Katie Holmes wore a pair of shoes this spring that look exactly like someone took a chunky cable-knit sweater and shaped it into a ballet flat. And honestly? I can’t stop thinking about them. Not for spring. For fall. Because that soft, textured knit is basically begging to be worn with jeans, trousers, even a midi skirt on a chilly October afternoon.

Wait, Sweater Shoes? Yes, And They Work

Here’s the thing about knit flats – they sound like they’d be sloppy, right? Like wearing socks as shoes. But Holmes made them look polished, which is kind of her whole thing. She’s been quietly one of the best off-duty dressers for years (that oversized coat and baseball cap combo she’s basically trademarked), and these flats fit right into that “effortless but definitely not accidental” vibe.

Her exact pair are Vivaia’s Square-Toe Margot V-Cut Flats, and they’re not just cute, they’re actually built for comfort. Roomy toe box, cushioned footbed, arch support. So this isn’t a shoe you suffer through for the aesthetic. Which, if you’ve ever worn a “cute” flat that destroyed your feet by 3pm, you know matters.

Catch is, they’re $129. Not outrageous for a comfort-focused shoe, but also not nothing. So I went looking for dupes that give the same cozy-meets-chic energy for a lot less. Found five. Here they are.

5 Katie Holmes-Inspired Knit Ballet Flats

1. Our Favorite

Want to nail Holmes’ knit ballet flats without spending over $100? I recommend the Skechers Cleo – Blossoms Knit Ballet Flat. It’s got that same textured, sweater-like weave in a neutral tone, and Skechers knows what they’re doing when it comes to cushioning (their whole brand is basically “comfort first”). It runs around $60, so you’re saving nearly $70 off Holmes’ exact pair.

2. The One That Looks the Most Like Hers

If you want something that’s basically a twin to the Vivaia pair, look at the Naturalizer Motion Knit Flat. Same square-ish toe, same soft ribbed texture, same “did I just wear my slippers outside” comfort level. It typically runs about $80, and Naturalizer’s whole reputation is built on all-day wearability. I’ve had a pair of their flats for two years now and they still don’t hurt.

3. The Budget Pick

Not gonna lie, this one surprised me. The Time and Tru Knit Ballet Flat from Walmart is under $25 and still gets the sweater-shoe look right. It’s not going to have the same arch support as the Vivaia pair, obviously, you’re paying a fraction of the price. But for casual wear, running errands, grabbing coffee, it does the job.

4. The Slightly Dressier Option

If you want to wear these with trousers for work (not just weekend jeans), go with the Cole Haan Cloudfeel Knit Flat. It’s got a sleeker silhouette, a little more structure, and still that cozy knit upper. Around $90. It reads a little more “office appropriate” than some of the others on this list, which matters if you’re trying to make one shoe do double duty.

5. The Wild Card

Rothy’s makes a knit flat too, and I have to admit, this one’s a little different from Holmes’ style since it’s more rounded-toe than square-toe. But the sustainable knit material (they use recycled plastic bottles, which is genuinely cool) and the fact that you can throw them in the washing machine makes this one worth mentioning. It’s about $109, so it’s the priciest dupe here, but still $20 cheaper than the original.

“Comfort shouldn’t feel like a compromise, especially when it comes to shoes you’re wearing all day.” – a sentiment basically every comfort-shoe brand has slapped on their website at some point, but it applies here.

Why This Trend Actually Makes Sense for Fall

Look, I’ve seen a lot of “spring shoe but make it fall” takes that feel forced. This one doesn’t. Knit flats work in cooler weather because the fabric itself reads seasonal, it’s basically wearing a sweater on your feet. Pair them with cropped trousers and you get that put-together look without sacrificing comfort. Pair them with jeans and a chunky cardigan and suddenly you’ve got a whole “cozy but I still have my life together” fall outfit, which, let’s be honest, is the dream for most of us by October.

What’s interesting here is how many brands have quietly been making knit flats for a while now. Vivaia’s built almost their entire brand around knit footwear. Skechers has had knit sneakers for years. It just took Katie Holmes wearing a pair on a random spring outing for people (me included) to actually notice.

What This Actually Means

I think we’re going to see a lot more of these come fall. Sweater weather footwear just makes sense, and once one celebrity gets photographed in something like this, the copies show up fast (they always do). My honest take? Skip the $129 pair unless comfort features like the arch support genuinely matter to you day to day. For most people running errands or heading to brunch, the $60 Skechers dupe is going to feel basically identical.

Either way, add a pair of these to your fall shoe rotation. Your feet will thank you, and so will your outfit.