Zesty Interview with Embellished Curves

Hey Zesty Babes,

Guess what, I’ve got something super special for you! I’m so excited to bring you my interview with an up & coming Australian jewellery designer.

Tracie from Embellished Curves is breaking down barriers with her jewellery designed specifically for plus sizes and I’m loving it! Tracie crafts her bracelets by hand in her studio in sunny Queensland, read on to find out more.                                     

Hey there Tracie, welcome to the Zesty Babes Tribe! I’ve gotta say, I’m dying to know how you got started in Jewellery Design! Tell us about your background and what inspired you to become a plus-size jewellery designer?

Jewellery has interested me since my early teens. I love the colour, the movement and I love original pieces. After working for years in an industrial setting I became quite unhappy because I wasn’t nurturing my creative side. I personally believe that happiness is a choice and if you aren’t in a great place, then change what you can to make it better. In my case I was working in a construction role that finished, so I had the time to finally chase my dream. I had been taking silversmithing lessons for a while and started to make myself some jewellery because I simply could not find any that fit me. I then found a resin course and I was hooked. The serendipity of the results just intrigues me. So it was a simple choice to share my passion with other plus size women who miss out on jewellery because we don’t fit societal norms. We are plus sized but we definitely deserve the right to wear cool jewellery.

You are definitely right. Do you actually make those amazing resin bangles and beaded bracelets yourself, or do you have a factory that makes them for you?

I make the beaded bracelets and the resin bangles, so they are proudly Made in Australia.                                                                  

I can’t believe you make those yourself! I really love these bracelets with the green and white, they're so gorgeous and beachy, I think I need a few of those! So, do you need a lot of special equipment when you make the resin bangles, and is it really messy?

Resin can be messy if I am clumsy and spill it everywhere and it requires extra care to make sure I don’t breathe it in while sanding it to a fine finish. Once the pieces are finished though, they are perfectly safe to breathe and safe on your skin. Somehow I always seem to end up with pigment (colour) on my face, on my clothes and all over my bench. Thankfully I have a dedicated jewellery studio in my house and all my silversmithing and resin work is done in there. This keeps the mess down.                                        

I love those resin bangles and all the different effects you can do with them. I've gotta ask, have you ever had a jewellery making mishap, like accidentally superglue your fingers together, or shoot beads across the room? I know I would if I tried it!

All the time. I often make my beaded bracelets while I am watching TV. I swear if anyone needs any extra beads in their bracelets (and we do resize for free!) then the spare beads are under my couch.

When I make my resin bangles I had quite a few mishaps in my learning phase. Resin absolutely hates humidity and I live in a very hot climate. If I forget to put the air con on because I am acclimated I soon know because the bracelets look like mini volcanic eruptions. Thankfully I have more experience now and rarely forget the air con.

What's your take on the way that curvy and plus-size women are portrayed in the media and in the fashion industry?

I think it’s terrible how we’re treated as invisible. I am glad it seems to be moving forward and I absolutely applaud countries like France where models have to at least meet a minimum size before they can work. I certainly think it has a long way to go, but one step at a time!!

I love this shot of our gorgeous model Cloey wearing your jewellery in our photoshoot, it really looked amazing and everyone on the shoot loved your pieces!

Alright, imagine the fashion industry is reading this, what would you say to them?

Fat does not equal ugly. We deserve more than ugly granny dresses in drab fabrics. I think they should take an honest look at their stock and ask themselves would they wear it or would they dress their daughters or mothers in that outfit? I once sent a letter to a major Australian department store congratulating them on providing the ugliest range of swimwear I had ever seen. I never did receive a reply!!!

That is awesome, I wish I had seen them open that letter!! Good on you. What advice would you give to other curvy women about looking good and feeling fierce?

Just own it. Wear what you like. Wear that colourful outfit and stop dressing yourself in black in an attempt to look a few grams skinnier. Your best looks come from your style and your smile. My favourite jacket was lime green. I loved wearing it, I enjoyed the looks and the comments. I wore it so much it actually wore out.

That is great advice there, you’re so right. So, what's your favourite thing to do on the weekend?

My husband and I actually own a sapphire claim on the Central Queensland Gemfields. We love to go out there and mine for the big one. The Central Queensland sapphires come in all colours of the rainbow and we get a lot of green sapphires and part colours on our mine. We have found some beautiful stones and hope to find more. Perhaps they’ll make their way into my designs in the future.

I have to say, I’ve never seen plus size jewellery before so this is pretty exciting! I’m gonna be ordering a tonne of them for Christmas presents (ssh…maybe some for myself too)! What sizes do your designs come in, and can you customise them - what if I needed a bigger size?

All of Embellished Curve’s beaded bracelets are resizeable, all you have to do is let me know when you go through Check Out your perfect size and I will make it absolutely perfect. I love the beaded styles but have always hated how it looks like beads are missing or the bracelet has to stretch too far and then it breaks.

The resin bracelets aren’t resizeable unfortunately as they’re a solid bracelet, however designs are available with internal diameters of 7cm, 7.5cm and 8cm. Each resin bangle is truly unique as you never quite know how the resin will react.

Our rings are available in sizes from R3/4 (Size 9) to Z1 (Size 13). These rings are a mix of silver or fashion jewellery and can’t be resized.

So, which celebrity would you love to have a cocktail with, and which cocktail would you guys have?

The answer to this can only be an espresso martini – it’s your upper and downer in one glass so keeps you very balanced LOL. As for which celebrity would I like to spend time with that is a tough one, as the answer would change every day. Today I think it would be Rebel Wilson as she is an inspirational woman and seems like she’d be fun to hang out with.

Awesome choice, I love it!! So, if our Zesty Babes Tribe members wanted to get their hands on some of your amazing designs, where can we find them?

The easiest way is to go direct to our website at www.embellishedcurves.com. We are also on Instagram @_embellishedcurves and have a facebook page.

Occasionally you may see me pop up at the plus size markets in Brisbane, don’t be shy come and try things on. I know we get used to thinking jewellery won’t fit, so we don’t even bother to look, but Embellished Curves wants to change that!

Thank you so much Tracie for chatting to the Zesty Babes Tribe!!

For some beautiful and affordable jewellery inspiration, follow Embellished Curves on Instagram or Facebook at the links above.

Comment below which one was your favourite!