Khaite, Explained: The Jeans, Knits, Boots and Bags to Know, and How They Fit

Khaite is the New York label Catherine Holstein founded in 2016, and it has become a first stop for high-rise jeans, cashmere knits, sharp boots and soft suede bags that look polished without looking precious. If you are starting a Khaite wardrobe, begin with a pair of Danielle jeans or a cashmere sweater, then add a boot and a bag. On Vêtir, Khaite was named by more users than any other designer in questions to our AI stylist in the 90 days to late September, and only Gucci is searched for by more users on our site. This guide covers who is behind the label, the key jeans, sweaters, boots, bags and shoes, how each one fits according to Khaite's own size notes, and how to wear them.

Who is behind Khaite

Holstein grew up between California and London. Her career began in 2005, when Barneys New York bought the junior thesis collection she made as a student at Parsons School of Design; she then launched an early namesake label, closed it around 2008 and worked at Vera Wang and Gap before starting Khaite, as ELLE's 2023 profile of the designer recounts. The name is a stylized version of Holstein's nickname, modeled on the Greek word χαίτη, meaning long, flowing hair. Holstein describes the label as "rooted in American sportswear".

The house's own account, on its about page, is built on contrast: masculine and feminine, strength and softness, structure and fluidity. That tension is the easiest way to recognize a Khaite piece: a cropped cashmere cardigan with a very deep V, a knee boot on a sculpted wedge, a slouchy suede hobo carried like a pillow under the arm.

Recognition came quickly. Holstein was named American Womenswear Designer of the Year at the CFDA Fashion Awards in 2022 and again in 2023, as WWD reported. In March 2023 the growth-equity firm Stripes invested in the company, according to ELLE, and the first standalone store opened to the public at 165 Mercer Street in SoHo on February 16, 2023, in a space designed with architect Griffin Frazen, Holstein's husband. Khaite's store list now also includes Madison Avenue in New York, Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa and Highland Park Village in Dallas.

The moment most people remember came in August 2019, when Katie Holmes was photographed in New York in a Khaite cashmere bra and a matching cardigan, fastened with a single button, in a shade called barley. TODAY later reported that the bra had sold out in under an hour, according to the brand. Knitwear has been one of the label's calling cards ever since.

Khaite jeans: the Danielle and the rest of the denim

Khaite denim is cut by silhouette rather than by trend. The jeans are finished by hand, several styles carry marigold topstitching and a signature antiqued-nickel button, and the Kerrie in its dark Benson wash is made in Los Angeles. Sizes run by waist from 23 to 32. The styles to know:

• Danielle. The house signature: a high-rise stovepipe leg designed to lengthen the legs, in rigid cotton and in a version with a little stretch. If you buy one pair of Khaite jeans, make it this one, but read the fit note for the wash you choose (see below).
• Abigail. A high rise with a cropped, straight leg; it shows off an ankle boot or a loafer. It runs small in every wash we checked, and Khaite recommends sizing up.
• Kerrie. A mid-rise wide leg with a curved inseam that gives it a softer line. True to size.
• Clara. A 1970s-inspired cropped flare in a mid rise that sits just below the navel. True to size; if you are between sizes, Khaite suggests sizing down for a closer fit.
• Finley. A 1990s-inspired, stretch-free button-fly jean with a mid rise, slimmer legs and a shorter inseam. True to size.
• Dane and Karo. The Dane is a high-waisted wide leg that behaves like a trouser; the Karo is a cuffed, low-rise jean inspired by mid-century men's workwear. Both run true to size.

The Danielle's fit depends on the wash. Khaite writes a separate fit note for each version, and they do not agree. When we checked in late September, the rigid Prescott wash and the stretch Bryce and Montgomery washes were listed as true to size, while the rigid White wash and the stretch Benson, Lansing and Lykens washes were listed as running small, with a recommendation to size up. Read the note on the exact pair you are buying rather than relying on the style name.

Hem notes: the Danielle is cut long (Khaite's size chart lists a 33-inch inseam), so try it with the shoe you will wear most before you hem; the Abigail's inseam is 28.5 inches, and the cropped Clara and the shorter Finley may not need a hem at all.

Which Khaite jean should you buy?

• If you are petite: the Abigail or the Finley. The Abigail is cropped and the Finley has a shorter inseam, so you keep the intended proportions without a hem that cuts into the leg shape.
• If you are tall: the Danielle, or the Dane, which is cut longer still; both leave room to wear a heel.
• If you want room through the hip and thigh: the Kerrie or the Dane, whose wide legs fall away from the body; the Kerrie's mid rise sits lower on the waist than the Dane's.
• If you live in ankle boots: the Clara's cropped flare or the Abigail's straight crop, which sit above the boot instead of bunching on it.

For a wider comparison across houses, see our guide to designer jeans brands, or browse all designer jeans.

Khaite sweaters and cashmere

Khaite's knitwear is cashmere-led and built on proportion. Many pieces are cropped or short in the body with long or extended sleeves, which is why they look so good over a high-rise jean. Four shapes to know:

• Cropped cardigans. The Scarlet, Khaite's cropped deep-V cardigan with fisherman's-rib trim, patch pockets and tortoiseshell buttons, is the one to know, and it comes in barley, the shade Katie Holmes wore. The Nora is a cropped crew-neck cardigan to wear buttoned as a top, and the Niels a lighter, gently cropped cardigan in cashmere and silk.
• Compact pullovers. The Leta is a lofty cashmere crewneck designed for a shrunken look, with a cropped hem and bracelet-length sleeves; the Simone is a denser mock-neck with saddle sleeves, in what Khaite calls its quintessential cashmere, compact and lush.
• Relaxed crewnecks. The Margaux is densely knit with dropped shoulders, the one to wear over a shirt or with wide trousers.
• Collared and stand-neck knits. The Jackson layers a collar over a crewneck in merino and cashmere; the Marjorie is a gently cropped stand-collar cardigan.

Styling rule: pair a cropped Khaite knit with a high-rise bottom so the waistline meets it, and a longer, relaxed one with a slim leg or a column skirt. Size knitwear by your usual size: Khaite lists the Scarlet, Simone, Marjorie and Niels as true to size. For more cashmere across houses, see our guide to the best cashmere sweaters and our tips on what to wear with cardigans, or browse designer sweaters.

Khaite boots

Boots are where Khaite's contrast shows most. The Arizona is a streamlined ankle boot, also made in a stretch nappa that hugs the ankle; the Clive is a Western-inspired style with a snip toe, a deliberately tilted shaft, a stitched welt and a stacked heel, in ankle and taller heights; the Colt is a relaxed take on the paddock boot, with a snip toe and the hint of a stacked heel. The Marlene is architectural and deliberately soft, in stretch nappa or glazed calfskin. The Bella has what Khaite calls its Empire hardware, a gold-plated tip on a sculpted wedge heel. The Andee is a pointed pull-on boot on a stacked block heel, the Petra a straight-shafted knee-high on a block heel, and the Valerie a mid-calf boot in stretch lambskin.

Fit: Khaite lists the Arizona, Clive, Colt and Marlene as true to size. The Bella boots fit slightly small, and Khaite suggests trying half a size larger; the Andee knee boot runs large, and Khaite recommends going down half a size. Styling: a Clive or Andee boot under a midi skirt is the most useful fall look here, because the heel is walkable and the shaft fills the gap between hem and shoe. The Arizona and the Colt go under a straight or flared jean; the Marlene and Petra are sharp enough to wear with tailoring. Compare tall styles across houses in our guide to the best knee-high boots, or browse designer knee-high boots.

Khaite bags

Khaite's bags follow the same logic as its clothes: soft shapes, restrained hardware and a lot of suede.

• Olivia. A slouchy, zip-top hobo in suede with an integrated strap to wear over the shoulder or carry by hand, in medium and mini sizes. The medium is the everyday size; the mini is for evening.
• Lotus. A tote that Khaite describes as scarf-inspired, built to be especially lightweight, with a rounded base for stability; it comes in several sizes.
• Blake. The structured family: a flap-front box shape with Khaite's gold Empire hardware, in crossbody, top-handle, nano and clutch versions. Choose it for the office or for evening.
• Joan, Donna and Crosby. The Joan is a curved, structured hobo in small and large sizes; the Donna an elongated east-west bag with long tubular handles; the Crosby a zip-top carryall with twin straps and a pouch that doubles as a clutch.

Buying note: suede is part of the Khaite look, but it marks in rain. If you want one bag for daily use in a wet city, choose smooth leather (the Joan or the Blake), and keep suede for dry days and evenings. Browse more designer shoulder bags.

Khaite flats, loafers and low heels

Khaite's flat shoes are softer than they look. The Miriam ballerina is deliberately malleable, in glazed calfskin lined in cigar-colored suede; the Marlene ballerina is built to fold completely and can be collapsed at the back and worn as a mule. The Jane is a slipper-like flat with a padded insole, and the studded suede version uses sacchetto construction, an Italian method in which the upper is sewn into a soft pouch (sacchetto means little bag) before the sole is attached, which keeps the shoe flexible. The Miles loafer is Khaite's take on a menswear classic, with a rounded toe, fine rolled piping and the hint of a stacked heel. Khaite lists its ballerinas, the Jane and the Miles as true to size. For a little height, the Jett d'Orsay and Marcy pump keep the heel low. See how they compare with The Row, Alaïa and Miu Miu in our guide to the best designer ballet flats.

Khaite sizing: how each piece fits

Khaite publishes a size-and-fit note on each product page. Here is what it said for the styles we checked in late September (see, for example, the note on the Abigail jean). Jeans are sized by waist (23 to 32), knitwear from XS to XL (some styles from XXS), and shoes in European sizes with half sizes.

Two practical notes. Rigid, non-stretch denim relaxes with wear, which is why Khaite warns of an initially close fit at the waist; a pair that feels snug on day one will ease, while stretch denim will not tighten back up, so do not size down in it. And on Vêtir, Khaite shoes are listed in Italian (European) sizes, sometimes with an IT prefix and sometimes without, so check the label on each listing against the size you wear in other Italian-made shoes.

How to style Khaite

Khaite's own styling mixes a hard piece with a soft one, which is a good rule to borrow. Four formulas:

1. The weekday uniform: Danielle jeans, a cropped cashmere crewneck and a Clive or Arizona ankle boot, with an Olivia hobo. Keep the palette to two neutrals, such as navy and camel.
2. Office: a relaxed cashmere crewneck over a white shirt, a straight trouser or the Dane, Miriam ballerinas and a Blake top-handle bag.
3. Weekend: Finley or Karo jeans, a cropped cardigan buttoned as a top, a suede Lotus tote and Miles loafers or flat boots.
4. Dinner: a slip or knit dress with a knee-high Bella or Andee boot and a Blake clutch; add a cropped cardigan over the shoulders instead of a coat on mild nights.

Want the full outfit built around a Khaite piece you already own? Ask our AI stylist, which can work with pieces from your digital closet. For recent arrivals, see our story on new Khaite arrivals and our earlier Khaite designer spotlight.

If you like Khaite, look at these houses too

• The Row: quieter and more austere, strongest in bags, flats and coats. Read our guide to The Row.
• Toteme: Scandinavian and lower priced, with good denim and outerwear.
• Phoebe Philo: precise tailoring and bags with a similar confidence.
• Victoria Beckham: jeans and tailoring with a sharper, more polished finish.
• Gabriela Hearst: cashmere and tailoring with a focus on materials.

How we chose

Every product here is by Khaite, new and in stock when we checked it, with clothing and shoes available in at least five sizes. We focused on the styles Khaite is known for (the Danielle and Abigail jeans, the cropped cashmere knits, the Clive and Arizona boots, the Olivia and Lotus bags, the Miriam and Marlene ballerinas), read Khaite's own product descriptions and fit notes, and looked at every product image to confirm color and shape. At the time of writing, jeans ran from about $600 to $800, cashmere and boots mostly from about $1,300 to $2,600, and bags from about $1,600.

Frequently asked questions

How does Khaite sizing work?

Jeans are sized by waist (23 to 32), knitwear in letters (XS to XL, some styles from XXS) and shoes in European sizes with half sizes. Khaite publishes a fit note on every product page. Most styles are listed as true to size, but read the note, because a few run small or large and the Danielle's changes with the wash.

Do Khaite jeans run small?

Some do. The Abigail runs small in every wash we checked, and Khaite recommends sizing up. The Danielle runs small in some washes and true to size in others. The Kerrie, Clara, Finley, Dane and Karo are listed as true to size; with the Clara, size down if you are between sizes.

Are Khaite boots true to size?

Mostly. Khaite lists the Arizona, Clive, Colt, Marlene, Petra and Valerie as true to size. The Bella fits slightly small, so try half a size larger, and the Andee knee boot runs large, so go down half a size.

What are Khaite's signature pieces?

The Danielle jean, cropped cashmere cardigans such as the Scarlet, the Clive and Arizona boots, and the Olivia and Lotus bags are the styles we would start with.

Who founded Khaite, and what does the name mean?

Catherine Holstein, who founded the brand in New York in 2016 and is its creative director; she was named CFDA American Womenswear Designer of the Year in 2022 and 2023. The name is a stylized version of her nickname, modeled on the Greek word for long, flowing hair.

Is Khaite worth it?

For the jeans, cashmere and boots you will wear weekly, yes: the fabrics, cut and hand finishing are the point. Be more selective with trend-led pieces you may only wear for one season.

Keep reading

• The Row, explained: the bags, shoes and cashmere to buy and how they fit
• The best knee-high boots
• The best cashmere sweaters
• Designer jeans brands worth knowing
• The best designer ballet flats