Dior Limited-Edition Tailleur Bar Eye Shadow Palette

Dior's prior editions of Tailleur Bar have been collector's pieces. This one is more than that. It's extremely wearable!

Tailleur Bar ($75) memorializes Christian Dior's creation in 1947 of the "New Look," his first Haute Couture Collection. He sparked a fashion revolution by designing a distinctive type of look - fashion, accessories, and makeup - for an elegant woman, with accentuated curves and a regal posture. His "Tailleur Bar" (Bar Suit), perfectly embodied the new silhouette with new look from head to toe.

This legendary image is embossed on a new Dior limited-edition eye shadow palette that you can find at Saks Fifth Avenue. This refined palette is delicately hand-pressed, intended to be a testament to Dior's makeup expertise and craftsmanship. The legendary Tailleur Bar comes to life in the pink and grey shades in this exclusive, numbered palette, a tribute to the exquisite art of the very best Dior makeup.

This isn't the easiest palette to use, but the payoff (particularly for pale faces like mine) makes it a must-have. The colors are described as Dawn Grey (the hat),  Sand Beige (the face and hand),  Whisper Grey (the jacket), Blissful Pink (the background), and Anthracite Black (the gloves).

The elegant packaging, with a white Dior box and the palette nuzzled into an insert, is complemented by a fold-out brochure, with your number from the edition (mine is 1006) and suggestions for using the colors. I took one look at the shades and knew instantly that I didn't need tips for use. Regardless, I'll tell you how Dior suggests you use the shades.

For a ready-to-wear look, use Sand Beige on the "mobile" eyelid to illuminate the look. Then Dawn or Whisper Grey is applied onto the crease to structure the look. Finish with Anthracite Black to illuminate the arch of the eyebrow and inner corner.

For your Haute Couture look, apply Dawn Grey on the mobile eyelid to intensify the look. Then use Anthracite Black along the upper and lower lash lines to provide a "touch of mystery" and define the eye. Blend Dawn Grey along the lower lash line for a light, smoky effect, and illuminate the inner corner with Sand Beige.

I have no patience with trying to pick up the smallest pieces of the design with a teeny tiny brush, so I'm doing my own thing by using Blissful Pink alone, Dawn Grey and Sand Beige mixed, and Whisper Grey alone. To show that you can easily use these three shades and shade mixtures, I used a sponge-tipped applicator to apply Blissful Pink at the top of my arm, Whisper Grey in the middle, and the mixture of Sand Beige and Dawn Grey at the bottom (it's easy to wipe across the face and hat). I took my photos in different lighting - all in one session. The photo above was taken in full sun, and the photo below was taken with cloud cover seconds later.

These soft wearable colors delight me. Blissful Pink is a fabulous pink precisely because it's not too pink. I love the pink-toned hue as a base or subtle highlighter. The greys could not be prettier. Even applied heavily, they are perfect for day wear. The taupe that results from mixing the grey and beige may be downright perfect. It has a slight gleam, but it doesn't overwhelm. Naturally, the shadows show off the best of Dior eye shadow. The texture is finely milled and applies with ease (and no fallout).

Want one? Call your favorite Dior representative at Saks Fifth Avenue before these collector's pieces are gone. The palette is also available at Dior's Web site.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty