Suddenly, This Dated Skirt Trend Feels Modern When You Wear It With This Shoe
I thought denim maxi skirts were a little outdated, but with the right shoe pairing, they can feel incredibly fresh.


I’ll admit it—I could have sworn we’d collectively moved on from the denim maxi skirt. In my mind, breezy, floaty styles had taken their place. But as it turns out, fashion has room for more than one key skirt trend at a time, and the denim maxi is officially back from its brief hiatus—as Katie Holmes just proved.
Stepping out in New York for a day of filming, the actor wore the very skirt trend I was convinced was, well, not out, but not exactly fresh when you compare it to other market options either. Her chosen style—a mid-wash denim skirt with a sleek column cut that skims the ankle and stops just shy of the glossy leather strap of her ballet flats.
Years ago—at the height of the denim maxi skirt's popularity—the trend was almost always paired with boxy T-shirts or minimalist vests. Holmes, however, takes a softer approach this time around, pairing hers with a relaxed white blouse, lending a pretty ease to the outfit that modernised the skirt in the process. To finish, she slipped into 2025’s shoe of choice—the leather ballet flat—bringing a subtle but noticeably on-trend finish to the look.
In its column cut, Holmes’s skirt also nodded to the pencil-skirt silhouettes set to dominate this autumn, further cementing its relevance for the season ahead.
So, if you’ve packed your denim maxi skirt away, it might be time to bring it back into rotation. And if you’re still hunting for the perfect one, I’ve rounded up the best styles to shop now, as well as the chicest ballet flats to pair them with.
Shop Denim Maxi Skirts and Ballet Flats:

Natalie Munro is Who What Wear UK’s news writer and has worked in the fashion industry since she graduated with a degree in Journalism from the University of the Arts London. Natalie’s experience in the industry spans journalistic and styling roles that have seen her work for publications including British Vogue, Conde Nast Traveller, Vogue Ukraine, AnOther Magazine and Elle UK.
With an interest in uncovering the latest fashion trends, Natalie takes a leading role in identifying news for Who What Wear UK. Reporting on a daily basis, Natalie focuses on trends on and off the runway, as well as street style and celebrity fashion. Natalie also creates content for Who What Wear’s social channels including TikTok and Instagram on a weekly basis.
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