Fashioning Identity: Political and Social Implications of Fashion for Zimbabwean Migrants amid Rising Anti-Immigrant Sentiment in South Africa

Fashion as a visual marker of identity influences social belonging, acceptance, or exclusion, especially in South Africa, where anti-immigrant sentiments are on the rise. This study explores how Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa respond to the challenges posed by heightened anti-migrant sentiments, particularly focusing on how fashion shapes their visibility and vulnerability. I argue that, while various methods identify foreigners, fashion plays a key role in how migrants are profiled and targeted by both the public and immigration authorities. Deploying social constructivism, I analyse how Zimbabwean migrants' clothing choices influence their perceived sense of belonging and otherness, shaping their life experiences. I adopt a qualitative approach, utilizing visual content analysis of images, captions, and textual posts on Facebook and Twitter to explore how clothing choices affect social inclusion and exclusion among Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa. I explore comments and images from Zimbabwean migrants that link fashion with their identity and examine how they caution one another about local communities' perceptions and constructions of foreignness based on appearance. This paper illustrates how anti-immigrant sentiments in South Africa are expressed through clothing, highlighting the ways in which dress distinguishes foreigners from locals. It offers insights into the social and cultural factors that underpin exclusion, concluding that clothing is not merely a personal choice but a political and social statement that affects one's safety and legal status. In this context, migrants enhance their safety by using fashion to minimize markers of foreignness and leveraging social media to share advice on safe clothing choices. Additionally, it raises awareness of diverse migrant experiences and offers insights into how migrants are perceived and perceive themselves in digital spaces, thereby enhancing the understanding of migration beyond traditional political and economic frameworks and bridging cultural studies, migration studies, fashion, and digital ethnography.