Executive Member Spotlight: Stephanie Bedell

 

Photography by Erin McConnell

+Size beauty advocate and wardrobe stylist, Stephanie Bedell, says you’re never fully dressed without…

Stephanie Bedell doesn’t follow trends; she wholeheartedly believes, “Fashion is forever evolving and will return to us again.” She wears whatever she wants, whenever she wants! Stephanie first knew she wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally when nothing else gave her “that feeling”. Like many creatives, as a young child Stephanie was told to steer away from the Arts because it wouldn’t be a promising career field financially, and after high school Stephanie struggled with choosing a career path. Stephanie excelled in many fields from Accounting, to Criminal Justice, to Psychology, and Sociology but didn’t enjoy it wholeheartedly. After years of operating as a “Professional Student” and earning a General Studies degree, Stephanie vowed not to waste any more time pursuing something she wasn’t passionate about. Unable to fathom any other kind of life, Stephanie combined her eccentric yet sleek style with her stylish talents and monetized them. 

“As Creatives we are constantly pivoting. If one thing doesn’t work try another.

Just don’t give up!”

 

Photography by @big_tunch

1 Stop Shop.

Stephanie is a Thrifter, fashion coordinator at lifestyle brand William Palmer Homme, one-third of the styling trio 3The Long Way, and +Size wardrobe consultant specializing in plus-sized and thrifted fashion. 

In an interview with the Michigan Chronicle Stephanie says she fell in love with thrifting by celebrating Earth Day all year long with her contribution to sustainable fashion. 

“I think that it’s great to shop second-hand because it does help with sustainability; the landfills are full of clothing that, a lot of times, [still has] tags on it… simply going shopping second-hand would help to save the Earth [in] the long run.” 

As a +Size Stylist and beauty advocate Stephanie's goal is to bridge the gap between Fashion and the +Size community. Stephanie aids her clients in evaluating and executing their personal style goals with a range of services from closet audits to personal shopping, and continues to advance the narrative of plus-sized fashion in the fashion industry with size-inclusive fashion shows.

In addition to styling and coordinating, ‘The Bag Ladie’s’ additional services include creative direction, fashion show production, merchandising, model scouting, modeling, on-set styling for photoshoots, and public speaking.

Photography by Erin McConnell

Something old, Something new. 

Stephanie also produces “Rags $2 Riches: A Thrifted Runway Show” held annually in the city of Detroit sponsored by Stephanie’s favorite place to shop, and one of the largest thrift stores in the Southeast: The Salvation Army. The runway presentation features thrifted fashion styled by ‘The Bag Ladie’ and local Detroit Designers. Two years in a row ‘The Bag Ladie’ delivered a sold out production. 

The most rewarding aspect of Stephanie’s journey as a Creative has been helping others realize their own creative potential and being a part of their stories. The multi-hyphenate fashionista founded Detroit NetWERK, a bartering group for local creatives created in 2020 that she says is “one of her most cherished accomplishments” with a fully developed directory of MUA’s, Photographers, Models, Hair Stylists, Barbers, Nail Techs, Set Builders and other Wardrobe Stylists to bring ANY project to fruition.

The DFC honors Stephanie for her advocacy of the +Size community, ingenuity and grassroots sustainability effort

You can follow Stephanie on Instagram for incredible style inspiration:

 
 
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