Flowers of modesty: the pretext of conservative catholic dress

Abstract

This study is based on an investigation of young women from the new Catholic right movement who publicize modest fashion on blogs and vlogs in Brazil. It intends to demonstrate that adherence to a radical right-wing religious movement is related to the appropriation of a fringe of the Catholic religion for not only religious purposes, but also for political ideology and cultural affiliation. Religion would serve as a cultural repertoire, as a dynamic toolkit of skills and styles, from which young women build their forms of political action. These young women who have chosen to join the Catholic far right celebrate their beliefs rather than what their beliefs say. They seem to base the validity of their religiosity on their spiritual reputation rather than on their spiritual power, hence the importance of appearance and marks of distinction.