Style & Travel Influencer Carol Li

Thank you so much for having me on SimplySxy. It’s an absolute pleasure to be featured on your platform. I recently graduated from the Honors Business Administration program at Ivey Business School and am currently pursuing my CPA designation through Ivey’s graduate diploma program in accounting. I was born in Beijing, China and moved to Canada with my parents when I was 7 years old. I am so grateful to both of them for the opportunities they have given me and their love and endless support.

Where do you get your fashion inspiration from?

It’s interesting you ask because I feel like my style changes with the seasons! During the summer, I usually opt for colourful dresses or plain shorts and a top with sandals or sneakers, whereas, in the winter, I tend to steer towards neutral tones and solid colours. Recently, I have been obsessed with long jackets and coats so I love throwing one over any outfit.

I also go through way too many pairs of heeled booties to admit. If I had to describe my ideal style, it would have to be business casual since I just love how sleek and effortless it looks for every occasion. While I follow a variety of style bloggers, I would say that my biggest style inspiration is Chriselle Lim.

Are there any quotes or mottos you like to use or resonate strongly with you?

This is a hard question to answer as there are so many quotes that I resonate with. However, if I were to accumulate my favourite mottos into one phrase, it would be to “step outside of your comfort zone, wander often, express gratitude, and stay true to yourself.”

Which is a memorable travel experience (good or bad) you have had before?

I would say that my most memorable travel experience took place last August during a road trip to Boston. The first night I arrived, a friend who I had planned to meet up with for a late dinner cancelled at the last minute and instead sent his friend to drive me back to my Airbnb. By then, it was already 11pm and rather than wander around the deserted subway station, I decided to head to the washroom, which seemed safer.

I was mindlessly scrolling through my phone when a woman asked me, “Do you like my necklace?” While I was a little caught off guard, I told her, “Yes, it’s really beautiful.” From that point onwards, this stranger shared with me her entire life story. She said that the necklace was a gift from her fiance who had gotten them in return for trading in a pack of cigarettes. She talked about her parents’ divorce when she was 13 years old, her close relationship with her dad, and how she fell in with the wrong crowd after her dad left.

She opened up about the struggles she faced growing up as a light-skinned half black half white woman and never being able to fit in with either side. She revealed that she had recently overdosed after getting out of rehab and used the medication that saved her to save someone else. We both talked about how the education system only tells you not to do drugs or drink alcohol but it doesn’t tell you how to stop once you start.

When she brought up how her previous boyfriends had abused her, I asked, “Does your fiance do any of those things to you?” She beamed and chuckled as she said, “ He doesn’t, and if he does, my sons wouldn’t let him.” She shared about her dreams of opening up her own coffee shop one day after having worked at Dunkin’ Donuts for the past ten years. As I was leaving to meet my friend’s friend, she told me that if I ever needed help, I could go find her around this area. Even though our conversation probably lasted for less than an hour, it felt as if I had known her for so much longer. This experience was my first time opening up so freely to a stranger and having such a raw conversation with someone I just met. Never would I have expected that my night, which started out with disappointment, could lead to such a meaningful conversation with this incredible woman who filled my heart with warmth, hope, and affection.

What have you always wanted to do but have yet to find the time for it?

I have always wanted to pursue photography. When I was in high school, I was the photographer for my school newspaper and I absolutely loved being able to capture the world through the lens of my camera. To me, photography has always been a way to showcase how I see the world. After I started University, my time was occupied by other priorities such as school, extracurriculars, and social activities and as such, I rarely touched my camera. Recently, I decided to start photography again and I’m looking forward to seeing where it will take me!

If you can have a super power, what will it be?

I would love to have the super power of teleportation! If I could teleport wherever I want whenever I want, I would be able to travel the world and visit all of the destinations on my travel bucket list while still making it on time for morning class.

Are you more of a morning person or night owl?

I am definitely more of a night owl! I feel a lot more energized at night and I love going for strolls or adventures in the evenings. Mornings are always a struggle for me since I’d much rather snooze my alarms and stay under the warm covers of my blankets than get out of bed.

What turns you off on a date?

I think the biggest turn off for me is when the person whom I’m meeting has nothing to say. While I am someone who can always find a story to tell or some topic to discuss, I don’t want the date to be all about me. I want to hear my date tell about his stories, thoughts, and experiences and have the conversation flow easily between the two of us.

I love learning from whoever I am with and I don’t want to be the only person talking during the date since I know everything about myself! If my date and I can talk for hours without running out of topics to discuss, then I’d consider that a great date!

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions Carol. One question before we end, how do you define “sexy”? 

To me, sexy is embodied in confidence. I don’t think a person’s age, race, or gender matters if they are confident in themselves. If a person is able to own who they are and be confident in what they do, then that is my definition of sexy.

Follow the amazing Carol Li on:

Instagram: @_carolli_

A few fitness and apparel companies have reached out to me regarding promotional collaborations for their products. I am currently working on producing content for these collaborations and I can’t wait to release them in the upcoming months!

Images from Carol Li

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