Racismo na moda e a pressão estética: a representatividade de mulheres negras e seus estilos de expressão

Abstract

Fashion, as a cultural and social expression, holds the power to communicate identities, values, and belonging. However, for Black women, this space often becomes limited by stereotypes that shape and restrict their possibilities of expression. The lack of representation and the imposition of Eurocentric beauty standards contribute to the maintenance of structural racism, which marginalizes Black bodies and aesthetics, directly affecting identity formation and self-esteem. Given this context, this study aims to analyze how structural racism and aesthetic pressure interfere with representation and with the aesthetic freedom of Black women. This qualitative research was developed based on theoretical contributions from authors such as bell hooks and Carol Barreto, as well as interviews with Black women from Generation Z (ages 18–27), who shared their experiences regarding style, belonging, and self-expression. The results highlight that the fear of judgment and the desire for acceptance still influence the aesthetic choices of these women, revealing both the impacts of racism and the strategies of resistance present in their ways of dressing. The study concludes that, despite the barriers imposed, fashion also emerges as a space for identity reconstruction and affirmation, reinforcing the importance of a more inclusive fashion system — one that is plural and free from limiting standards.