Katie Holmes Signals the Beginning of Nora Ephron Autumn With Soft and Easy Layers

Katie Holmes isn’t afraid to take fashion risks every now and again, and most of the time, they pay off. However, there’s something special when she reaches for the classics. Nobody does luxe minimalism quite like she does.

The 45-year-old was photographed in New York on Mean Girls day, a.k.a. October 3, wearing an effortlessly elegant ensemble: a soft short coat layered over a tissue-thin turtleneck in a matching shade of butter yellow. Holmes’s blue jeans, however, steal the show. The straight-leg, mid-rise style features just a hint of distressing at the knees, appearing aged from long afternoons spent circling Central Park, or drinking coffee on park benches, or whatever else Meg Ryan does in every New York City–set Meg Ryan film.

Did I mention the fit? Because the fit is truly impeccable. Tell me this photo doesn’t look like an ad for these jeans:

Holmes skipped the accessories and wore her hair just disheveled enough to lend a hint of reality to the whole look. A pair of well-loved navy loafers were the finishing touch.

The ease of this outfit makes me long for the wardrobes of ’80s and ’90s rom-com heroines, which were filled with well-made basics that were perfectly tailored and built to last a lifetime, not a season. This is the energy I’m referring to: