WITH THE GREATEST OF EASE

This just in -- those empire waists can make even the skinniest of women look fuller. That doesn't mean you have to give up the easygoing flow of dresses for more structured shapes. Enter the trapeze, a dress named for the shape it takes. Envision a pyramid. Narrow shoulders. Gradual widening to an A-line skirt and wide hemline. Sometimes it has a waist, sometimes it doesn't. And it looks good on everyone.

Yves Saint Laurent first designed the trapeze in 1958 for the House of Dior, and women have loved the way it hides their flaws ever since. This spring, the trapeze comes in thigh-grazing minis and knee-skimming lows and in all the favorite textiles and colors that have made this the season of the dress. And fortunately, every budget can afford at least one dress in this graceful shape.

REVIEW-JOURNAL