RIP Rainbow hat

You've probably realised, if you're a regular reader of this blog, that I like rainbows.

For somewhere in the region of 10/11 years, I have possessed a rainbow hat - one of those Peruvian knitted ones with earflaps. I love it. It is a blob of stripey rainbowness which brightens many a snowy/windy/freezing day and most importantly, keeps me warm.

New hat - March 03!

Not anymore. The bright colours are looking distinctly washed out and faded (I know you're not supposed to wear it in the rain, but hey! I didn't always have a brolly), there's a hole developing in the back seam, and it's stretched over the years so that the wind very definitely whistles under the earflaps.

And the faded version - today.

So today I bought a new one - from the same market stall holder I bought the rainbow one from, all those years ago!

The stall holder was quite proud that I was still wearing the original after so long - but unfortunately, he didn't have any rainbow striped ones to replace it with. The angst that caused! Could I manage without a rainbow hat? Bless the stall holder - he unpacked his entire stock of hats so I could try a few on and find a colour that I was happy with.

Grey with blue patterns - too washed out. Blue and turquoise - better, but didn't fit right.Green - not my colour. Pink - definitely not. It was like looking at a stranger in the mirror, I'd got so used to seeing myself with the rainbow one. Didn't like what I saw. Then...red and brown and turquoise - no...maybe...yes!

So I'm now the proud owner of a different coloured hat which fits snuggly buggly.

I might have to break it in at home first, though - like a pair of new shoes. Because the funny thing is, I paid for the new one, stuck it in my bag, and wore the rainbow one to walk home...