Well here's a side of Katie Holmes we've never seen before.

Mrs. Tom Cruise is making an appearance on the August cover of Vogue Espana in an outfit better suited for a high-class dominatrix than the docile mother-to-Suri we usually see out and about.

I'm not especially digging the hat, but I LOVE Katie's makeup in this shot.

The Lanvin dress isn't bad, either, although I wouldn't be up for sucking in all night long in order to wear it.

That's what I think about Katie's new look:

What about you?

This cover is just one of several out-of-character photos for Katie inside the mag in a pictorial called "La Nuevo Katie" (you can see them here), which include shots of her in a lace mask and wearing the leather hat like a pro.

Katie seems to be projecting a more assertive public image lately, and now that Jennifer Lopez has announced that she's getting a divorce from Mark Anthony, I'm wondering if we're going to start seeing more formerly submissive wives like Katie and J. Lo start to stand up for themselves.

This Vogue shoot certainly seems like a step in that direction, don't you think?

So ... Do you like this new direction for our little Joey from Dawson's Creek, or do you think she should just step back into Tom Cruise's shadow?

Image via Vogue Espana