The weight of appearance: Aesthetic, moral and social norms of ‘looking good’

This article examines how implicit dress codes shape social, moral and political dynamics in Santiago, Chile, focusing on ‘looking good’ as a situated and embodied practice. Through qualitative research, including interviews with fat and non-fat consumers and professionals in the fashion industry, the study reveals how unspoken norms prioritize conformity and invisibility. These norms create a homogenized aesthetic dominated by neutral and dark colours, where blending in takes precedence over individuality. The research examines the experiences of fat individuals who self-identify as such to show how these norms impose expectations they cannot meet. Structural barriers, such as the lack of aesthetic clothing, render adherence to these expectations materially impossible, leading to social exclusion and marginalization. Fat individuals’ experiences expose how dress codes function as mechanisms of control, reinforcing conformity and punishing those who deviate. Their inability to conform makes visible the hidden violence and exclusion embedded in these everyday practices. Framed by Entwistle’s concept of dress as a ‘situated bodily practice’ and Foucault’s theory of subjectification, the study shows how aesthetic norms regulate behaviour, shape identity and embed social hierarchies. By focusing on fat individuals, this research underscores the exclusionary nature of dress codes and calls for further exploration of how these norms intersect with other identity markers, such as gender, race and class, to understand their broader social implications better.