How Katie Holmes's Cherry Red Tote Bag Subtly Pays Homage to Princess Diana

Katie Holmes carrying a red Tod's bag inspired by Princess Diana

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 26 November 2024

No one rides harder for the humble tote bag than Katie Holmes. Truly, the Dawson's Creek actor has left no stone unturned in the never-ending search for the perfect tote. For months, two contenders have been battling for the top honor of resting in the crook of her arm: a slim white leather Bevza tote bag with brass hardware and a trusty brown Khaite tote bag cut from grained calfskin. Now, it seems there's a new carry-all competing for a spot next to her rich-looking wool coats: a vintage Tod’s double T bag she's owned since 2018 at least.

One can certainly see why she'd be compelled to retrieve the cherry red bag from the depths of her closet. Famously, Princess Diana was a big fan of Tod's purses, too. The Italian brand even named one of their most popular styles—the Di bag—after the late style icon. Since then, the likes of Naomi Campbell, Nicole Kidman and Princess Caroline of Monaco have all been spotted carrying a Di bag of their own.

A photo of Katie Holmes carrying a vintage cherry red Tod's Double T tote bag. — Katie Holmes carries a vintage cherry red Tod's Double T tote bag.

Although the Broadway star's ruby tote differs from the Di bag with a larger, sportier design cinched with an oversize logo buckle, the undone chic way she's chosen to wear it here still feels like a direct nod to Diana's casual style legacy. Evidently, Holmes decided to play off the bag's punchy hue with a wine-red slip skirt and a matching V-neck sweater from Falconeri, topped with a distressed gray denim jacket and yellow velvet Mary Jane flats.

A photo of Katie Holmes pairing her ruby Tod's bag with a merlot slip skirt and a denim jacket. — Katie Holmes pairs her ruby Tod's bag with a merlot slip skirt and a denim jacket.

Holmes isn't the only celebrity known for drawing accessory inspiration from Princess Diana's best fashion moments. In July, Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle accessorized a crisp white button-down and jeans with a miniature version of Dior's quilted Lady Dior box bag—another designer style named for the late princess. Even more recently, Jennifer Lopez put her spin on Princess Diana-core in a white double-breasted coat and a quilted black Lady Dior bag at a Nov. 6 photo call for her new film, Unstoppable. Clearly, Diana's personal style continues to loom large over contemporary celebrity fashion. No wonder Katie Holmes was so determined to pull her old Tod's bag out of storage.

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Hanna Lustig is a staff writer at Marie Claire, where she gets to gab every day about the topics she holds most dear: fashion, beauty, and celebrity. Hanna’s editorial journey began with formative internships at Elle and InStyle, where she was lucky enough to work for some of the smartest women in media while she was still in college at the University of Tennessee. Hanna then accepted a digital culture reporting fellowship at Insider, where she helped carve out a new beat dedicated to covering influencers. Those experiences later served her well as a staff writer at Glamour, where she developed a knack for spinning quick turnaround celebrity news and trend reporting into juicy feature stories. Some of her greatest hits include an earnest ode to the no-pants trend, this meticulously reported feature exploring the rise of endoscopic facelifts, this snappy take on the Chanel-designed fantasy of Sofia Richie’s wedding, this tribute to WAGs past and present, and this timeline of Katie Holmes’s life and career as told through her denim collection.

Diane Keaton once hung up on Hanna during an interview, but thankfully that mishap did not derail what has otherwise been a deeply fulfilling career writing for and about women. As one of Marie Claire's resident experts on style and culture, her current coverage ranges from exploring TikTok's contrast makeup theory and the return of the boat shoe trend to interviews with costume designers for hit shows like Nobody Wants This and The Penguin. When she’s not at work, Hanna can probably be found listening to pop music, talking to her dog, and gossiping with her best friends. For more of Hanna’s perfect opinions on pop culture, you can follow her on Instagram and X.