Cat Woman Costume

There are two kinds of a Cat Woman costumes – the sleek jumpsuit worn by Julie Newmar in the iconic 1960s Batman TV series and the far more racy and fetishistic costume worn by Halle Berry in the 2004 film Catwoman. Both can be found for sale or, with some time and effort, can be made. Bear in mind, however, that making a skin-tight costume usually requires some sewing knowledge.

It’s no wonder adolescent boys of the 1960s were far more interested in Catwoman than Batgirl – to the point where Julie Newmar still boasts an active and loyal fan club. The fetching Ms. Newmar sported a Catwoman costume that was very close to what was drawn in the original DC Comics. She wore a sparkly black bodysuit, accessorized only by a gold belt around the hips and a necklace with Egyptian gold coins. She also wore gloves with sharp claws, a headband with ears and painted a few extra lines around her eyebrows for a more cat-like look. Meow, indeed!

What Julie Newmar had proved was that a simple costume, well designed, could be timelessly sexy. The Cat Woman costume designed for Halle Berry was derided by fans long before the film was released and promptly failed. Ms. Berry is beautiful and sexy, but the costume was considered overkill – even teenage boys weren’t overly impressed. The costume is made of vinyl and the top is essentially a push-up bra with a criss-cross design strapping around the torso, revealing plenty of skin. This Catwoman also wears skin-tight vinyl trousers cut low and featuring strategically located slashes all the way down each leg. For her ears, she wears a cat half-mask. The only similarity with this costume and that sported by Julie Newmar is the gloves with the sharp claws attached.

Wear a Sexy Costume

Despite the continued affection for the original Batman series and Julie Newmar’s Catwoman, if you want to re-create that costume, you will have to make it yourself. If you prefer to buy a costume, you are limited to reproductions of the Halle Berry costume, or other pleather and vinyl catsuits.

At Annie’s Costumes, for example, you can buy a reproduction of the Halle Berry costume or a vinyl catsuit that zips up the torso (but not far – you’ll need a push-up bra or bustier underneath). The costume has a feel of the Julie Newmar costume in that it has a hip belt with a 1960s-style silver buckle and the hooded mask has a slightly 60s look around the eyes. But, in spite of the similarities, this Catwoman costume is really its own animal.

Wonder Costumes sells a DC Comics-licensed costume that, while not as delectable as the Julie Newmar look, is at least more true to the original vision, making it a popular choice among traditionalists. It is a rich purple velvet bodysuit and includes gloves (but no claws), a gold belt and a cat ear headpiece that is more of a full mask than what was seen on the TV show.

Making a Catwoman costume can be pretty simple, especially if you want to go with the DC look. You can buy a bodysuit at any dance supply store, although this is more likely to be plain black, rather than sparkly or purple. Gold belts are easily found at thrift stores. You can also use fabric paint to turn any belt gold. If you like, you can even buy some gold sparkly fabric and cut it into the shape of your belt, sewing or gluing it to the main costume.

Cat ears can be bought at any drugstore. You can affix them to a fabric hood, if you wish, or just wear them and add appropriate makeup. You can attach store-bought claws to gloves too.

Finally, for those who like props, Catwoman also used a long whip to make her point!

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