I'm not sure what it is about the combination of a turtleneck, jacket, and braid that sends me back to the excitement I used to feel about putting together back-to-school looks with my mom during my elementary school years. And that's exactly what Katie Holmes delivered when she attended Veronica Beard's Icons Party in New York City last night. Her look felt very grown-up schoolgirl. No, not in that way. In the effortlessly sophisticated way we've come to expect from the actor and director.

Holmes was spotted at the West Village's Corner Bistro for the pre-Fashion-Week soirée, which was also attended by fellow great-hair-havers like Natasha Lyonne, Nicole Ari Parker, and Karen Gillan. She wore wide-leg jeans with a black mock turtleneck and a cropped, navy jacket—an absolutely ideal September outfit.

But what really completes the start-of-fall feel is that low fishtail braid. The perfectly imperfect artsy-meets-preppy plait was secured with elastics at both the base and the ends, because who has time to do the whole hair-wrapping thing? This looks just as good!