Sex kitten is a term that typically refers to a woman who exhibits a sexually provocative lifestyle or an abundant sexual aggression. The term originated circa 1958, and was used to describe French

French people

The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...

 starlet Brigitte Bardot

Brigitte Bardot

Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot is a French former fashion model, actress, singer and animal rights activist. She was one of the best-known sex-symbols of the 1960s.In her early life, Bardot was an aspiring ballet dancer...

, who appeared in the 1956 film And God Created Woman

And God Created Woman (1956 film)

And God Created Woman is a French drama film directed by Roger Vadim and starring Brigitte Bardot. Though by no means her first film, it is widely recognized as the vehicle that launched Bardot into the public spotlight and immediately created her "sex kitten" persona, making her an overnight...

.

It has also often been used in association with Ann-Margret

Ann-Margret

Ann-Margret Olsson is a Swedish-American actress, singer and dancer whose professional name is Ann-Margret. She became famous for her starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, The Cincinnati Kid, Carnal Knowledge, and Tommy...

, star of the 1964 film Kitten with a Whip

Kitten with a Whip

Kitten with a Whip is a 1959 pulp novel by "Wade Miller", a pseudonym used by the writing team Robert Wade and William Miller. The novel was published by Fawcett's Gold Medal imprint...

. However, it does not always describe the youthful.