There’s only one 5’6, beaming blonde who could make sorority girls sneak out during “dry week” and encourage incoming freshmen to ditch new student convocation: TikTok star Alix Earle.
The 24-year-old social media influencer and podcast host stopped by Gainesville Wednesday afternoon to promote SipMARGS, a popular canned cocktail brand she partnered with in March. Earle took photos, filmed TikToks and chatted with fans in front of a wall of colorful SipMARGS containers.
As Earle’s black SUV pulled up outside popular liquor store Gator Beverage, around 50 students gathered at the door, shaking with anticipation, phones out and ready, showing off their new “SipMARGS Gainesville” hats handed out by Gator Beverage employees and Earle’s assistants. Freshmen ran over in their bright orange “Class of 2029” hoping to catch a glimpse of Earle on her Gainesville trip.
By the way, her favorite flavor is mango.
Influencer Alix Earle takes a selfie with fans outside of Gator Beverage while promoting SIP MARGS on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025.
Students wait outside of Gator Beverage for Influencer Alix Earle on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025.
Earle first made an appearance at the liquor store to meet with exclusive guests, from Gainesville influencers, like 29-year-old Victoria Liu, founder of food blog EatGNV, to representatives from Southern Glazer’s, SipMARGS’s distributing company. Earle served her finest Gator country attire, donning a white tank-top, low-rise True Religion jeans and reptile-print heels.
“It's so wholesome and beautiful here, and it makes me really miss college,” Earle said of UF.
Earle rose to fame during her time studying business administration in marketing at the University of Miami, where she posted “Get Ready With Me” videos on TikTok, known as GRWMs. Her transparency about her acne in college fueled her popularity, with fans praising her relatability. Earle has also achieved success through her podcast, “Hot Mess with Alix Earle,” where she documents her life behind and in front of the camera.
Since her alma mater was not a part of a college town, Earle said, she enjoyed being in Gainesville among SipMARGS’s “target demographic.”
“I think college is really what started it all for me, and what my audience and I bonded over: The shared fun college memories,” she said.
Social Media Influencer Alix Earle walks into Gator Beverage to promote her SIP MARGS margaritas on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025.
Earle has also inspired a new generation of college influencers. Sofia Varon, a 21-year-old UF public relations senior, was among the first to meet with the SipMARGS brand partner. With over 186,000 followers on TikTok, Varon also films GRWM videos showcasing SEC lifestyle at UF.
“I'm gonna be honest, she's probably one of the main reasons why I started doing something [on social media],” Varon said. “That's why I'm so excited to meet her, because she inspired me so much.”
Earle’s ability to manage her life while maintaining her social media “empire” inspired Varon’s own TikTok page, she said, where she posts vlogs and “Day in My Life” videos similar to Earle’s.
Young women in attendance also admired Earle’s authenticity and transparency. Natalia Graulau, a 21-year-old UF nutritional sciences senior, said she resonated with one of the struggles Earle has been most vocal about.
“As a young girl in your 20s, I feel like a lot of us look up to her,” Graulau said. “One of the reasons I look up to her is because I really struggled with acne when I was younger.”
Upon her arrival, Earle received a warm welcome from 41-year-old Gator Bev co-owner Ryan Barnett. Recalling Kendall Jenner’s appearance last year to promote her own beverage brand, 818 Tequila, Barnett said celebrity visits have proved successful in bringing together students and uplifting his business.
“We saw an opportunity to partner with someone who has a wonderful product and also has a strong connection to the student body,” he said.
Gator Bev, Barnett adds, has been an “icon in the building of brands in Florida.” He expects SipMARGS to become a lasting product in their inventory.
After her visit to Gator Bev, Earle headed over to Cantina Añejo in Gainesville’s midtown for dinner. There, she took over the inside bar, serving SipMARGS as fans huddled around like concertgoers at a stage barricade. Students stood on tables and held their cameras high hoping to see the social media star for themselves.
But despite her college-aged audience and “Hot Mess” brand, some students see a different side of Earle. Outside the loud, packed restaurant, 21-year-old UF microbiology senior Aidan Araya-Wolff said Earle is more than just a party girl.
“She’s a great role model and inspires students to have a lot of fun but also lock in when it comes to your future,” he said.
Earle’s final stop in Gainesville was The Swamp Restaurant, where she continued her temporary bartending gig. She and the crowd sang along to Taylor Swift, climbing on chairs and crushing seltzer cans beneath their feet.
The spotlight was diverted for a minute when senior Gators basketball player Micah Handlogten walked in. (It’s hard not to get noticed at over 7 feet tall.) Waitresses took pictures with the athlete and, for a moment, it felt like there were two celebrities in the building.
Girls sporting tank-tops that read “Sip Happens” above a goofy picture of Earle crying, which they got her to recreate. One of them, 23-year-old UF sports management graduate student Natalie Saliwanchik, knew exactly what she’d ask Earle if she had the chance.
“I want her to trademark the phrase ‘sip happens’ and make it one of the slogans for her brand. It exemplifies the fact that things happen and you gotta keep going,” she said.
Earle flew out to Los Angeles the next day, where she’ll launch SipMARGS, visit more colleges and most importantly, begin shooting “Dancing With The Stars” next week.
Contact Isabel Kraby at isabelkraby@ufl.edu. Follow her on X @isabelgkraby.
