.flex-container {
  display: flex;
  gap: 10px;
  perspective: 1000px; /* For a subtle 3D effect on hover */
  padding: 20px;
  background-color: #f8f8f8;
  border-radius: 8px;
  box-shadow: 0 4px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
}

.flex-item {
  flex: 1;
  padding: 20px;
  background-color: #f0f0f0;
  border: 1px solid #ccc;
  border-radius: 5px;
  transition: transform 0.3s ease, z-index 0.3s ease, box-shadow 0.3s ease, order 0.3s ease;
  position: relative; /* Needed for z-index to work against siblings */
  z-index: 1;
  text-align: center;
  cursor: pointer;
}

.flex-item:nth-child(even) {
  background-color: #e0e0e0;
}

.flex-item:hover,
.flex-item:focus-within { /* focus-within for accessibility */
  order: -1; /* Move to the beginning visually */
  z-index: 10; /* Bring to front */
  transform: translateY(-5px) scale(1.03); /* Subtle lift effect */
  box-shadow: 0 8px 15px rgba(0,0,0,0.2);
}

/* Example for HTML:
<div class="flex-container">
  <div class="flex-item">Item 1</div>
  <div class="flex-item">Item 2</div>
  <div class="flex-item">Item 3</div>
  <div class="flex-item">Item 4</div>
</div>
*/