Katie Holmes’s Old Man Sandals Are Surprisingly Chic

Katie Holmes was yesterday afternoon photographed strolling through Manhattan in a striped linen shirt, wide-legged jeans, and a pair of fisherman sandals—olive green and well-ventilated—originally designed for Mediterranean anglers in need of a quick-draining shoe. (See the photos here.) I would like to wheel them onto a cobbled marina and say, “It is enough, please rest,” and let them bake in the sun like a couple of sun-dried tomatoes. (#Eurocore be damned.)

Much has been made of the so-called grandma shoe: how anatomical Scholl Pescura heels and generously cushioned Wörishofer sandals have been reclaimed by a generation of people who have yet to experience the thrill of a garden center or slipping a $20 bill into a young relative’s palm. Less glamour has been afforded to their masculine counterparts (ie, breathable fisherman sandals).

Consider the fisherman sandal a timeworn alternative to all the Billabong fashions—cord flip-flops, shell necklaces and board shorts—that proliferated Miu Miu’s spring/summer 2024 collection, and encouraged several Vogue editors to revisit the jelly shoes of their childhoods. A fisherman sandal represents the ultimate example of luxurious living: cheerful, wine-filled lunches, and leisurely strolls along the shore, la dolce vita turned la dolce far niente. Katie Holmes gets it.

This article first appeared on British Vogue.