Creative, Fashion-Loving Chicago Local: Steph

Meet Stephanie —actor, tour guide, sewist, content creator, and all-around Chicago creative force. We've been fans of Stephanie's colorful, unique style for years, and when she modeled for our recent shoot, we knew we had to share her story on the Mata blog.

From how fashion intersects with theatre to her favorite Chicago hidden gems, Stephanie's multi-passionate energy is as inspiring as her wardrobe.

 Get ready to be inspired by her thoughtful take on personal style, living in Chicago, modeling and the art of living boldly.

Hi! My name is Stephanie Neuerburg, I am an actor, playwright, poet, tour guide, matchmaker, content creator, and sewist originally from the central valley of California, but I've been living in Chicago since 2019!

I feel like I have a million interests and irons in the fire – right now I work three part time jobs plus a hundred other hobbies. I was first introduced to Mata Traders when I started working as a retail associate at Hazel Apparel back in 2019.

For the last four years, I've also been working as an architecture tour guide with Shoreline Sightseeing on the Chicago River, and I love how that job combines my passions for performing, history, and of course the incredible views of our city's skyline and architecture.

Earlier this year, I started a new job with MeetIRL, a Chicago-based, femme- and queer-owned company which hosts events and speed dating for singles of all ages at different venues all around the city. When I'm not working, I'm creating fashion, sewing, and lifestyle content on TikTok and Instagram under my handle @stephneusews, or you can find me at the Green Mill in Uptown at the monthly poetry slam and performing with the Olde School Shakespeare Collective. OMG! I'm tired!

Ooo, I feel like I am constantly working to figure this out and the answer is constantly evolving! Right now, I would describe my style as colorful, quirky, artsy, playful, with a sprinkle of preppy, cowgirl, maximalist – depending on the day and my mood!

I love anything western or medieval inspired and am almost always looking for more ways to incorporate that into my wardrobe.

You work for a local boutique - tell us about what fashion means to you and what you love about that job?

I've worked in retail for more than a decade now, and Christmas 2025 will be my seventh holiday season at Hazel Apparel. When I look back on my relationship with fashion, I feel like I've always been attuned to the way clothes can make you feel. Even when I was reluctant to be labeled as "girly," or "materialistic" (as an interest in clothes can sometimes be perceived), I've always been aware of the confidence, power, joy, and creativity that a special article of clothing can grant you.

 I find that my interest in fashion and passion for theatre go hand-in-hand -- a costume can transform you into a completely different character, and I like considering my personal wardrobe as my daily costume.

Who do I want to be today, versus yesterday or tomorrow or next year?

How can I reveal the million different versions of Me and reflect that to myself and others through my wardrobe?

How can my clothes help me live a more exciting and fulfilling life? As a millennial who grew up religious in the late 1990s, personal style is an extremely valuable tool in my crusade for bodily autonomy and self-expression.

Plus, it's fun!

I love working at Hazel – our store champions bright colors, fun patterns, interesting textures, local brands, and sustainable practices. The team works together to fill the store with gorgeous pieces at all price points to really help our customers discover just how fun getting dressed can be.

We know you have a lot of love for our city - Chicago (loved your Chicago hot dog - inspired outfit reel!) What is one of your favorite travel must-do things for both locals and visitors to Chicago? 

Well you MUST come take my architecture river tour with Shoreline Sightseeing, of course!

Beyond that, I love sending visitors for a night of live jazz with some of the city's best musicians at the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge in Uptown (especially on Tuesdays and Thursday nights when there is swing dancing!). If you like to dance, you should check out the free two-step dancing at the Empty Bottle on Fridays.

I also love walking up and down Clark street in Andersonville – so many fun local businesses and restaurants, and you can catch a live magic show at the speakeasy-style Magic Lounge.

I always encourage visitors to spend time in neighborhoods outside of downtown – on 18th Ave in Pilsen you can go vintage shopping, eat some amazing Mexican food, and finish the night with your favorite band at Thalia Hall.

And don't forget to check out some local theatre – the Edge Off Broadway has a rotating calendar of amazing performances from local storefront theatre companies and I love watching a comedy sketch show at The Annoyance, just steps from the Belmont Red Line. The amazing thing is, you can never run out of fun things to do in Chicago!

If it's summer, take your bike for a ride on the lakefront trail and then go jump in the lake!

There is a secret part of me that has always dreamed of being a model, so it was literally a dream come true when the team asked me to join them for that shoot!

It was so fun to hang out on the beach in beautiful clothes with a bunch of fun people, but in a way it was also a huge exercise in ego death (haha)!

Modeling requires being objectively observed, not just by bystanders on the beach who want to know who the heck you are and what the heck you're doing, but by the photography and styling teams, who are experts in placing the body and suggesting poses to help the clothes look their best (which can make you feel embarrassed, awkward, or insecure regardless of how gentle the suggestion). Like theatre and filmmaking, modeling requires a lot of "hurry up and wait"ing, whether that's for the right weather, the right lighting, the right setting.

I felt like I had experience with all these things before the shoot, but usually in settings where I am working alone! The Mata Traders team did an amazing job of making me feel comfortable and I learned a lot!

Ummmm everything?!

There were so many fun color combinations and patterns, like the bright pink and red striped dress, or the drop-waist green and white striped skirt with not one but TWO matching tops!

Also at one point I found myself in a pair of super squishy white quilted joggers, which felt like a less costume-y and more contemporary version of Leia's all-white Hoth outfit in Empire Strikes Back.

I'm particularly excited for the Mata Traders' take on knitwear!

Thanks for inspiring us with your colorful approach to fashion and life, Stephanie! Shop the Golden Hour collection to discover the pieces she modeled and find your next favorite look.