Katie Holmes’ Take On The Trending ‘Naked Mani’ Is So On-Brand

There’s a reason why Katie Holmes is still such a source of fashion and beauty inspiration after a quarter of a century in the spotlight: She makes it look easy. From her red carpet looks to her street style moments, the Our Town actor embodies the kind of effortless chicness we all strive for. That’s not to say she isn’t a risk taker (Remember her dress over jeans look from Jingle Ball 2022?), but even her boldest choices feel somehow approachable — so much that we can’t help but want to copy everything she does. And now it seems that sense of ease extends all the way down to her nails, too. During her morning coffee run on Jan. 15th, Holmes was spotted with what’s being called the “naked manicure”, proving that it’s 2025’s biggest nail trend.

Not to be confused with nude nails, the naked manicure could almost be thought of as an anti-mani. Instead of wearing skin tone-colored polish, the nails are simply well-groomed (perhaps with a shiny top coat to finish) with trimmed and hydrated cuticles and a buffed-to-shine finish. The focus is on creating natural, healthy-looking nails. It’s basically like the “clean girl” trend but for your mani.

As you can see in Holmes’ example, this extremely minimalist manicure mostly involves shorter lengths — which has also been a growing trend over the last few years, with many celebs ditching their acrylics and gel extensions and embracing their natural nails. Of course the look is so on-brand with the Rare Objects star’s unfussy street style (think cozy sweaters with wide-leg jeans, oversized wool coats, and beanies), but other A-listers are bringing the barely-there mani to the red carpet, too. At the 2025 Golden Globe Awards, Emma Stone, Margaret Qualley, and Tilda Swinton were among the attendees to go polish-free and let their naked (but expertly pampered) nails shine.

Holmes’ take on the so-called naked manicure is different from another nail trend with the same name (also called the “mannequin mani”). Stars including Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lopez and Dua Lipa are big supporters of this look, which involves painting on an extremely skin-like polish with a sheer and glossy finish. And typically, this style is markedly longer and more dramatic than the mani the Coda actor has been sporting.

The best part of this new nail trend? It’s so easy to maintain. There’s no chipped polish to touch up or tips to replace. Just keep them consistently groomed (trimmed, buffed, and moisturized) and they’ll look intentional with everything — from your off-duty ensembles to formal attire — while getting you one step closer to Holmes’ trademark effortless style.