One should always dress up for the theater, according to Emily Post. But what sort of makeup is correct for a night at the pre-Broadway world premiere of Amazing Grace? False eyelashes and plum lips to channel the theatricality of it all? Highlighter on the collarbone to glow under the stage lights, or neutral hues to let the spotlight shine on the actors? Emily Post remains elegantly silent on the subject, but the Bloomingdale's flagship on North Michigan is here to help you figure it out.
On October 25, Bloomingdale's North Michigan is throwing its very first “Broadway on the B-Way” event, a luxurious celebration of all things scented, moisturizing, contouring, and operatic. Twenty major beauty brands, from Benefit to La Mer, have chosen a Broadway show that corresponds with their new fall collections. Laura Mercier picked the Lion King to represent their “Into the Wild” holiday set; NARs selected Wicked for their witchy, autumnal lip colors. In a bold executive move, Estée Lauder embraced both spandex and the perfect smoky eye by choosing Cats, since their new holiday Modern Glamour Eye Palette is guaranteed to “help you obtain the perfect Cat[s] eye."
Additionally, Bloomingdale's has given an (imaginary) Tony Award to a selection of their favorite products. Skincare winners include Dior Dreamskin, Shiseido Ultimune, and Sisley Black Rose Oil; beauty winners range from Benefit They're Real Mascara to YSL Fusion Ink Foundation; and the store's favorite fragrances are both ethereal—Jo Malone's English Garden scents—and grounded, like the rich, androgynous Oud by John Varvatos. Guests are encouraged to sample them all.
Amazing Grace was panned in the Tribune for lacking a “massive dose of complexity,” but there's nothing simplistic about putting on the proper face for the theater. Stop by all twenty beauty counters for the brands' “autographs,” and you'll be entered to win a pair of tickets to Amazing Grace (so you can judge its complexity—or lack thereof—yourself). And though Emily Post might not approve of snacking in public, Bloomingdale's is stocking the event with popcorn, because it wouldn't feel like the theater without it.
Go: Broadway on the B Way runs from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Bloomingdale's, 900 N. Michigan Ave. Details here.