Katie Holmes Demonstrates How to Wear a Breezy Linen Shirt Beyond the Beach

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.)

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