Katie Holmes was looking like a Harry Potter character out in New York yesterday. She wore rolled up ripped jean shorts with black tights and brown slouchy boots. She wasn’t more any put together from the waist up and wore in a navy blue button down jacket over a lilac cardigan and black shirt. To top off the look Holmes donned a brick red scarf. Her hair looked like it was just washed and left to air dry. The only clue that you might have that she’s a woman of means is the super expensive muted brown Hermes Birkin she’s carrying and her designer bug sunglasses.

Holmes looks like she throws on whatever’s clean in the closet on but it probably takes a concerted effort to look that effortless. She does make other moms like me feel a lot better about their fashion, though. I do my best to look ok before I go out but I just don’t have the time to either shop for nice clothes or put together cute outfits like I used to do when I was single. I think I look presentable, but maybe I’m a candidate for “What Not To Wear.” I even have a loose fit lilac cardigan similar to the one Holmes is wearing here. I got it from a discount store here in Germany called Lidl, and I usually just wear it around the house when it’s cold.

Katie Holmes is kind of unique among celebrity moms in that she looks like one of us – a mom throwing crap together from her closet to rush out and take the kids to school. I can’t quite tell if that’s a mistake or if she tries exceptionally hard to look average.

Then there’s Michelle Obama, who looks like a million bucks in dresses from The Gap and H&M. She puts the rest of us to shame, and does it on a budget. I have to go shopping this weekend, and you know who I’ll be looking toward for inspiration.

Photo credit: Bauergriffin