Katie's story

 

This is where the Fred & Ginger story started. A statement pair of Sportsgirl earrings circa 2003. I was a 16-year-old girl, mesmerised by the accessory wall at my first retail job.

 

You know the one I mean. The big mirrored wall with all the bits: earrings, necklaces, clutch purses, rings, bracelets; the wall that promises to make any old outfit fabulous. Well it was in that moment, gazing up at the beaming accessory wall, that I fell in love with earrings.

 

Soon after, I became the one with the ‘big earrings’. Each 'pay day' I would shop the latest and greatest, parading my new purchases around the local shopping centre, school yard and my parent’s lounge room. Alongside my bestie Amber, we bought every single earring they had and these ones pictured above were the first! To this day they are still on rotation amongst my Fred & Ginger pieces.

 

For me, when it comes to earrings, the bigger, more colourful, glittery and sparkly — the better! It’s a way for me to express my personality and for a shy girl from Newcastle NSW who has moved all around the place, this has been a really good thing. I wear my earrings everywhere, from the most corporate of offices to the most industrial of workplaces. I think it’s safe to say, I am known as ‘the earring girl’ around the office; now I get to say… I made them!

 

You never have to ‘fit’ into your earrings. You’re never the wrong shape to wear earrings and you’re never ‘dieting’ down to squeeze into your earrings.

 

In the midst of #metoo #shesmorethanwhatshewears and #embraceyourbody movements, I’ve come to realise why I focussed in so much on the accessory wall all those years ago as opposed to the latest cropped white pant or bolero combo (don’t worry, I had both and rocked them well). I’m making these beautiful pieces because they cut through all that negative self-talk (we need to stop) and put an instant pep in your step.

 

To me, earrings are armour, giving you the lift to nail this thing we call life. They are the equivalent of the Amy Cuddy power pose for me (if you haven’t seen this TED Talk watch it), and I hope that they are for you too.

 

Fred & Ginger has been years in the making – 16 to be exact! For 13 of those years I have been supported by someone I want you to know about, Jeremy. His fingers are calloused from peeling and drilling acrylic and he accepts he is not allowed near the pretty wrapping. He operates a Dremel (the thing you use to drill fine holes in acrylic) like nobody’s business and tries to understand why red and pale pink is a winning combo (it is)! He is the biggest champion of me and I am so grateful to have him by my side.

 

I hope you like our pieces as much as we do.

Katie

 

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