Katie Holmes shocked fashionistas all over the world when she attended the 2022 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball on Friday, December 9, in a mini dress and jeans. Now, her stylist, Brie Welch, has come forward to share the reasoning behind the ensemble, which reminded many of Us of the early 2000s.
In an interview with The New York Times, published on Wednesday, December 14, Welch explained that the silky dark blue number was actually a top and not a frock. “We decided the rich color and subtle bustier effect detailing of the top was elegant and would be fun if paired with jeans,” she told the newspaper, adding that both she and Holmes, 43, wanted to create a “youthful” feel for the holiday soiree.
As for the sneakers, the fashion guru said Holmes wanted to be comfortable. “On the day of — and because Katie has her own effortless style that should be appreciated here, she said she wanted to wear sneakers because it was a concert and obviously there would be a lot of dancing to Dua Lipa,” Welch told the Times. (In addition to Lipa, 27, Lizzo, Charlie Puth, Demi Lovato, Dove Cameron and more took the stage at Madison Square Garden.)
In response to all the chatter and questions surrounding the outfit, Welch added: “[Holmes] is more than capable of looking cool in an unintentional trend 20 years later.”
While it’s clear the Alone Together star wasn’t intentionally trying to pay homage to her 2000s-character Joey Potter from Dawson’s Creek, the mini dress and jeans combo is one of the most memorable trends of all time. It was seen on the red carpet by stars including Miley Cyrus, Ashley Tisdale and Anne Hathaway and on TV by Sex and the City‘s Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Girlfriends‘ Joan Clayton (Tracee Ellis Ross).
Through the years, Holmes has made a name for herself as a style queen. Whether she’s reviving styles like overalls or denim skirts or hitting the red carpet in sparkly dresses and tailored suits, the Ohio native always slays.
She opened up about her wardrobe in September, telling British Vogue: “My personal style is pretty classic.”
She continued: “I like taking risk and having fun with fashion, but I tend to gravitate towards simple design and things that are very meaningful. I appreciate the work that is involved in making a piece … I’m very honored that people like my style because I like to infuse design into everything that I do.”
