by Carol Nissenbaum

Created on: October 14, 2008

Today the strangest thing happened. My daughter and I were in Syms, a local high-end discount clothing store. I didn't really need anything, per se, but then again it's rarely about need, right? I just had that tingly sort of feeling that something was waiting for me to come buy it and that I just had to go today and bring it home with me.
We combed through many racks, my daughter laughing in that oh so funny way that 14-year-olds have whenever I showed her a prospect. According to my daughter, my fashion sense is nonexistent. She pulled out babydoll tops, I put them back on the rack. Anything I showed her was instantly panned. For instance, a pretty purple sweater I liked was shot down with, "It looks like Barney on crack." We weren't getting very far.

Suddenly she and I reached for the same item. "Hey Mom," she said. "Didn't you have a shirt just like this?" Indeed I did, which is why I zeroed right in on it. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. You see, many years ago, my husband had surprised me on our anniversary and actually went to Macy's and bought me clothes that (a) actually fit and (b) I would actually wear. It was a once in a lifetime epic event that gave him bragging rights for a long time.
The top that I loved the most was a wine-colored long-sleeved pullover. It had something called soutache all over the neckline. Soutache is an embellishment, in this case in black ribbon-like embroidery that looped gracefully around the neckline and out to the shoulders. The design was unique, the fit ultra-flattering, and it quickly became my favorite shirt. I washed it numerous times and it began to pill and show some signs of wear, but it was still my favorite. My husband referred to it as my "succotash" shirt because he could never remember soutache.
Alas, a couple of years ago we suffered a washing machine mishap where the agitator got so agitated it wouldn't spin and all the clothes sat in the water like soup for hours, with colors bleeding and blending all over the place. I was absolutely horrified to see that black dye had seeped all over my favorite shirt! I washed it separately several times but the stains were set in by that point. I was heartbroken. I couldn't part with it, and it's been hanging in my closet, stained and unwearable, ever since. I feel sick to my stomach whenever I look at it.
Fast forward to today, and there is a virtual duplicate of my favorite shirt. Not only was it the only one in the store, it was in my size, and only $9.99! Plus,

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