Katie Holmes Shares the Story Behind Her Favorite Vintage Find

I can spend hours in a vintage store combing through all the treasures. I like to imagine the women who wore the pieces and what their lives were like. It’s like going into a museum but you get to touch everything. A couple of years ago, on a wintry day in New York, I decided to stop by one of my favorite vintage stores in SoHo. I was looking for that one special item that would make me feel something, and that day I came across this cashmere cardigan tucked away in a small drawer.

It didn’t have a tag or anything inside, but from the style, it appeared to be from the ’50s. I fell in love with the details, from the incredible floral and leaf embroidery to the little pearl buttons. It reminded me of my mother and my grandmother, wonderful seamstresses who passed down a real appreciation for the time it takes to make such a beautifully embroidered piece.

A love for sweaters is actually a big part of growing up in the Midwest because you’re just constantly trying to stay warm. To this day, nothing makes me happier than being wrapped up in something cozy. I wear the cardigan often, usually with something more modern, like a T-shirt and jeans, or over a dress if I’m going to a dinner party and it’s chilly out. Someone always stops me to say, “Ooh, where did you get that?” It’s special, so it makes me feel special. And in a lot of ways, it just feels like home.

Holmes stars in the upcoming film Brahms: The Boy II. For more stories like this, pick up the December issue of InStyle, available on newsstands, on Amazon, and for digital download Nov. 22.