How To Make Your Own Catwoman Costume (Skin Tight Edition)

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Catwoman Is The Original Femme Fatale

Anime of Cosplayer dressed in the classic all black and skin tight Catwoman costume
Interested in transforming into Gotham’s infamous femme fatale cat burglar? In this post, we’ll show you how to cosplay by making your own Catwoman costume!

When it comes to iconic female supervillains, most people instantly think of the infamous Catwoman. While she has closely teetered the line over the years between villain and heroine, this whip-carrying burglar is known as one of Gotham City’s most notorious criminals. Indeed, Selina Kyle has led many lives as the feline fatale Catwoman, but one thing remains the same: whenever this cat crosses your path, she’s equally likely to steal your heart as well as your wallet.

Catwoman turned to a life of crime after growing up as an orphan in one of Gotham’s worst neighborhoods. This vivacious villainess frequently partakes in cat burglary to keep both herself and those who are closest to her alive. Utilizing a black cat mask and skin-tight leather suit to steal from the city’s rich and corrupt, she’s a master at hand-to-hand combat and acrobatics, stealthy as a ninja and an expert at breaking and entering. Over the years, she also has been a thorn in Batman’s side, giving him trouble professionally and romantically. Her and Batman’s relationship status has been “complicated” to say the least, and as long as he continues to fight crime, there will always be a formidable kitty in his path.

A significant reason why Catwoman is so coveted in cosplay culture is largely due to how long she has been around. Despite her original introduction way back in 1940, she gained mass popularity in the 1960s when famous actresses Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwether, and Eartha Kitt portrayed her in film and TV. Since then, Michelle Pfeiffer Halle Berry, and most recently, Anne Hathaway have all starred as the famous femme fatale burglar, which has furthered Catwoman’s large following. In addition, she’s been featured in almost every Batman-related animated or video game incarnation.

As a result of her faithful following, Catwoman has become a frequent go-to choice for cosplayers around the world. Her costume is sexy and simple, and it’s quite easy to create yourself. 

So if you want to join in and make your own Catwoman costume, then you’ve come to the right place! In the rest of this article, we go through each piece of her outfit. Here is what you’ll need to put together your very own Catwoman cosplay:

  • Black outfit
  • Cat ears
  • Eye mask
  • Combined cat mask
  • Black gloves
  • Black belt
  • Tail
  • Black whip
  • Black shoes

What you need for your Catwoman costume

Catwoman is a fairly simple cosplay because the entire costume is less than ten pieces. Plus every part of her outfit can be easily found and purchased online, meaning this costume should only take a few days (or even less) for you to fully put together. Here’s the complete list of everything you’ll need for your Catwoman costume:

Black outfit

Catwoman’s tight black jumpsuit is the most signature part of her entire outfit. Classic depictions of Catwoman have her in a jumpsuit that covers almost her entire body, with long sleeves on her arms. The leather fabric hugs her body tightly and shows off all of her curves. This is what truly makes her look like the sexy female supervillain she is. Below we’ve compiled several options for a traditional Catwoman jumpsuit and some slightly sexier and more-revealing unitards. Check them out:

Cat ears

A Catwoman costume wouldn’t be complete with a set of cat ears! This is a very important feature that distinguishes Catwoman. She simply wouldn’t be herself without a pair of black cat ears on her head. Here are some great options we’ve found for you to consider:


Eye mask

Without an eye mask, Catwoman wouldn’t be able to conceal her identity. She wears a very simple black eyemask that covers half of her face and keeps people from recognizing who she really is. You’ll definitely need this to complete your Catwoman cosplay. Here are a few mask options for you to look at:

Combined cat mask

In some depictions of Catwoman, she wears a mask that extends over the crown of her head and has cat ears attached. It’s basically an all-in-one version that combines the eye mask and cat ears, meaning you don’t have to purchase two separate pieces. If you’d rather wear a mask that that already has a set of cat ears on it, we’d recommend these options: 

Black gloves

Another critical feature of Catwoman’s costume is her long black leather gloves. They match the same material as her jumpsuit and blend right in with it. These gloves keep her fingerprints hidden, so she doesn’t get caught during her burglarizing antics. These are our favorite options for Catwoman’s gloves:

Black belt

Catwoman also frequently wears a black utility belt on her hips, separating her torso from her lower body. She uses the belt to hold her whip and other weapons that she uses in her adventures. While this is certainly not a mandatory part of a Catwoman costume, it is a very simple addition that could come in handy. Check out these belt options:

Tail

If you really feel like playing up the “cat” in Catwoman, you can add a long black tail to the backside of your jumpsuit. While the traditional Catwoman does not have a tail, this is a fun and easy way to add some fun to your Catwoman costume. Most of the tails can pretty easily attach with a pin or string to your outfit and can be easily removed. Here are some of our favorite cattails:

Black whip

While Catwoman doesn’t typically use very many weapons, she is known for using her famous black whip when she needs to. She is highly skilled with her this specialized whip and uses it as a whip to attack or a grappling hook to grab objects she wants or ledges she can swing from. While you may not be as skilled as she is with this simple whip, it’s a great accessory to add to your cosplay. These are some great whips that you can easily include with your Catwoman costume:

Black shoes

The final piece to Catwoman’s costume is, of course, her shoes! Traditionally she is seen with sexy black leather boots that also feature a heel. She walks confidently in them, and they definitely add to her alluring and seductive persona. However, if you prefer, you can also wear a pair of black heels with this outfit. Either option will work just fine for your Catwoman costume. Here are our favorite boots and heels for your costume:

Full costume

In some cases, it might be easier and faster for you to purchase a full costume set. This is an excellent option if you don’t have much time before you need to dress up or if you don’t like putting separate pieces of an outfit together. Luckily, there are a ton of great options for full costumes that are ready-to-wear right out of the package. Here is what we recommend:

You’re now ready for your Catwoman debut

Now that you have everything you need to create your own Catwoman costume, what are you waiting for? With just a few of the pieces mentioned above, you could be well on your way to transforming in this vivacious villainess. We wish you the best of luck in bringing this femme fatale cat burglar to life!

Plus, if you’re interested in more how-to cosplay posts, check out our guides on Bowsette, Booette, Chompette, Princess Peach, Harley Quinn, Wonder Woman, Ashe, and Poison Ivy.

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