Mode Around the Globe: Carolina Freixa
@carolinafreixa
Photography by KATIE MEDOWAY
Wardrobe by AGUA BENDITA
Location HOTEL MEREVA TULUM
Tulum, Mexico
How did you begin your career?
It all started during COVID when I was a full-time nanny living in Philadelphia. I was a nanny to the cutest little boy ever during my gap year to grad school. I never really knew
what I wanted to do but I graduated with an undergrad in Speech Therapy and was working towards my Graduate degree. Then COVID came and like everyone else in the world, I had nothing better to do than be on my phone scrolling through TikTok. I started making fashion videos while the baby was sleeping and after work because it was so much fun. Those videos started to go viral and I grew a following rapidly so I kept doing it but didn’t really think much about it. I made videos on different ways to wear a piece of clothing and a lot of affordable fashion since I did not have any money to be spending on clothes with my nanny salary. After about a month of consistent videos, I gained a following and brands started to reach out to work together. I will never forget my first brand deal which was with Princess Polly, they gave me free clothes in exchange for a video and I cried happy tears. After about a year I started to get paid consistently for my brand deals so at that point I moved to Miami and started making content full time. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my biggest support system which is my family as well as my followers. I have never been happier than The place I am now and I get to do what I love everyday because of them.
How do you hope to inspire people through your social media platform? What can your followers expect to see when visiting your social media page(s)?
I hope to be an inspiration for people who want to dress fashion forward and trendy without breaking the bank. When I first started on TikTok I was living in Philly and could barely pay my rent. So I started making videos for girls who also love fashion but don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on clothes. I love making videos showing multiple different ways to wear a piece of clothing, how to recreate expensive designer outfits for someone on a budget, and affordable trendy fashion finds.
What do you predict will be the biggest trends this fall/winter?
There are so many fun trends happening this fall including off-the-shoulder tops/sweaters, pops of the color red, and my current favorite which is ballet flats.
Which Agua Bendita swimsuit was your favorite to wear in Tulum?
My favorite swimsuit from Agua Bendita that I got to wear in Tulum would have to be the Lolita top and Alegria Bottoms. This bikini is a work of art. Not only is the floral pattern and hand stitched embroidery is stunning, but it’s the most flattering bikini I’ve ever put on my body. Absolutely obsessed!
What did you love the most about your experience staying at Mereva Tulum?
Although the hotel was absolutely beautiful, I have to say the staff just made my experience unforgettable. They truly went above and beyond with service and how polite they all were. I will absolutely be recommending this hotel to my friends and family!
What was the highlight of your trip to Tulum with Agua Bendita and Modeliste?
The highlight of my trip was meeting all of the amazing people that went on the trip with me. It was a bit nerve racking going on a trip with people I’ve never met before, but once I got there we all clicked instantly. The other influencer girls, the photographer and videographer and the wonderful girls who work for Modeliste Magazine were all so genuine and so much fun to be with. I definitely made lifelong friendships through this trip.
Any upcoming travel plans you’re looking forward to?
I do have a super exciting family trip coming up to the south of France! My family consists of my parents, my 3 brothers and me and since we all don’t live together anymore I
don’t see them as often as I’d like to. Although, I’m sure my brothers will find a way to get on my nerves at some point, I’m very excited to spend this quality time with all of them.
What’s your go-to airport look? Essentials to pack in a carry-on?
My go-to airport look is always a matching sweat set. She never fails me. Sweat sets are super comfy while still looking put together. I am also always cold on airplanes so I love
feeling cozy and warm in my sweatshirt and sweatpants. My favorite sweat sets are from Aritzia because the quality is just so good and they fit so well.
Girls night in or Girls night out?
Depends on the day. I love to get dressed up and go to dinner and drinks with my girls but I also love to stay in, keep my comfy sweats on, order in sushi and watch movies while we gossip.
What’s a typical work week like for you? Any advice for staying productive throughout the week?
I work 24/7. There’s absolutely no days off in the content creating world. Even if I don’t post that day I will still be thinking and writing down ideas, getting inspo, tending to emails, or editing photos and videos. Content creating is not for the weak, you have to be very self-motivated because you are your own boss. While it is amazing to be able to create your own schedule, you have to be disciplined because your success depends on your hard work.
What’s your go-to makeup routine? Any products you’d recommend for our Modeliste readers?
I honestly don’t spend too much time on my skincare routine. The couple steps that I do daily would be washing my face, using tretinoin cream mixed with moisturizer and then top it off with SPF 50 in the mornings. I highly recommend tretinoin cream at a very low dose because it helps to clear acne, make your pores smaller and has many anti-aging effects. It does tend to dry out your skin which is why I mix a tiny bit with my face moisturizer. My favorite face cream is the Embryolisse face cream and my fav SPF is the Supergoop one! Highly recommend them both!
What’s something your followers would be surprised to know about you?
I think my followers would be surprised to find out that I grew up in Toronto, Canada. I absolutely love Toronto and growing up there was so much fun. My whole family moved
down south to Florida after I graduated high school. I went to the University of South Florida in Tampa, then lived in Philly for about 2 years after I graduated and now I live in Miami. Although Toronto will always be home, I really appreciate being close to my family as well as winters in Miami. Those Toronto winters are brutal!
Where do you gain inspiration for content? Any tips & tricks you’d like to share for those inspiring to have a career like your own?
A lot of my outfit inspiration comes from Pinterest. Pinterest is my favorite app to use because it shows endless outfit inspos. I could scroll through it for hours. It’s very helpful
when I have a piece of clothing I want to wear but not sure how to style it, so I go to pinterest and look up “Jean skirt outfits” for example, and hundreds of outfit pics will pop up with
jean skirts so I can take outfit inspo from them all to create my own outfit.
What makes you different from other content creators?
I think my fashion hacks are what makes me stand out the most from other creators. I see a ton of girls on TikTok that have amazing style and creative videos but I try to stay with my niche of affordable fashion so that girls come to me and follow me for this. I love getting
creative with clothes and love sharing these fun ideas with my followers.
What would you like to say to your fans/followers?
I truly appreciate each and every single one of you and how much you guys support me. I really wouldn’t be where I am today without all of your love. You are the reason I keep
making content and living my dreams so I can’t even put into words how much you all mean to me. Thank you so much for believing in me and supporting me throughout the last few years! I love you all!
