Katie Holmes Demonstrates How to Wear a Breezy Linen Shirt Beyond the Beach
She gave her coastal classics a city twist.


Forget what you thought you knew about so-called vacation outfits. According to Katie Holmes's latest, instructive look, breezy linens aren't only for a trip to the shore.
Taking a summertime stroll around Manhattan on Monday, August 5, Katie Holmes showed anyone who passed her on the sidewalk how to wear a linen shirt anywhere but the beach. She started by pairing a white striped linen shirt with a somewhat less obvious pant: white, wide-leg jeans. (Yes, the very same ones she bravely traveled in weeks ago.)
Katie Holmes took a New York City stroll that doubled as a tutorial in how to wear a linen shirt.
Mixing up textures was just the start. From there, Holmes layered on sturdier, city-chic accessories with a hint of trend and major designer credentials. On her feet, she wore a pair of fisherman sandals—a shoe style that's summery, but has some more substance. (From Jennifers Lopez and Lawrence to the streets of Copenhagen Fashion Week, these are currently style insiders' preferred way to do warm-weather footwear.) Over her arm, she toted Khaite's $3,400 Maeve bag in a buttery leather. Last but not least, she slid on a pair of angular sunglasses.
Like Holmes's beloved Madewell tote bag and her hefty collection of trendy sneakers, none of these pieces are particularly hard to track down or impossible to wear. (Well, the Khaite bag might be an exception—it's currently sold out.) They're all items with a near-universal presence in retail. Taking them out of their context—like grounding a breezy linen shirt with a thicker sandal and daytime jean—makes them more interesting, even for a walk around the neighborhood.
This is the Katie Holmes way: Whether she's dabbling in fall 2024's biggest denim trend or trying her hand at a tropical matching set, her recent outfits all tend to flip a prescriptive style on its head. Her latest stroll isn't simply about showing how to wear a linen shirt—she's demonstrating how to wear a linen shirt in a way that's a little more interesting than her vacation fare. Thank goodness her closet hasn't taken time off yet this summer. Onlookers need their free style tips while they can get them.
Shop Katie Holmes's White Linen Shirt Outfit
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Halie LeSavage is the senior fashion and beauty news editor at Marie Claire. She is an expert on runway trends, celebrity style, and emerging brands. In 8+ years as a journalist, Halie’s reporting has ranged from profiles on insiders like celebrity stylist Molly Dickson to breaking brand collaboration news. She covers events like the Met Gala every year, and gets exclusive insight into red carpet looks through her column, The Close-Up.
Previously, Halie reported at Glamour, Morning Brew, and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been cited as a fashion and beauty expert in The Cut, CNN Underscored, and Reuters. In 2022, she earned the Hearst Spotlight Award for excellence and innovation in fashion journalism. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Harvard College.