Entre(Linhas) do Poder: uma análise das indumentárias de Janja Silva e Michelle Bolsonaro como elementos de construção de gênero na política

Abstract

This study analyzes the construction and (re)signification of the image of the Brazilian First Lady through the clothing choices of Rosângela Lula da Silva (Janja) and Michelle Bolsonaro, understanding fashion as a social language and communicative practice capable of producing meanings about gender, power, and politics. It is grounded in the assumption that clothing not only shapes public appearance but also actively contributes to the formation of political imaginaries and the consolidation of symbolic legitimacy. The research covers the period from 2019 to 2025, marked by intense political polarization in Brazil, a context in which the visual performances of First Ladies gained centrality on digital social media. Adopting a qualitative approach rooted in Cultural Studies, the study examines posts published on their official Instagram profiles, particularly those related to highly visible events, in order to understand how visual narratives about femininity and power are articulated. Methodologically, the study is based on the creation of image panels inspired by the Atlas Mnemosyne by Aby Warburg and its reinterpretation by Georges Didi-Huberman, highlighting symbolic survivals and dialogues across different temporalities. The findings reveal recurrences, tensions, and shifts in the aesthetic choices of Janja and Michelle, understood as strategies that contribute to shaping imaginaries about women’s place in the political sphere. The study concludes that fashion operates as a strategic component of contemporary political communication, functioning as an arena of symbolic dispute and contributing to the reconfiguration of the figure of the First Lady in Brazil.