How to Create a Catwoman Costume

Last Updated: November 16, 2021

Catwoman is a great costume choice - she's strong, she's sexy and her outfit is instantly recognizable, despite the many interpretations the catsuit has gone through over the years. Probably the most popular catsuit to date is the feline creation made famous by Michelle Pfeiffer in Tim Burton's Batman Returns.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Making Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman Costume

1
Get your hands on a black PVC jumpsuit. A shiny black PVC jumpsuit is the basis of of many a Catwoman costume, and Michelle Pfeiffer's look is no different. Try to get a jumpsuit that zips up the front, with a high neckline and long sleeves. These type of jumpsuits are readily available at most costume or Halloween stores, or can be found online and purchased off eBay.
- If you don't have the time or money to buy a PVC jumpsuit, you can piece together a similar look using items already in your wardrobe. Tight leather pants, leather or wet look leggings, or even a tight pair of black jeans can be used for the pants.
- A tight black turtleneck sweater will form the top.
2
Stitch jagged white lines into the material. Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman jumpsuit had white stitching detail all over, so that's the look your are trying to recreate. First grab some white chalk and draw the outline of the jagged lines you want to create.
- Place them at random all over the the PVC suit (or top and trousers), using a picture of the Catwoman costume from the movie for reference. Then take a needle and length of white thread and start stitching over the white lines.
- If you're tight for time, you can simply use the white chalk to create the stitched effect, or paint over the chalk with some white-out.
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3
Buy or make a Catwoman headpiece. Possibly the most important part of Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman costume was her headpiece -- a black PVC half-mask with cat ears. In order to achieve an authentic-looking headpiece, it may be best to buy a replica mask off Amazon or eBay. These sites often sets which include a headpieces, gloves and claws. However, if you are on a budget, you can make your own Catwoman headpiece at home. Here's how:
- Take an old pair of black cotton sweatpants. Make sure that there is some stretch in the material and that you can fit the leg of the pants over your head.
- Cut off the bottom of the sweatpants -- the piece you cut off should be long enough to cover half your face, reaching just above the tip of your nose. There should also be several inches of material above the top of your head, to make the ears.
- Take a piece of white chalk and draw a white semi-circle on the cut side of the material. This is the line you will cut out to form pointy ears on both sides of the mask. Also draw two large eyes on the mask, using a picture from the movie for reference.
- Take a sharp scissors and cut out the semi-circle along the chalk line. Also cut out the two eye holes. Take a needle and some black thread and sew the top of the mask closed - there should now be pointy ears on top of the head. Try the mask on -- if it feels too loose along the sides, add a couple of stitches to tighten it.^{[1]
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- You can wear the mask as it is, or you can add the same white jagged stitching you did on the jumpsuit. Again, use a picture of Michelle Pfeiffer's headpiece from the movie as reference.
4
Make some clawed gloves. To achieve Catwoman-worthy talons, all you need to do is find a pair of elbow-length, black gloves - if you can find them in a shiny material, that's great, otherwise any kind of material will do. Take a sharp scissors and cut slits in the tip of each finger.
- Find a packet of black fake nails - the longer and pointier the better. Apply them to your own fingernails, then slip on the gloves - the pointy ends of the fake nails should poke right through the slits. Tah-dah!
- Of course it is also possible to buy Catwoman gloves online with the nails already attached - but this method gives you the option of taking the gloves off and still having cat-like claws!
5
Wear knee-high black boots. To complete the look, you will need some knee-high black boots with a killer heel. Give them a good polish before you wear - Catwoman wouldn't dare leave the house in scuffed shoes!

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Making Halle Berry's Catwoman Costume

1
Get some black PVC pants or leggings. Halle Berry's Catwoman sported a slightly different look to her other incarnations, so no need for a jumpsuit this time. For the pants you will need leather or wet-look pants -- you should be able to find a suitable pair at a Halloween or costume store.
- Although the pants should be tight at the top, the legs should widen slightly at the bottom -- in the movie, Halle Berry's pants are bootcut rather than skinny.
- Take some white chalk and draw jagged lightening bolt shapes all over the legs of the pants -- front and back. Then take a sharp scissors and cut along the lines to a achieve a ripped effect.
- Don't worry about cutting neatly -- you want to look as though you were attacked by a horde of angry cats!
2
Get a leather-look bra or cropped bustier. You need to be prepared to flash some flesh with this costume! If possible, find a PVC or leather-look bra or cropped bustier to mimic Halle Berry's hardcore lingerie from the movie. If you can't find anything suitable in those materials, silk is your next best option.
- And hey, if you have time before you actually need to wear the costume, why not work on achieving a flat stomach -- the best accessory this costume could have!
- If you are not comfortable revealing that much flesh, or you plan on being outdoors, a good alternative is to wear a black, strappy bodysuit instead. Just make sure you put some rips and tears in it as well, to achieve the claw-ravaged look!
3
Wrap two black belts around your waist. Halle Berry's wore a complicated, criss-crossed belt contraption that connected her bra straps to her pants. An exact replica of this would be hard to achieve, but you can create a similar effect simply by wrapping two belts around your waist, crossing them over to form an "X" shape. Ideally the belts would be made from canvas, in black or dark khaki green, but any kind of belts will do the job.
4
Buy or make a Catwoman headpiece. Like Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman, Halle Berry's interpretation of the feline anti-heroine includes a black half-mask with cat ear detail. This Catwoman is matte black, without any white-stitching detail. You best bet is probably to buy an exact replica online, however you can also make your own mask using the method outlined in Step 3 of the previous section.
5
Wear open-toed black shoes. If you want to stay really true to the movie, you should wear some open-toed black shoes or boots, with an average-sized heel. However, any kind of shoes or boots will do, as long as the legs of the pants are worn over them, rather than tucked in.
6
Get a whip and gloves. The finishing touches to this Catwoman look are a pair of black leather gloves -- over the elbow, if possible --- and a black leather whip You can find costume whips in Halloween stores or online, or you can do a makeshift version by painting a jump rope black.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Making Anne Hathaway's Catwoman Costume

1
Get a black jumpsuit. The most recent incarnation of Catwoman was portrayed by Anne Hathaway in The Dark Knight Rises. This is perhaps the simplest version of the Catwoman costumes, but that doesn't diminish its power!
- The basis of the costume is a black jumpsuit, with long sleeves and a zip up the front. If possible, try to get a jumpsuit in a matte black color, though shiny PVC will work if not.
- If you can't get your hands on a jumpsuit, some tight black pants or leggings and a black zip-up or turtleneck sweater will do the trick.
2
Wear a wide black belt around the waist. A wide black belt should be worn around the waist to imitate Catwoman's utility belt. However, if you could get your hands on a real gun holster, that would be even better!
3
Buy or make a black mask and cat ears. Anne Hathaway's Catwoman, unlike the others, does not wear a headpiece, but wears a simple black mask and headpiece, with her hair worn loose down her back. In this respect, she is similar to the version of Catwoman portrayed by Julie Newmar in the 1960s series Batman. Any plain black mask (that just covers the eyes) will work for this outfit, along with a headband or clips with cat ears attached.
- You can make your own mask using black felt (an embossed black works really well for this particular costume). Simply draw the outline of the mask onto the piece of felt, cut it out neatly, and attach a length of black elastic to either side to form a mask.^{[2]
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- To make your own cat ears: cut out two triangular-shaped pieces from some black cardstock, glue black PVC or felt fabric to both sides of the cardstock, then attach each ear to a black alligator clip.
4
Wear black gloves. Any kind of long black gloves will work for this costume, just try to get ones which reach above your elbow.
5
Get some thigh-high boots. Perhaps the most attention-grabbing aspect of this Catwoman's outfit are her thigh-high, black leather boots. If you have some in your wardrobe already - great! If not, you may need to trawl through some shoes stores or websites to find the perfect pair. The heels should be 4 or 5 inches (10.2 or 12.7 cm) high.
- Of course, knee-high black boots will do in pinch - it all depends on how true to the movie you want your costume to be.
6
Carry a fake gun. Rather than carrying a whip, Anne Hathaway's Catwoman has a gun -- she means serious business. Find a fake black gun in any costume store. If you managed to find a gun holster belt, you can store it there!
7
Wear hair straight and voluminous. Unlike the other costumes, where hair is tied back or tucked underneath the mask, this look allows hair to be left loose. Anne Hathaway's hair was straight, but had plenty of volume. To achieve a similar effect, apply mousse to wet hair then blow dry hair straight, holding your head upside down. Pull the hair back from the face using the cat-ear headband or clips.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Achieving Catwoman Make-Up

1
Get the right foundation. To begin, apply your favorite foundation -- but mix it with a little white face paint first, as Catwoman is usually pale. Blend it well, using a stippling brush to create a flawless finish. Set the foundation with a loose translucent powder. Don’t use concealer beneath your eyes -- you want to have slight dark circles.
2
Focus on the eyes. Apply a matte taupe eyeshadow all over your lids; this will create depth and shadows. Bring the taupe shadow down towards the sides of your nose. Next, apply a dark brown eyeshadow around the creases of your eyelids, then apply a dark black eyeshadow to the center of your lids, blending it outwards.
- Apply the black eyeshadow to your lower lash line with a small, angled brush, bringing it right into the corner of the eye. It should look a little messy.
- Use a cotton swab to blend the shadow on your lower lash line to give a hazy, smoky effect.
- Line the inner rim of your bottom lashes using a black eyeliner. Curl your eyelashes, then apply a black mascara generously to upper and lower lashes.
3
Pencil your eyebrows. Define your eyebrows with a brow pencil – give them an elaborate arch. Apply white eyeliner beneath the arch of the eyebrow to give it more depth and apply a matte white eyeshadow to the brow bone to highlight. Set your eyebrows with brow gel.
4
Apply red lipstick. Line your lips with a red lip liner, then fill in the lines with your favorite red lipstick. Use a brush to make a precise shape, referring to a specific Catwoman picture for reference. Use concealer to add extra definition to the outside of your lips. Apply a red lip gloss to the center of your lips, on top of the lipstick. Your lips should look playful and devious.^{[3]
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Community Q&A

Question

How do I make claw gloves?

Community Answer

Get fake nails and paint them black. Then superglue the nails on long or short black gloves.
Question

What kind of lipstick shoud we use?

Community Answer

A bright red lipstick would be a classic choice.
Question

How does Catwoman wear her hair?

Community Answer

Down and straight but with a lot of volume.