Welcome back to the official Gem Steady blog! Today we celebrate the fifth edition of Who-What-Wear-Wednesday, and we are dedicating this post to a woman who was much more than just a glamorous celebrity.

Today we celebrate Eartha Mae Kitt. You may know Eartha as the stunning songstress behind the beloved Christmas tune, Santa Baby, or as the fierce feline who played Catwoman in the final season of the Batman television series. The gorgeous entertainer was of Cherokee, African-American, and German descent. She had wide brown cat-like eyes that could stare right through you. The moment she grinned, her enormous dimples emerged fro her to-die-for cheekbones. She walked with poise and grace, and she spoke in a way that made her seem much taller than her 5’2 frame. Eartha was more than a celebrity. She was a powerhouse.

Eartha came into this world with less than ideal surroundings. She was born in North Carolina to a mother who gave her up, and she did not know her father. Eartha faced tremendous hardship as a young girl living in the south in the ‘30s. Her diverse heritage made her the target of abuse and neglect from most all of the people in her life. Too concerned with outer appearances, the world had not yet experienced Eartha’s many talents.

Eartha was sent to live with her aunt at the age of nine. As she stepped off of the train, Eartha was immediately immersed into a new world of opportunity. She had much more freedom and privilege to express herself in Harlem, and she was hired by a dance company to tour Europe with like-minded talent. While touring in Paris, France, Kitt was discovered by legendary director Orson Welles. He adored the bright-young exotic beauty and he directed her in one of his productions. Welles famously called Eartha Kitt, “the most exciting woman in the world.”

Eartha loved mingling with sophisticated, intelligent, and aristocratic people. She once sat with Albert Einstein for hours at Princeton, and she was never afraid to introduce herself to someone she found interesting. She became acquainted with the Queen of England, Marilyn Monroe, and Lady Bird Johnson.

Eartha exuded confidence and she loved being at peace with nature, hence her unique first name. Even as a famous actress in Beverly Hills, she raised chickens and had a large vegetable garden. She shunned processed foods, and raised her daughter Kitt(you can guess how she came up with that name) on healthy, organic foods. She was truly connected to the earth.

Her sense of self-awareness carried over into her style. Eartha Kitt was not shy when it came to her taste in fashion. She loved wearing animal prints, statement jewelry, and glamorous gowns that accentuated her petite curves. She twirled around on the stage in flouncey skirts, and feathered tops. She donned high-waisted shorts and tee-shirts on casual days. She pounced onto the set of Batman in her shiny body-hugging kitty suit.

Her hair was often set into perfectly shaped curls, or wrapped in a delicate scarf. She often experimented with makeup. She wore heavy cat-eye liner, and dark maroon lips some days. Other days, she only wore a coat of mascara. Any way she presented herself to the world, Eartha looked amazing.

Even in Eartha’s later years, she remained glamorous as ever. Her striking beauty carried over to her daughter Kitt, who has the same wide eyes, and flawless smile as her mother did.

In addition to being a stand-out star, Eartha Kitt was extremely charitable. She supported artists, and helped to open schools for children in South Africa. She also had a few rare talents. She could sing in Turkish, German, and Japanese, and the “purr” she did on the Batman television series became just as iconic as she is. Even though she only appeared in one season of the show, many people view her as the ultimate Catwoman, for obvious reasons.

Eartha Kitt was absolutely one-of-a-kind, with her striking features, unique voice, and calm sensibility. She was never a diva, despite her massive fame. She liked to give advice, and Eartha was full of wisdom. She shined like a star in the night's sky, and she will continue to live on as a role model, and an iconic beauty.

What do you think of Eartha Kitt's rags to riches story? Have you ever watched her as the fierce, and feminine Catwoman on the Batman television series? Let us know in the comments below!

-BB