Fashion Influencer Moms on Instagram: Exploration of Their Affective Labor and Self-Presentation Practices

This study explores how fashion influencer moms (FIMs) navigate the intersection of motherhood and fashion within the social media landscape. Drawing upon theories of affective labor and self-presentation, we examine the online community these women built as a means of self-care and creating access to fashion for themselves and others. Participants were recruited using a social media hashtag sampling method. Subsequent semi-structured interviews with 16 micro-influencers were analyzed using a thematic approach. Findings revealed that FIMs leverage social media to maintain a sense of self by engaging in affective labor practices such as belongingness, authenticity, and solidarity. Through their self-presentation, these influencers offer confidence and style tips that reflect contemporary trends in mom fashion. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the social media influencer phenomenon by considering new generations of mothers as influential consumers and marketers within the fashion industry.