Katie Holmes had just turned 19 when Dawson’s Creek premiered in January 1998. As Joey, much of her screen time revolved around her character trying to figure out who she was, well, when she wasn’t holding the torch for Dawson, that is. It’s cliché to say, but Katie Holmes’ evolution in many ways mirrored her character’s coming of age; in other words, she grew up on screen.
Katie Holmes at the 1999 MTV Movie Awards(Image credit: Kevin Mazur Archive/WireImage via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes and James Van Der Beek (Photo by Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)(Image credit: Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes and actor Adam Hann-Byrd attend the 35th Annual New York Film Festival Opening Night in 1997.(Image credit: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes at the “Teaching Mrs.Tingle” Los Angeles Premiere in 1997(Image credit: Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes at the “Eyes Wide Shut” Los Angeles Premiere in 1999(Image credit: Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes attends the World Premiere of “X-MEN” in 2000.(Image credit: George De Sota/Liaison via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes in 2001 in New York City. (Image credit: Arnaldo Magnani/Liaison via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes arriving at a celebration for the 100th episode of “Dawson’s Creek” in 2002. (Image credit: Evan Agostini/ImageDirect via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes at a Christian Dior Store party in 2003(Image credit: Donato Sardella/WireImage for Dior via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes at the 2004 Vanity Fair Oscar Party (Image credit: Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes during VH1 Save The Music in 2005(Image credit: Getty Images)
Katie Holmes in 2006 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York.(Image credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes at the 2007 Vanity Fair Oscar Party (Image credit: Jason Merritt/FilmMagic via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes in Manhattan in 2008(Image credit: James Devaney/WireImage via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes attends a celebration for the 30th anniversary of the Independent Filmmaker Project in 2009 in New York City.(Image credit: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)
As the decade progressed, her haircuts became a key part of her fashion identity, too. A sharp bob with blunt bangs marked her transition from teen star to emerging style icon. This evolution coincided with the 2000s’ growing obsession with celebrity fashion: Katie Holmes’ transformation from accessible actress to polished, front-row regular vibed with the era’s shift toward refinement and minimalism following the chaos of the grunge era.
Katie Holmes in the 2010s
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Katie Holmes attends Hermes Men’s Store opening in 2010(Image credit: James Devaney/WireImage via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes leaves her Greenwich Village apartment in 2011.(Image credit: Ray Tamarra via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes in 2012 in New York City. (Image credit: James Devaney/WireImage via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes attends the “Gravity” premiere in 2013.(Image credit: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes attends the screening of “Miss Meadows” during the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival.(Image credit: Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic) via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes is seen on the set of “Good Morning America” in 2015.(Image credit: Raymond Hall/GC Images via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes in 2016 in New York City. (Image credit: Patricia Schlein/Star Max/GC Images via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes at the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museumin 2017.(Image credit: Neilson Barnard via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes at ABT in 2018.(Image credit: Gotham/GC Images via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes arrives at iHeartRadio’s Z100 Jingle Ball 2019.(Image credit: Michael Loccisano via Getty Images)
A defining moment came in 2019, when she wore an oatmeal cashmere bra-and-cardigan set (soon to be dubbed the bradigan) by Khaite while out in New York. And thus, an icon—the aforementioned bradigan—was born. It symbolised a new kind of fashion influence: understated, candid, and incredibly wearable.
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This, too, aligned with a changing cultural tide, as lifestyle and social media replaced the catwalk as the arbiter of style. As with the 1990s, Holmes’ choices echoed a broader shift toward comfort and longevity. As she noted in interviews with The Sunday Times and The Independent, motherhood instigated a move toward practical pieces—flats, vintage finds, and effortless tailoring.
Katie Holmes in the 2020s
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Katie Holmes attends the Zimmermann NYFW show in 2020.(Image credit: Cindy Ord/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows)
Katie Holmes attends the Kate Spade NYFW 2022 presentation.(Image credit: John Lamparski via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes in Midtown in 2022.(Image credit: Gotham/GC Images via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes attends the Ulla Johnson Show during New York Fashion Week September 2023.(Image credit: Manny Carabel via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes is seen going to Tribeca Film Festival in 2024.(Image credit: MEGA/GC Images via Getty Images)
Katie Holmes attends the Patou Menswear Fall-Winter 2025/2026 show.(Image credit: Jacopo Raule via Getty Images)
Culturally, her 2020s looks embody fashion’s recycling of early-millennial trends, providing endless inspiration for fans who grew up with her, as well as a new generation of fashion enthusiasts discovering the pre-Internet trends that shaped style before them.
From the late-90s focus on simplicity, to the 2000s polished looks, the 2010s minimalism, and now a 2020s mix of nostalgia and personal expression, Katie Holmes’ wardrobe shows how style can evolve with life.
