Kate Winslet looks like she’s bouncing back in style after her split from Sam Mendes. She’s been dating British model Louis Dowler for the past month (at least), and on Saturday, they made a big public outing in London. I guess the kids are with Sam this weekend? Probably. This outing looks like a planned photo-op, so maybe they’re getting serious? Not engagement serious, but just dating exclusively serious.

Looking happy and healthy in London this weekend, Oscar winner Kate Winslet slipped on a little black dress to hit the town with her new boyfriend, British model Louis Dowler. Paparazzi snapped pics of the couple walking hand-in-hand and hopping inside a cab, laughing and relaxed after a night of dinner and clubbing. The actress and her second husband, director Sam Mendes, announced their separation in March after seven years of marriage (they have a 6-year-old son, and Winslet is also mom to a 9-year-old daughter from her first marriage).

Winslet, 34, reportedly met her new beau, also 34, through mutual friends at a party. Despite reconciliation reports describing Mendes, 45, as still in the picture, speculation about the actress’ new romance escalated in early August when she was photographed alongside Dowler as he worked out shirtless in New York City. Last month, a source talked about Winslet’s new relationship to U.K.’s News of the World: “They’ve been on lots of dates and get on really well….Louis has a good sense of humour and really is a lovely guy.”

Dowler has modeled for Burberry ads with Kate Moss, as well as for British designer Paul Smith and Italian fashion house Canali. Meanwhile, his globe-trotting new love has been busy with location shoots in recent months, filming the Todd Haynes remake ‘Mildred Pierce’ (the 1945 original won Joan Crawford an Oscar) in Manhattan and an ad campaign for Swiss watchmaker Longines (costarring Indian beauty Aishwarya Rai) in Rome.

[From PopEater]

It would interesting if Kate ended up with a male model – I always thought of her as needing to be with a guy who challenges her, but maybe not so much. Maybe she just wants something pretty to look at. I wouldn’t fault her for that – plus, I think Kate is probably looking for something and someone very uncomplicated, and this Louis guy sounds like he’s not all about the drama. So… good for Kate. Louis looks a bit like Gabriel Aubry, yes? Like a bug-eyed version of Aubry.