How will Mica Perez, creator of Sin Faja, celebrate her upcoming birthday? With a hilarious and often poignant IG feed, nearly 20K followers, and most importantly self-love and authenticity. What started in the summer of 2018, during a low time in Perez’s life, has turned into a positive force for the many Latinas who tune in for their daily dose of Sin Faja shenanigans.
Perez is proud of her Gordi Chula identity and after struggling for many years with low self esteem and an eating disorder, Perez has finally come to a place where she not only loves herself, but celebrates what makes her different. Lucky for us, she has brought us all along for the ride.
I sat down with Perez to talk about self-love, her success, and what comes next for her and Sin Faja.
What does Sin Faja mean and why did you decide to have that as your Instagram handle?
Sin Faja literally means “no girdle,” but to me it means living your most authentic, comfortable self. While in Los Angeles in 2018, I met with my friend Luis Octavio who I told I wanted to create something funny and authentic. He said, “dude yes, call it Sin Faja!” When I was on the plane traveling back to San Antonio, I started a Gmail, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts with the Sin Faja name. I wish I could say I am active on all these social media accounts, pero no! Instagram is my home base.
What was going on in your life at the time you created Sin Faja?
I was unemployed and depressed, honestly. I needed to create something to look forward to and man, I had no idea it would be what it is today.
Gordi Chula – why was it important for you to bring that to the forefront and why do you think Latinas have embraced it?
I have had an eating disorder since 5th grade and being called gorda was a normal term that I would be bullied with. Not only was I already hating myself, I was also having to feel the hate from others.
It truly wasn’t until I was DONE hating myself and starting LOVING myself that I embraced much more than the term, but my own body. I think we are just living in a time where we are tired of trying so hard to fit into a mold.
Now that you’ve made Gordi Chula so popular – how will you keep moving it forward?
What I can say is I will continue to be my authentic self, make tees people relate to, and try not to take things so seriously. I lead with love and laughter – that is just the vibe I try to give out.
Social media and Instagram in particular are so curated. Your followers see you just being you – was that a conscious decision to keep it real from the beginning or did you evolve into that?
Honestly, I think in the beginning I tried too hard. I noticed myself not posting or sharing things, because I worried about how I would be perceived. I had to check in and reminded myself that this brand is mine and what others think is not going to make or break me. The ones that vibe with me and what I have to say will follow and stay, period.
Your relationship with Brenda is a part of your account – were you comfortable displaying that relationship from the beginning? What has the response from your followers been like?
Everyone loves Brenda and at first, I think I just showed every moment without truly thinking about the pros and cons. People say the sweetest things about us, but I would also have people asking for advice or giving me unsolicited advice. All of that came with a lot of emotional baggage that I wasn’t prepared for, so I am mindful of protecting myself and my relationship, while still being authentic. I have learned how to tame it down and set boundaries.
What can we look forward to next from Sin Faja?
Well, I turn 40 in a few months and feel like my life is taking a shift for sure! I am also balancing Sin Faja and being a full-time teacher, I am adulting so hard these days. I would definitely like to do some more tees, speaking engagements, and maybe self- love workshops. Whatever is set for me God will provide and I am here for the ride!
Cover Photo by: @missnenaa.
All other photos courtesy of @sin.faja
Texas Chingona 
When I started my brand a few months ago, I started following a few badass Latinas that I never knew existed! Sin Faja immediately became my favorite, probably because she is the most relatable to me. I have enjoyed her authenticity & hilarious commentary. She definitely gives me chingona vibes and a zero f’s given attitude, I love it! Thank you for this article & thank you Mica for sharing a part of yourself with strangers like me.
That’s amazing to hear! Mica makes Sin Faja relatable to so many and that is why she’s got a loyal audience. Thank you for reading the article and for your comment!
I miss her alot. She was a staple on my feed. I hope she is doing okay.