In fashion circles, it takes three to make a true moment. On Oct. 6, Katie Holmes delivered the last example I needed to confirm the celebrity-favorite pleated skirt trend is, in fact, a trend.
En route to rehearsals for her turn in the Broadway revival of Our Town, Holmes mixed a Miu Miu girl favorite—the pleated checked skirt—with an all-time classic cashmere sweater by Falconeri. Between the asymmetric folds of her skirt and the simple, crewneck knitwear, the actress looked like the center of a mood board for Ivy League fall fashion.
Holmes kept her academic skirt from feeling too much like a school uniform with her choice in accessories. She toted a white leather bag by Bevza that's co-starred in her casual wardrobe this season and stepped into a pair of her best Mary Janes by one of her most-worn shoe labels, Yuni Buffa. A dainty heart locket, aviator sunglasses, and two steaming Starbucks cups completed her outfit. (The extra caffeine really drove home her outfit's academic undertones.)
In choosing to give the pleated skirt trend her stamp of approval, Katie Holmes joins good company. Beyond the front row of Miu Miu's Spring 2025 show, where checked skirts are in ample supply, other celebrities have also been dressing like they're getting ready for study hall. This past weekend, Sabrina Carpenter paired a plaid pleated skirt with a crop top in a break from her lacy, crystal-coated Short 'n Sweet tour outfits. Meanwhile, her mentor Taylor Swift's pleated plaid mini skirts by Miu Miu and Rails have been a wardrobe mainstay when she's not onstage in her sparkly Eras Tour outfits. At Paris Fashion Week, Nicole Kidman and her daughter, Sunday Rose Urban, even matched in pleated skirts for a late-night after party.
Taking the celebrity-favorite skirt into real life is simple: just add a crewneck sweater, sheer knee socks, and some loafers. Just don't forget the Starbucks and sunglasses to really channel your inner A-lister.
