Happy Wednesday friends!

Happy Monday friends! I hope that you had a wonderful weekend! Ours was sweet as my sister came to visit for a little bit on Saturday and it was so delightful to be able to spend some time with her. 

Today I am so excited to start sharing a new series that I will be doing on the blog each week- "What I Wore Teaching" focusing on Cozy Luxury Fashion for High School Teachers. Typically this series will be on Fridays, but to kick things off I am doing a couple of these posts this week to catch up on the school year so far! *smiles* 

 If we are connected on Instagram (click HERE to connect and say "hello") then you have seen me post some stories with some pictures of my teaching outfits. I have been overwhelmed by the response and it makes me excited because if you know me you know that I love fashion and creating a cozy luxury, affordable, European-Boho look. 

So shown below are pictures and then with information of where you can find similar pieces! Just click on the specific link that you are interested in to find the piece or a piece similar to that one (that sometimes I have found at a more affordable rate!). I hope that you love this series each week (whether or not you are a teacher)! 

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

"Courtney the Portney" celebrated a 2nd "birthday" last Friday, and I celebrated 2 years closer to healing! It has been a whirlwind of the past two years...years that I have stood in awe at all the healing and progress that has taken place. I remember well waking up on June 22, 2016 and tentative and cautious about the surgery to place the port.  At that point it was the best decision medically, but to have the port placed was a leap of faith for me. There were so many unknowns and medical risks (additional ones that went beyond the typical due to the blood clot I had with "Nic the Picc"). I was definitely nervous and so grateful as we returned to the hotel later that night, and so very thankful for all of your prayers. 

As that first year with Courtney came and went and I celebrated her "first birthday", I was so incredibly grateful by all of the progress that I made, and this year I am simply amazed at the difference this year alone has brought! I well up with tears of humble gratitude.

I have said this often here on the blog... each person in a fight for their health must choose the best treatment plan for them, but I remain eternally humbled and grateful for my amazing medical team, this decision to move forward with a Port, and the care and love of so many. (If you want to read more about my healing journey you can do so HERE)

It truly takes a village and I am so incredibly grateful for my medical team and everyone who has compassionately and kindly cared for "Courtney". Thank you for all of your prayers, your love, and your encouragement during these past two years! I can't wait to see ALL of the healing that this next year of "Courtney's port life" will bring! 

"But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the LORD their God. He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever." 

-Psalm 146:5-6-

Photo Source

Pulling together outfits for special occasions can be a lot of fun. No matter what the occasion or the budget you have, you’re always going to want to play around with your fashion choices here. Because that’s what dressing up is all about. When it comes to occasions, you can often go all out. You can make sure that you’re picking out fun pieces that make you feel your best.

But the key question often is, what should you wear? While party dresses are often a great place to start, it’s important to know that they aren’t always the answer. So if you feel like you need a great look to work with, then you might want to mix things up a little. Let’s get into it. Here are some key contenders to consider for special occasion styling.

Cocktail Dress

First of all, we have the classic cocktail dress. If you love to wear mini length, figure-fitting dresses, then this is going to be your style of choice. For really formal events and evening ‘dos, this is going to be your best bet. The cocktail dress is timeless. No matter what your budget, you will be able to find a great fitting dress that you can wear again and again. Engagement rings are one of the essential pieces of jewellery that a woman will ever wear. It symbolises love and commitment and should be perfect for the wearer. The ring's style should reflect the wearer's personality and be comfortable to wear. The cocktail dress is the perfect match.  It is the perfect way to show off your figure and your sense of style. A cocktail dress should be flattering and make you feel beautiful. It should also be comfortable to wear so that you can dance the night away. Wearing an engagement ring and a cocktail dress is the perfect way to show off your sense of style and commitment to your future spouse.

Mini Dress

From here, you’ve then got a mini dress. While you may not be wanting to wear something too skimpy to the works do, or to a wedding, a mini dress can be great for any evening parties that you have coming up. Whether it's your birthday, a date night, or just an occasion that you’re attending, if you love to get your legs out, a mini dress is always a killer choice.

A Suit

Now that we’ve covered off two styles of dresses, we’re going to throw in the wild card. Because sometimes you just want to wear something different. And what could be more different, interesting, and powerful than a good suit? Just take a look at these women in suits to get some killer outfit inspiration. And here, we’re not talking stuffy. We’re talking sexy. So think about wearing a tuxedo with a bra and heels. No need for the shirt, because the jacket will be enough to look wow-factor and still cover your modesty.

Maxi Dress

Going back to a dress, the next suggestion is going to be a maxi dress. For this, we’re thinking a cross with a cocktail dress for something incredibly formal, but when we’re talking about weddings and daytime affairs, maxi dresses can often look incredible.

A Co-Ord

Happy Friday friends! I hope that y'all have had a wonderful week! Today for my "fashion friday" posts I wanted to share my favorite Flat Iron Hair Straightener that I have found works really well for my extremely thick hair. 

This sounds a bit silly but because of the length of my hair and the thickness of it, it would sometimes take me about an hour and a half to straighten. With my low energy as I am healing that is not something I want to spend an hour on (or even in the future honestly!) so I went hunting for the best iron for my hair. 

When I first discovered The HSI Professional Glider I was a bit skeptical because of the price being so low compared to other straighteners. But y'all it is my favorite that I have found! 

It works so well and if you purchase it on Amazon it comes with a pouch, a travel size of hair oil (which lasts an incredibly long time!), and a glove! I was honestly really surprised at how well this worked for my hair. Every time that I use it it only takes me about 25 minutes to do my hair which is awesome! Another thing that I love is that I have had it for almost 2 years and it still works great! Honestly, I think that there is a reason why it has almost 30,000 reviews and a 4.5 star rating! The cost for everything is $39.95 on Amazon and you can find it HERE if you are interested! 

In my quest to find the best I also tried a few other straighteners and here was my impressions:

1. CHI Original Professional Hair Straightener

This was given to me as a gift a couple of years ago. I do love it but I feel that for the cost the HSI Proessional Glider does just as good of a job to be honest. It is currently on sale on Amazon for 15% off but it is $89.99. You can find it HERE if you are interested. 

2. Remington Pro Hair Straightener

This was the cheapest of the group that I tried. I really wanted it to work (as I love a good bargain!) but unfortunately it took me almost an hour and a half to straighten my hair. The heat (even turned up all the way where I thought it would burn my hair) didn't seem to work with my hair and I heard from a lot of friends who have thick hair the same experience. At close to $23 I really feel it is not worth the price. I do have friends who have thinner hair that feel it does a wonderful job, so maybe consider it if your hair is thinner? If you are interested you can find it HERE. 

3. Furiden Professional Hair Straightener 

I did not purchase this one to try as one of my hair stylists had it and used it on my hair. It took about the same out of time (approximately 30 minutes) for her to do my hair and I felt that the look was comparative to the HSI Professional Glider above. The price is what deterred me from purchasing it (it is $69.95) but I have heard from friends that this is one of their favorites. You can find it HERE. 

What about y'all? Do you have a favorite hair straightener? Happy Friday y'all! I hope that you have a wonderful weekend! 

Old Navy Maroon Striped Swing Dress (Similar HERE, HERE, and HERE)- Gap has some swing dresses that are also available and right now you can get 40% off your order by clicking HERE! 

ASOS Oversized Long Knit Scarf (Cheaper Option for less than $15 HERE!)
Petal Rose Cream Cable Knit Fringe Scarf (Less than $15!)
Alex and Ani Bracelets

Torrid Boots (these also come in black) 

 I am so sorry that some of these pictures are blurry, but I was to excited to share! Do y'all have a fall dress that you are loving right now? 

Happy Saturday friends!

It is so hard to believe that in less than two weeks I am going to be leaving on a fun little adventure with my dear friend Ali. As I have mentioned before we are going to be meeting up in Boston and then will be taking a road trip up through New England to Prince Edward Island. Our seven day adventure is going to be filled with so many beautiful places to see, inspiration, all things Anne (*smiles*) and tons of laughter and fun. I can't wait to share with y'all on Instagram and on the blog all about our itinerary, our stops, and all of things we are going to see and do! This trip has been in the works for almost a year and so to see it quickly approaching is such an exciting time! 

As I have been thinking more and more about the trip and starting to plan things I have been making a list of all of the clothes that I want to take on the trip. Just like planning for a cruise to the New England and Canada area, this trip will include a ton of different activities and events and so it has been fun to think through the different items to take! So here are 4 must pack clothes items that I am including on this Fall Road Trip to New England and Canada:
 

1. Layers- Essential Tanks

Another new favorite scarf from ASOS was this ASOS Oversized Square Scarf In Brown Based Check With Yellow Highlight. I love the "moody and dark" fall colors and this color combination is the perfect fall combination. I love the twist on the scarf that it includes the yellow highlight - something that is a fun addition to the scarf! This scarf is also under $30 and can be found HERE. 

What about y'all? Any must pack items that you recommend for a road trip to New England and Canada? (If you are going on a Fall New England and Canada Cruise you can find packing tips HERE! Enjoy- I loved my cruise to New England and Canada back in 2015!)

Looking for more road trip tips? Check out the following posts: 

10 Tips and Tricks for Long Road Trips