6 Times Katie Holmes Dressed For Revenge

When one thinks of revenge dressing, a certain image is conjured. Choosing your wardrobe strategically to make your ex eat their heart out traditionally involves going as risqué as possible to let them and the rest of the world know what they're missing. But revenge fashion is more than just looking sexy. They're about putting yourself first and feeling your best. Stars like Katie Holmes, who has been through a number of very public breakups, show us that such a concept is much more than just minidresses and lace.

Holmes was most famously married to Tom Cruise from 2006 to 2012, when she filed for divorce over the summer. A settlement was reached in a speedy 11 days, so for the second half of the year, Holmes carefully curated her looks to make it clear that she was A-okay. "I don't want that moment in my life to define me, to be who I am," she told People in 2014 of her divorce. "I don't want that to be what I'm known as. I was an actor before, an actor during and an actor now." All marriages are different, but part of Holmes finding herself again might have come down to her newfound freedom after splitting from one of the world's biggest movie stars. We saw this not necessarily in daring outfits, but ensembles that brought out Holmes' creativity and sense of fun. 

The following year, the "Dawson's Creek" alum began dating "Django Unchained" star Jamie Foxx, and the two were secretly seeing each other for around six years before calling it quits in August 2019. Though Holmes kept mum about the split, her sartorial moves painted a picture of a woman who didn't need anyone's sympathy after this breakup, either.

The LBD is the hallmark revenge 'fit, going all the way back to Princess Diana, who wore hers in 1994 on the same night that King Charles admitted to his affair. There are a few similarities between Diana's iconic version and the dress Katie Holmes wore in October 2012 to the launch party for Narciso Rodriguez's Kohl's Collection in New York only a few months after her divorce from Tom Cruise. Both dresses were slightly longer black minis, hitting above the knee but only just. Holmes' dress was more conservative with long sleeves, but still body-hugging and detailed with ruching enough to channel Diana's spirit! 

At the end of 2012, Katie Holmes attended a benefit concert following Hurricane Sandy, and her outfit made it clear that she wasn't letting the year she'd had get her down. Her midi dress featured sheer mesh and velvet panels — a winning combo that was winter- and event-appropriate while also offering subtle peeks into what ex Tom Cruise was missing. But more than being skillfully seductive, this dress showed the world more of Holmes' creative side with its unique design and bold color. She paired it with simple makeup, even though Katie Holmes looks gorgeous makeup-free.

If your version of revenge dressing involves making them eat their heart out, then hot pink is the perfect choice. Katie Holmes went for another figure-hugging midi during a December 2012 visit to "The Late Show with David Letterman," but the way she pulled off this outfit really sums up her revenge-fashion ethos. The sultriness is there with the silhouette and color of the dress, but she draped a much more serious olive coat on top, only giving the press (and perhaps Tom Cruise) a glimpse of it. 

Katie Holmes' breakup with Jamie Foxx came seven years after her split from Tom Cruise, so her sense of fashion had naturally evolved. But her tendency toward mixing sheer and opaque remained, as we saw at a celebrity game night at New York's MCC Theater in November 2019. Holmes went for a see-through Saint Laurent blouse detailed with polka dots and a tie (possibly signaling that she's still a boss) paired with a black low-cut crop top and skinny black pants. This 'fit was corporate meets sexy, giving hints at the star's future experimentation with power dressing.

Power suits should really be the golden standard of revenge dressing since there's no better way to let your ex know that you're doing just fine without them. Kate Middleton has proven repeatedly that pantsuits can make powerful outfits, and everyone can easily take inspo from her. In September 2019, Holmes was spotted out and about wearing a cobalt metallic pantsuit by Gabriela Hearst. From the coordinated beige clutch and pumps to the tailored flared hemline and the structured side-parted waves (an exciting milestone in Katie Holmes' hair transformation), everything about this look was intentional and curated to highlight Holmes' boss-babe status.

Even when revenge dressing, Katie Holmes' style tends to lean more conservative and modest, but that doesn't stop her from playing with fashion. To the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball in 2019, she went with experimentative leather-look flared culottes with mocha-zebra striped boots and a slinky, black three-quarter-sleeve top. Though the top appeared pretty plain from certain angles, it actually had side slits, once again giving just a taste of her seductive side. With her hair in a low-key pony and simple makeup, this look screams, "I'm having fun with fashion and have forgotten all about my ex."