back and neon-er than ever!

Well hello, friends, and welcome back to The Neon Tea Party! I know it's been quite a while, but I am very excited to be back to blogging after hibernating for almost a year and a half. 

Throughout this time, I've had many people ask why I stopped blogging after posting regularly for over two years. The first reason was that I began an exhausting 9-6:30 work schedule doing a mostly physical job and entered into a whole new set of real world responsibilities. I never imagined that having to trek across Manhattan for decent, affordable groceries or spend hours of my precious free time in a laundromat would be two of many tasks capable of deterring me from my most beloved extracurricular activity.

The other reason was simple lack of inspiration. If you want to know the truth, entering the editorial fashion world was not easy and often highly discouraging. I found myself constantly worrying about what steps to take to get me from my first full-time job as a samples coordinator for daily deals site, ideeli, to my jumbo-sized dreams of being a fashion/creative editor/director at the helm of a brand or publication whose aesthetic perfectly aligns with my own.

[goofing off on set at ideeli]

Fortunately, my story is a happy one. Contrary to my many doubts and with lots of hard work and enthusiasm, I was promoted at ideeli to Junior Fashion Stylist. For the past four and a half months,  I have faced a crash course in product styling, learning everything from ready-to-wear to evening gowns to swim and lingerie. Additionally, I was fortunate enough to connect with online designer jewelry retailer, Charm & Chain, who enthusiastically brought me on to freelance fashion edit and blog for the site. Needless to say, being the emotion-driven person that I am, these new roles have finally provided me with enough confidence to go forward in my career, soak up as much knowledge and skill as my resources will allow, and be un-afraid to take on the fashion world the way I want. And with all that, now comes the launch of The Neon Tea Party 2.0!

[two ideeli sales i proudly styled]

For those of you who are new to my blog, expect a bright, playful, accessory-filled take on fashion with posts ranging from trend reports to styling tips to photos of really freakin' stylish fashion editors. Oh, and expect lots of bracelets. (I'm pretty obsessed.) I will also be adding some fresh content to my blog, which will include any exciting ideeli sales I style, re-posted Charm & Chain content, any other projects/shoots I may be working on and hopefully some interviews with entrepreneurial friends in the industry. You can also find me on Pinterest and Instagram (@theneonteaparty) for more neon goodness!

I am so excited to be back and have lots of great posts cookin' up for your browsing pleasure! Thank you so much for your love and support these last four (!!) years and I hope you'll enjoy the site!

Peace, Love and Neon,
Marisa