The Best of Feline-Inspired Fashion

From kitty heels to the catwalk, our beloved feline friends have made their paw prints in the fashion industry, inspiring bold and daring trends throughout the years. Whether you play bingo or slots online in your favourite leopard print tracksuit or complete your evening look with a killer cat eye, there’s a lot we have to thank these elegant fluff balls for when it comes to our fashion choices!

Take a look at some of the most fabulous feline-inspired fashion trends.

Leopard print

It might surpurrise you to know that leopard print – as a fashion statement – dates all the way back to Ancient Egypt. Its history is so extensive that it prompted Jo Weldon to write a book, Fierce: The History of Leopard Print, chronicling the origins and evolution of the style. According to Weldon, “Leopard motifs – and feline imagery in general – have been used to signify power, independence, and confidence for centuries.” This, of course, comes as no surprise, as these spotty big cats are fierce, resilient and brilliant animals.

You can even find the Ancient Egyptian goddess of wisdom, Seshat, wearing a leopard hide in Egyptian steles (stone slabs, basically) dated 2530BC - talk about timeless fashion! During the 18th and 19th centuries, leopard furs signified wealth and status, and the print became mainstream in the 20th century with the evolution of mass production and printing techniques. It’s a trend that has been seen on people of all styles and statuses, from Eartha Kitt and Elizabeth Taylor to Michelle Obama and Beyoncé. Leopard print remains one of the most enduring and relevant fashion trends of all time. When did you last wear some?

Hello Kitty

One of the most famous kitties in the world has got to be Hello Kitty. The fictional character and brand is valued at £64 billion, and ranks as the second-highest-grossing media franchise of all time, behind Pokémon. Of course, everyone who lives with a moggie knows that cats rule the household, but this one seems to be ruling the fashion world, too! Hello Kitty first appeared on the scene way back in 1974, and was created for Sanrio by Yuko Shimizu, a Japanese designer. She’s since made her way into aeroplanes and onto clothing, jewellery and accessories, games, books, music albums, an anime series and a number of other product lines and media productions. You go, Kitty!

Makeup and accessories

Ancient Egypt honoured cats, and leopard print wasn’t the only lasting feline-inspired trend to have originated from this mystical ancient civilisation. Cleopatra was perhaps the first fashion icon to don “cat-eye” makeup, and the look has only become more iconic since. Cats are revered for their incredible eyes and captivating stare, so it’s no wonder that people try to recreate the enigmatic look with makeup. Brands such as Maybelline, alongside supermodels like Twiggy, brought the look back in fashion in the 1950s, and every stylish woman has shown it off since.

Cat-eye glasses first became trendy in the 1950s and 1960s, and the same shape has seen a re-emergence through designer sunglasses in recent years. The distinctive shape is popular among alternative fashionistas such as Lady Gaga and Kat Von D. (You can even wear cat-eye contact lenses… if you like freaking people out!)

The list, however, doesn’t even begin to show signs of stopping there. From bags, socks and sweaters to beanies, keyrings and mobile phone covers, there is an unlimited amount of cat-inspired accessories on the market, ready to have you purring with delight.

Halloween costumes

After witches and vampires, cat costumes are undoubtedly the number-one choice for almost every woman’s go-to sexy Halloween costume! Throw on a ridiculously tight black outfit, some cute ears, cat-eye makeup and whiskers, and you’ve got yourself one of the most popular, reliable, classic Halloween outfits ever. (And it’s much easier than all that special-effects makeup, if you ask us.)

Modelling and adverts

From Instagram filters featuring kitty ears and whiskers (don’t pretend you haven’t seen them!), to editorial campaigns from some of the world’s most iconic brands, cats have popped up just about everywhere in the fashion industry.

Miu Miu featured hand-drawn illustrations of cats in its 2010 Spring/Summer collection, and those cute fluff balls also made an appearance in the brand’s 2019 Autumn/Winter campaign. A lion was featured alongside Gucci Models in the Spring/Summer 2017 collection; Stella McCartney’s Pre-Fall 2016 campaign and lookbook starred Perla the Persian, ragdoll Tobia and Adaline the sphinx; and a small black cat appeared in Ami’s 2019 Autumn/Winter campaign. So, all in all, cats are making their presence known in the fashion world, as they have for millennia – who knows when their next catwalk appearance will be!

Find feline-inspired online bingo and slot games at Kitty Bingo

Now that we’ve reviewed the best cat-inspired fashion, there’s no doubt you’re in the mood to play the best feline-inspired slots online. With games such as Cleopatra and Fluffy Favourites, you’re in for a kitty-inspired treat! Of course, for those seeking some playful (numbered) balls, there are plenty of bingo games to choose from, too, not to mention Slingo. Find all this pawsome action and more at Kitty Bingo.