At the 2024 CFDA Fashion Awards, Katie Holmes wore the dress that no one would imagine on her, except for her stylist maybe. This style is absolutely unusual for an actress, and the bold color scheme was definitely borrowed from another season's palette (it belongs to Spring family), but she looked just stunning. So, why did it work? Let's analyze.
We are talking about Carolina Herrera SS25 color-block gown in light pink and red-orange.
First thing you notice about the dress is its color. This color combo is very pleasing to an eye: it's warm (warm colors always generate more arousal than cool ones), it's refreshing and these pigments can be found in human's skin — think natural blush and a rush of blood to your lips when kissing. So, pink and red often look more belonging than, let's say, purple.
Normally, red-orange is not the most flattering color for a cool-toned and soft kind of coloration like Katie's, so, it's great to see light pink next to her face and fiery red at the bottom. Try to swap the colors in your head so red-orange is on the top, and powdery pink is at the bottom. That wouldn't look so great, right? By the way, this shade of pink is considered universal and suits almost everyone.
Also, let's appreciate the stylists who didn't overwhelm Katie Holmes with bold makeup or accessories. Her gown is probably the maximum level of brightness she can wear before the color starts to wear her, so it was brilliant to give her subtle makeup.
The only thing I wish they changed in the whole look is theatrical black bow on the back. Black color is too harsh for Katie, so this bow is taking away instead of adding. Dark chocolate, or burgundy, or any other dark but soft shade would look more belonging on her, I guess.
Next, let's look at the cut. If you are into Kibbe body types, I heard that Katie Holmes is a verified Flamboyant Natural, which means: long vertical line. Not so long and narrow line as Dramatics, but still. The silhouette of this gown is all about long vertical lines, even the sleeves and exaggerated bow on the back. The piece is cut under the bust which kind of breaks the dominating vertical line, but it still needs a frame-dominated, not flesh-dominated wearer. Imagine Beyonce in the same gown. It simply wouldn't work.
Last but not least. One of Katie's inherited traits is sweetness. I don't know what kind of personality she has, but you can see the sweetness in her every time when she smiles. So, the choice of colors that make you think about candy apples and lollipops seems just right. Technically, they are not her most flattering colors, but they capture her essence — and sometimes this is the most important.
