Katie Holmes makes thong sandals the shoe for white dresses this summer

The white-dress fix is simpler than it looks

A white dress can tip too bridal, too precious, or too plain in a heartbeat. The right shoe changes everything, and this summer the cleanest answer is a high-heel thong sandal in tan suede. It keeps the look light, sharp, and just undone enough to feel like you chose ease without sacrificing polish.

Katie Holmes made the case at American Ballet Theatre’s Spring Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City, where she was honored in a long white dress paired with Herbert Levine’s tan suede thong sandals. The effect was exactly what white dresses need most: a little lift, a little line, and a finish that feels relaxed rather than fussy.

Why this pairing works now

The appeal of the thong sandal is its restraint. It does not compete with a white dress, it clarifies it. A slim heel adds height and formality, while the thong front keeps the silhouette airy, which is why the look feels so right for coastal grandmother dressing, where everything depends on looking effortless but considered.

That mood has always favored white, sand, and other soft neutrals, along with breathable fabrics and unfussy shapes. Think Nancy Meyers daylight, woven textures, linen that catches the breeze, and pieces that look expensive because they are simple. A high-heel thong sandal slots neatly into that language: it is minimal, but not flat, and refined without becoming severe.

Holmes’s version lands especially well because the sandal is tan suede, not black leather. The softer color melts into a white dress instead of cutting it in half, and suede gives the shoe a textural warmth that feels more coastal and less nightclub. If you want the kind of polish that works from beach lunch to summer dinner, this is the formula.

The shoe behind the look

Herbert Levine’s Kiss And Tell sandal is built for exactly this kind of dressing. The brand describes it as a boudoir-inspired thong sandal with a 100mm heel, an open toe, a slip-on silhouette, and a mini buckle strass detail. That combination matters: the heel gives enough elevation to dress up a simple white dress, while the slim front keeps the shoe visually delicate.

It also sits firmly in luxury territory. Retail listings place the suede version around $900 or about $584 depending on retailer and availability, with some listings closer to $900. That price puts it in the realm of polished designer evening shoes rather than casual summer sandals, which is precisely why it reads so well with a white dress at a gala or a dinner that asks for a bit more intention.

The boudoir note is part of the charm. It softens the shoe’s precision and gives the whole look a faintly seductive edge, but the finish is still clean and composed. In other words, it has enough attitude to stop a white dress from drifting into innocence.

Why the trend has momentum

Holmes did not pull this out of thin air. Thong sandals have been moving steadily back into the fashion conversation for spring and summer 2026. Marie Claire called them a minimalist shoe trend returning for summer 2026, Who What Wear flagged thong heels as a chic dress-up shoe for the season, and W magazine placed thong sandals among summer 2026’s defining looks.

That matters because the trend is not only about nostalgia for the 2000s flip-flop era. The new version is sleeker, more architectural, and far more polished. The heel changes the entire mood, making the sandal feel tailored enough for dresses and trousers, not just poolside basics.

The timing also lines up with a broader shift toward dressier ease. After years of overshooting between ultra-sporty and hyper-formal, this is the kind of shoe that gives you both structure and ease. It says summer, but it still knows where the dinner reservation is.

How to wear it with a white dress

The best white dresses for this shoe are the ones with movement and clean lines. Slip dresses, column shapes, bias-cut midis, and softly draped maxis all work because they let the sandal do its quiet lifting. A crisp linen dress can also take the pairing beautifully, especially if the hem skims the ankle and shows enough of the foot to keep the line airy.

A few styling cues make the look stronger:

• Choose tan, nude, or warm brown sandals if you want the dress to feel long and uninterrupted.
• Keep fabrics breezy, like linen, silk, cotton poplin, or a fluid jersey that falls rather than clings.
• Let the shoe be the elegant detail, so skip heavy metallics or overly embellished bags.
• Pair the sandals with simple gold jewelry, woven clutches, or a clean leather tote for day-to-night ease.

The heel height is key. At 100mm, Herbert Levine’s sandal is not trying to be invisible. It gives the leg a clear line and enough lift to make even a pared-back dress feel event-ready. If you are wearing white in daylight, that little bit of structure keeps the outfit from looking too casual or washed out.

What to skip

This look falls apart when the shoe becomes too literal. Flat rubber flip-flops make a white dress read beach-basic, while chunky platforms can fight the softness that makes coastal grandmother style so appealing. Overly glossy finishes can also sharpen the outfit in the wrong way, pulling it away from that relaxed, sunlit mood.

The other thing to avoid is over-styling. A white dress with a high-heel thong sandal already has enough clarity and shape. Add too many loud accessories and the whole effect starts to feel costume-like, which is the opposite of what makes the combination work.

Why this feels so coastal grandmother

Coastal grandmother style has always been about looking composed without looking engineered. It grew into a full mood on TikTok in 2022, thanks to Lex Nicoleta, and the shorthand has stayed consistent: Nancy Meyers ease, cozy interiors, coastal living, and a palette that lives in white, cream, tan, and soft sand. The best pieces feel chosen for a beautiful life, not for the feed.

Holmes’s outfit captures that spirit with uncommon precision. The white dress brings the calm, the tan suede sandal brings the warmth, and the heel adds enough refinement to move the look from lunch to evening without changing the mood. It also feels right for the setting, since the Spring Gala supports ABT’s performances, education programs, and community initiatives, and served as a preview of Don Quixote for the company’s summer season at the Metropolitan Opera House.

That is why the pairing lands so well. It is not trying to reinvent summer dressing, only sharpen it. A white dress and a high-heel thong sandal look like a simple idea, but in the right proportions they deliver the exact kind of polished, breezy elegance coastal grandmother style was made for.