Katie Holmes' layers are like a professional. It is truly something to aspire to. Personal style comes in part from understanding how to wear and remix one's clothes to create a look that is more than the sum of its parts. Holmes often discusses this with her stylist, Alison Bornstein, and it shows. On a recent walk around New York City, Holmes showed exactly the kind of thoughtful layering I'm talking about in an outfit that beautifully blends texture, pattern, and the new mary jane.

It began with a green quilted utility jacket with a pastel pink reversible lining by Marfa Stance. Holmes then brought the peachy pink hue back into the look with a brown, white, and peach striped shirt under a cream sweater. In other words, she has perfected the shirt sandwich styling that swept the substacks earlier this year.

For added interest, the Dawson's Creek star wore two-tone jeans and a pop of color in a red velvet mary jane from celebrity brand Dawen. (The combination of red and pink seems underrated.) Strappy flats were a recurring feature of Holmes' daytime attire: during the summer, she wore a similar blueberry pair from Vibi Venezia. She accessorized her casual, errand-worthy ensemble with a pair of Tom Ford tortoiseshell pilot sunglasses, a very large white tote bag, and what looked like wet hair fresh out of the shower.

If you find yourself in need of layering inspiration beyond Katie Holmes' closet, Marie Claire's fashion and e-commerce editor Julia Marzovilla has written a guide full of fall and winter layering wisdom. The guide is packed with advice from celebrity stylist Arielle Tannell. She previously told Marie Claire that she recommends “three rules” for dressing for the colder months. Specifically, she recommends starting with a T-shirt or tank top, then a sweater or sweatshirt over that, and then choosing a fall jacket or coat to keep warm. She explained, “I always recommend using light layering and keeping textures complementary so they don't compete with each other.”

And if, like me, you're under 5'5”, this note from Lewany, author of Petit Fashion Weekly, deserves repeating. The key, she told Marzovilla, “is to strategize visually elongating tactics to offset the width of thicker layers and voluminous styles.” It's about striking a balance.”

Holmes clearly does.