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A fan of tight skirts, deep necklines and flashy make-up, model, businesswoman and influencer Marcela Carrasco introduces herself in her videos as fubanga - a term capable of generating both prejudice and enthusiasm.
For decades, it has been used in a derogatory and discriminatory way, to label women "careless", "poorly dressed", "vulgar" and "tacky".
But for Marcela and some of her 460,000 followers on the web, the slang has turned around and become synonymous with boldness, confidence and empowerment.
The 28-year-old from São Paulo is one of the main voices of fubangacore, a trend that has spread on the web and in pop culture, exalting the style and personality of hyperbolic women.
Current icons of this wave include singer Anitta and the character Roxelle, from TV Globo's soap opera "Volta por cima".
Played by actress Isadora Cruz, the character smashes society in the face with her maximalist outfits, which include low-cut tights, denim boots and lots of see-through clothing.
"Fubanga challenges a standard, polished world," says Marcela, who treats fubangacore as both an aesthetic and a political movement.
"It's gaining momentum on the web because it goes against the grain, embraces its own identity and wants to be valued for who it is. I, for example, did everything my way to get where I am, and that's why I want to dress the way I want, empower myself the way I want and be hot the way I want"
Periguette precursors
As a reference, the businesswoman cites some personalities who "live their aesthetic and don't care", such as English singer Charlie XCX or Italian-American actress and model Julia Fox.
In Brazil, she points to the famous periguetes from soap operas of the 2000s, such as Bebel from "Paraíso tropical" (2007)...




