Katie Holmes has been a style icon for almost as long as I can remember. The actress’ taste level is usually impeccable – though don’t get me started on dresses with jeans – and she maintains this quiet glamor while still managing to frequently be at the cutting edge of new trends. So, I’m not shocked she’s already seemingly looking ahead to fall, and one of the looks she’s repping is a brand new color trend that I can only describe as an "in between." Here's what we know.
Apparently, Holmes, and some other famous names including Oprah Winfrey have been rocking a shade somewhere between cream and the butter yellow that’s dominated runways and trickled into the mainstream over the last couple of years. At one point, KitchenAid even called butter yellow their Color of the Year. While I’m not suggesting we should always try to match our outfits to our kitchen appliances, there’s no doubt retailers have been carrying a lot of the color.
It’s gotten to the point where Hailey Bieber even called butter yellow “played out,” and brands seem to be looking for a new shade to champion. (Though that hasn’t stopped Sophie Turner and others from still rocking the shade.)
Regardless, if butter yellow is a bit too sticky for your taste these days, this fall it looks like this in-between shade should dominate. Holmes has been spotted in the newer color palette quite a bit of late, and since she tends to be a harbinger of celebrity fashion trends, I suggest you take notes. Here’s the actress rocking the look at a Hamptons party this summer.
Along with the Guild Hall Summer 2026 Gala, here’s the actress at the Zimmermann show in a Dawning jacket and matching yellow-cream colored cargo pants.
To be honest, until I really started looking into this trend this week, this is a color I didn’t realize existed, and I still don't have quite the name for it. It’s kind of an off-white cream, but the yellowish hue makes it extra special and makes it pop a bit more than a regular off-white would. There’s a brown hue around right now, too, that I think would complement this greatly, and the in-between color can be found at tons of retailers this fall, in basics like tees...
…to skirts and more.
I quite like that Madewell even calls it the color of “pineapple” (not to be confused with the Sam Heughan variety) since it’s not quite as bright as the butter yellow we’ve seen around a bit more often. To me it should maybe be more of a “buttercream,” but I appreciate all the different tacts brands are taking to give this shade its moment in the sun.
Again, Holmes is not the only celebrity to popularize the trend. Olivia Wilde wore a similar-but- sheer version to last year’s Oscars. But, I guess what I’m saying is, even if you aren’t on the same Zimmerman budget as Ms. Holmes, you can give this one a whirl. The creamy yellow look will doubtless be around this fall, and insofar as new, fun, colors, I really do love it.
