Piriguetes e princesas: moda, sexualidade e performances de gênero na sociedade contemporânea

Abstract

This study aims at analyzing the relationship between fashion and sexuality taking as a reference a well-known group of girls called hoochies/bimbo girls. From the different study perspectives, the primary focus was to address the clothing as the starting-point for the analysis, taking into account the relevance that this element assumes for the process of identity construction. The research proposal is to investigate the way feminine clothing style has gained such importance going beyond its material dimension and becoming itself an indication of female behavior. In this sense, the development of concepts such as elegance and vulgarity is approached following a historical and social perspective in the process of construction and perpetuation of unequal and stigmatizing stereotypes. In order to understand the wide array of perspectives taken to perform both the analysis and interpretation of the existing relationship between fashion and sexuality, field research and literature review were used as a methodology. Closely related to cultural issues, hoochies’ fashion is clearly attached to some limits imposed on female body display, pointing out to specific subjects of autonomy and sexual freedom. Likewise it is directly linked to contemporary elements of gender performativity.