Two Magic Ingredients

Inspiration comes from all sorts of sources, sometimes unexpected ones. I don't know what you thought when you first saw this outfit on me, but I know what two little girls in a movie theater thought when they whispered to each other and giggled, looking at me wearing this very outfit. And what do you know, they read me as an open book!

I was, of course, inspired by PADDINGTON! 

I wasn't even aware of Paddington just a week ago, but a good old friend of mine, my best friend since forever (we know each other for 27 years or so), mentioned that she took her sons to see a movie about a bear named Paddington. She was so taken with cozy English interiors (which we both are fond of) that after the movie she felt inspired to put together a beautiful English-themed outfit.

Soon after that, I was browsing Netflix and noticed this title in the category "Critically Acclaimed Movies" ... I didn't even know yet that there were two movies, and my friend watched the new one in a theater. I was intrigued and decided to give it a go. I don't know whether it would come as a surprise to you or not, but I love everything children's - books, movies, cartoons, plays, music... and of course toys, and of course tales. The books about a little bear named Paddington did not come to my attention earlier in life, but apparently little Justin read them (no surprise there - he has a life-long crush on Winnie the Pooh, and I think he partly is Winnie the Pooh). I fell in love with Paddington in the first few minutes of the very first movie, which I watched once with Justin, then we went to see Paddington 2 in the theater (where two little girls spotted me), and then I re-watched the first movie on Netflix again. I just couldn't have enough of Paddington! 

(Also, I've been sick for a few days and watched lots of movies. Feeling better now, after taking tons of vitamin C, ginger, turmeric, mors (Russian berry drink made by Justin) and plenty of bear hugs, but still fighting a nasty cough.)

Both Paddington and Paddington 2 are brilliantly made - visual treats, starting with the colors they've picked, absolutely gorgeous. Brilliant actors (Sally Hawkins, the star of MAUDIE, played Mum, and Hugh Bonneville, best known for his role in Downton Abbey, played Dad). A heartwarming story, fantastic animation and two of the most important and incredibly rare ingredients in children's movies that make Paddington one of my favorite movies of all times. 

The first ingredient is visual - the thoroughly created magical world that is nested in the middle of modern London. It's just absolutely charming! One can only create such an amazing magical world if one lives in such himself, it absolutely can't be faked. (There was such a genius in creating fairy tale worlds in Russian film history - Alexander Rou. Apparently, Steven Spielberg praised him highly, saying that his film JACK FROST ("Морозко", 1964) was the forerunner of many Hollywood blockbusters.) And the second ingredient that makes Paddington a hit for all time, is the profound message to the world told in a loving, humorous, non-moralistic tone. I thought it was especially moving in the first movie, and it teaches us being open, kind and accepting to those who are not like us...which, if you think about it, is pretty much everybody else, because who really is just exactly like us, right? It's a timeless message which speaks volumes in our time, and if we want to live in a better world tomorrow, it is exactly what we, as well as our children, need to learn today. But maybe you don't want to go to movies to learn a lesson - then don't. Just go to see a wonderful family movie, masterfully done - with all the abundance in this genre, such masterpieces don't happen very often. Or better yet, go there to become a child yourself, even if just for a couple of hours!

So now you know what it takes to create a genuine fairy tale: to show a magical world, you have to live in a magical world yourself, and you have to have a profound message - a message of love. Those are two huge secrets - without them, there is no real magic in fairy tales. You get a hocus-pocus instead of magic then. Such tales can be professionally written and filmed, with talented costume designers and actors playing beautifully, but they will lack the two most important ingredients. And now they are yours - you can do with them whatever you want. 

And you also know another story of creating an outfit of mine. Right after the first Paddington on Netflix, I put together this outfit in red and teal, featuring thrifted boiled wool jacket and velvet turtleneck, new red pants (bought on sale spontaneously, when I was returning some shoes to the store), red hat and vintage jewelry. Who knew it was possible to get inspired by a character from children's literature (or cinema, in this case)? And who knew it was possible to fall in love with a bear?

Pants - Lane Bryant (sale)

Turtleneck and jacket - thrifted via Goodwill

Hat - Charlotte Russe (old)

Earrings, pin and beads - thrifted via Goodwill 

Coral bracelet - gift from my parents

Boots - Aquatalia (old)

Purse - Michael Kors (old)

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SUPERSEAL, our new bilingual book, is available now!

Illustration by Andrei Lialin

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