Ask Katie Holmes what she thinks about all the praise her style has received online these past couple weeks, and she’ll say she’s “flattered” to be one of the internet’s favorite fall fashion icons. But she’s not exactly shocked that she’s getting the attention—and she won’t pretend it’s effortless, or that she’s doing it alone.
“I mean, I think it’s very nice,” Holmes said during an interview before she spoke on a HOKA One One‘s panel at its New York pop-up store this past Friday. “I try to look appropriate for things and have fun with it as well.”
Then she touched on the team behind her: “I also work with a stylist, so that helps because I don’t know everything that’s out there. I depend on other people to help me, and to collaborate with, and to bounce ideas off of, things like that. I feel very fortunate to be able to be in a creative profession, and part of the joy of that is dressing, and enjoying the opportunity to wear new designers. I have fun with it.”
Here, the actress talks more to ELLE.com about her style, exercise routine, and being a fitness role model to her 13-year-old daughter Suri Cruise.
On how running the New York City Marathon in 2007 changed her and how she exercises now
“It was really, obviously, an intense training. It really taught me that I can achieve things that seem like there’s no way. When you’re putting your body through something like that, you really learn to appreciate your body, and what it does. And great shoes help. Now I’ll run. I’ll box, bike, yoga.”
On why she won’t run outdoors in the cold
“It’s too much because I grew up in Ohio, and I did have to run outside. It’s too cold. If I can go to a 45-minute class instead, yes please.”
Her favorite classes
“I like Barry’s Bootcamp, Rumble. A hot yoga class, I love.”
On her typical meal and preferred cheat day treat
“I usually do a lot of protein because your body really needs that, and not that much sugar, but it’s mostly because I don’t crave it when I’m working out. When I’m not working out, I crave it. [My favorite treat], usually it’s ice cream I like Ample Hills. [It’s] so good, and I just went with my dad, and that was great. They have a good cookie dough.
On what she hopes her daughter Suri Cruise takes from her as a fitness role model and how her dad inspired her
“My dad ran the Boston Marathon when he was 45. I mean, that really set the bar for me. Like, ‘Oh, I want to do that. He can do that. That’s so cool.’ I think it’s nice when you have someone who’s setting that example. I mean, I like to set nice examples and work out but not be too obsessed or anything like that for my own daughter.”
On her favorite designers right now
“I like Kate [Spade] a lot. Valentino, Fendi, Zimmermann, Stella McCartney.”
On what celebrity is inspiring her style right now
“I love Rita Ora. She’s so fun, and she’s such a cool lady, and so nice. Yeah, she’s got great style.”
On why she’ll never, ever wear anything she doesn’t feel comfortable in
“I try lots of different things. I’m not scared of certain looks. [But] I really feel like if you don’t feel comfortable, don’t do it. You should wear what you feel comfortable with, and be confident in yourself, and know that what you like is enough, and you look great, and own it.
I mean, that’s how I’ve always been. If I don’t feel good in something, I know I’m not pulling it off because I don’t feel good in it. That goes into when I’m creating a character, and I’m in a wardrobe fitting for a job. It has to make sense to me. If I’m going to an event, and it just doesn’t feel right, or I feel like it just isn’t me, then I don’t feel right, and I don’t want to be that. I think it is finding what makes you feel good and being confident in yourself.”
And on whether November 1 is to soon to be celebrating Christmas
“No, I’m excited about Christmas. I passed the Papyrus [card store] today, and they had their whole Christmas display up. I was like, ‘I can do it. I’m ready. I’m in. I’m in.’ I don’t need to really pause at Thanksgiving. I can just go straight for Christmas.”