Final answer:
In Brazil, appearance is a marker of class, reflecting access to cultural and economic resources. Historical economic structures like sugar plantations and social markers such as the complexion have influenced class hierarchy, and beauty marks like chiqueadores indicated European status.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Alexander Edmonds, appearance is a marker of class in Brazil. In societies such as Brazil, class distinctions often manifest through visible signs, including the way people dress, the type of housing they can afford, and the vehicles they drive. Class traits reflect not only an individual's economic status but also their access to cultural capital and resources. In Brazilian history, economic structures like the sugar plantations have historically contributed to defining social hierarchies, with the senhores de engenho at the top. The complexion was a significant social marker that, combined with family ties and wealth, shaped one's position within the class system.