by Frankie Shop in countless ways this winter and spring, layered into looks as varied as an upscale commuter outfit with loafers and black slacks, to relatable jeans and hype-worthy sneakers. But even the best love stories have to end in the name of personal style, as Holmes proved yesterday.

Mere hours after wearing her camel coat yet again with black pants and Gucci loafers, Holmes went to see Alan Cumming's cabaret in New York City while wearing entirely new outerwear. The new object of her wardrobe affection? A slouchy denim trench coat with studded embellishments along the collar and bottom hem.

Katie Holmes wears a denim trench coat while walking around New York City

Katie Holmes headed out for an evening in New York City with her favorite Mansur Gavriel bag—and an entirely new coat.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The coat, which hasn't yet been ID'd by a specific designer, is the aesthetic opposite of Holmes's usual outerwear. Where her longtime camel coat is polished and understated, her denim trench leans edgy and almost lived-in—it's a coat for a woman who wants to take risks. It also popped against the all-black canvas of the rest of her look, which included a crewneck T-shirt and wide-leg black pants.

Katie Holmes walks down the street wearing a denim trench coat and studded flats

Holmes's unexpected outerwear choice includes studded details all over, coordinating with her studded ballet flats.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

While Holmes was willing to switch up her outerwear, she hadn't abandoned her trusty wardrobe staples entirely. The Dawson's Creek star still slung her best work bag over one arm: the Mansur Gavriel Everyday Tote, which Holmes carries as often as its name implies.

She also worked a subtle matching moment into her outfit, coordinating a pair of studded buckled ballet flats with the silver embellishments on her jacket. The exact pair is also yet to be identified—but knowing Holmes's stylist, Brie Welch, it likely comes from somewhere noteworthy.

Holmes's break with her usual outerwear aligns with a major fashion trend on the 2023 and 2024 runways, as well as within other celebrities' personal style. Trench coats reworked in denim are cropping up all over collections from Balenciaga to Nour Hammour; some variations come in all-over denim, while others mix khaki car coat material with jean patchwork. Meanwhile, in street style, Taylor Swift wore a version from indie label EB Denim to a girls' night in New York City—and it almost instantly sold out. Shortly after, the style appeared outside shows at Paris Fashion Week, styled with a range of It-bags and unexpected footwear.

Until Holmes and her team reveal exactly which brand she trusted to branch out from her usual wardrobe staples—or until her fans hunt down the exact coat—shop similar denim trenches below.

Halie LeSavage
Senior News Editor (Fashion & Beauty)

Halie LeSavage is the senior news editor at Marie Claire, where she assigns, edits, and writes fashion and beauty stories. Her reporting has ranged from in-depth designer profiles to fashion week reviews and research-backed shopping guides. (She justifies almost any purchase by saying it’s “for work.”) Halie has previously held fashion writer and editor roles at Harper’s BazaarMorning Brew, and Glamour. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Harvard College. You can follow Halie on Instagram and TikTok.