Walk like a Flamingo!

 When you attach yourself to items, you can find yourself in tears when a favored piece of clothing or pair of shoes gets ruined. Quite a few years ago when I was still in Secondary school, I went out shopping with the Mother and she bought me a gorgeous, vintage looking Flamingo print cardigan. It was only from Red Herring at Debenhams, but it had such a 1940-50's charm about it. Lucky for me it was in the sale and for less then half price too. It only cost £9. It was Lambswool mixed with cashmere, a cream colour with sky blue/green flamingo print detailing, 3/4 length sleeves with gorgeous stone buttons down the front. It became my favorite cardigan, perfect in the spring or to layer up with in the winter. Unfortunately, being a big tea drinker, I spilt some down the front. I can't quite remember why I didn't get it washed straight away, but the cardigan was forgotten about until the next winter when I pulled it out from under a pile of clothing in the bottom of my wardrobe and the stain had settled. Fortunately when worn undone it wasn't that noticeable and I started to wear it only in the spring so I never had to button it up.
 A perfect example of bringing the late 1940's out of the cardigan is wearing it to a fancy dress. My boyfriend and I were invited to a friends 1950's themed birthday meal, of which my cardigan would still fit the style of that era quite nicely. The gathering was being held at a local American Diner in an original tin trailer that was shipped over from America. It created the perfected atmosphere. I was very lucky to be given an original 1940-50's dress that belonged to my Nona. A tea party dress I like to call it. There was no spilling tea down that dress for sure, I was very careful. The dress is a very pale caramel colour with faint white stripes down it, which paired perfectly with my Flamingo cardigan...obviously worn undone so the stain could not be seen. I had a really good evening at that gathering and I really felt the part.
 Unfortunately, my cardigan got further ruined than just a stain when I said I wanted to wear it to a special occasion. My mother noticed the stain and suggested putting it in the wash with stain remover. However, the stain was well over 6 years old, leaving no chance to revive it. So, frantically I changed my outfit ready for the next evening. I returned home from work the next day and my mother had a horrid look on her face as she approached me in a nurturing way. She had attempted to remove the stain by rubbing directly onto the patch the stain remover, which she then left to 'work its magic' whilst going out for a quick shop. Returning from town, she came back to find the material had strangely and unknowingly burnt away in that small patch. I was of course really upset, my favorite cardigan was absolutely no longer wearable. It wasn't like I could just go and buy another one...or could I? I was straight on to Ebay, searching and searching. Eventually A week or two later, one came up on Ebay, which I wasn't going to let slip through my fingers! I won it a few days later for £4. Another great bargain and one happy self!