Catwoman Costumes in Retrospective

With newly surfacing information regarding Nolan's third and final Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises", this appears to be an opportune moment to explore the numerous incarnations of sexy anti-hero Catwoman and her feline fashions. Especially, considering we have finally glimpsed a shot of Anne Hathaways Catwoman costume.

In terms of recent live actionincarnations,  Anne Hathaway follows in the footsteps of two very A-list Hollywood acresses who have donned the skin tight costume - Michelle Pfeiffer in Tim Burtons 1992 "Batman Returns", lauded for her fierce and sexy performance, and Halle Berry in 2004 spinoff "Catwoman" which was unfortunatly marred as a total flop.

Julie Newmar was the first actress to ever play Catwoman onscreen, on the campy 1966-68 Adam West/Burt Ward TV series. But when she wasn't available for a big-screen movie of "Batman" due to a scheduling conflict, former Miss America 1955 Lee Meriwether, slithered into the catsuit for this four villain-ed movie filmed and released between the first and second seasons of the TV show. 
In the TV show's third season, Newmar was replaced by Eartha Kitt, a stage and film actress and songstress of renown. Her take on the character was a tongue-curling bit of sophistication, and the show's color-blind casting was notable in the 1960s.

Julie Newmar

Lee Meriwether

Eartha Kitt

  

In 1940, Batman creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger introduced Catwoman in "Batman" #1. Originally just called "The Cat," it's said she was at least partially inspired by 1930s bombshell actress Jean Harlow. Since her inception her character and costume rendering in both animation and comic books has changed dramatically.