Katie Holmes Is the Queen of Styling Work Trousers for the Weekend—Here’s How She Does It

Take it from the woman who lived the ‘90s minimalism trend before it returned to the spotlight: Sometimes less can be more, as Holmes demonstrates above. The secret to keeping an off-white trouser fresh and not 50 shades of boring is to follow the sandwich rule and select your accessories based on color for a balanced and cohesive look. By coordinating the black ballet flats with straps, a black trench coat and an oversize leather clutch, Holmes is not only breaking up the monotony of the white tank top and matching pants with a contrasting color, but she’s also playing with proportions, using larger, more voluminous pieces to balance out the tailored base. The result: a chic weekend ‘fit that’s ready for anything.

Save the gray suit sets for your 9-to-5 and don’t be afraid to embrace color instead. Holmes nailed the whole corporate-meets-fashion vibe when she stepped out in a blazer and trouser combo in none other than the one summer color trend almost everyone who’s anyone in fashion is talking about: butter yellow. The sunny shade is eye-catching and fun, making for a punchy day or evening look, though you can achieve a similar effect with almost any vibrant wash. What really makes her look so effortlessly cool is the fit. Rather than keeping to a tailored set that can read stiff if styled incorrectly, the actress rocked an slouchy (though not frumpy!) silhouette that instead says street style chic. Be sure to tone down the accessories and stick to neutral or muted colorways, and if you want to add in some texture, go for a sequins-adorned white shirt.

Don’t overthink the whole office attire thing. Seeing how Holmes can seamlessly marry any ‘ole trouser, even a quintessential summery linen pair, with both the classics (a leather jacket) and trends (a silver heel) erases any lingering idea that there’s only one proper way to style trousers. Again, there’s an opportunity to incorporate colors other than your typical beige, gray or black. Here Holmes uses a handful of colors that are all complementary and relatively related, from the purplish brown pants and the navy blouse to the dark blue leather jacket. And don’t forget how she makes it pop with the teal bag and metallic shoes, of course.

If a traditional work trouser and matching blazer is all you have to work with (pun intended), fret not, because Holmes’s style hack is such a subtly smart way to freshen up your office look: animal print heels—specifically, pointed-toe animal print heels. They’re sharp, fashionable and make for an arresting peek-a-boo moment beneath some floor-length trousers. And you don’t have overdo it on the accessories or jewelry, either. Holmes keeps it caszh with a dainty necklace and a pre-belted pant to keep the eye from being overwhelmed.

While it’s safe to assume that flared pants typically *are* the focal point of your outfit—given the whole wide-leg cut and all—that doesn’t mean you can’t introduce a pop of color. In fact, as Holmes shows us, an eye-catching color, like the chartreuse pictured above, worn with a wide-leg neutral trouser looks positively chic. If you want the focus to remain on your trousers, add an extra near-matching layer up top and roll up the sleeves of a lightweight jacket for an undone, relaxed look. Don’t forget to toss on a pair of double-strap sandals to show everyone you mean business (but not the official kind).