Instagram is no longer being used for just keeping up with celebrities and taking "selfies." A University of Memphis student is using it to build her new accessory line.
“I posted the earrings on Instagram and people responded saying ‘I want it, I want it,’” said Kristen Bowen, 21, a junior social work major at the University of Memphis.
Bowen's inspiration for the earrings developed from a love of fashion and a habit of rummaging through her grandmother's things.
“I was looking through my grandmother’s jewelry box. I picked up a button and said ‘This is a pretty earring.’ That’s when she told me it wasn't an earring, it went on her suit,” said Bowen.
Bowen said the conversation influenced her grandmother to give her a machine that helps her turn fabric and metal pieces into earrings.
After creating her first pair, she took to Instagram to show off her new hobby.
She received an overwhelming request on the photo, giving Bowen the idea to create Lend Me Your Ears. Bowen said the name was inspired by a monologue she had heard and felt it was catchy enough for her new business.