Here are a few ways one of my favorite fashion experts Paula Reed, author of "Style Clinic", makes the one-step dress work for you this spring:

— Keep it simple. A tailored shape is best in most office situations. That doesn't mean it has to be shift, if that does not work for your figure. It could just as easily be a shirtdress to add curves where there aren't any, disguise the stomach, sharpen the shoulders, define the waist — and if V-necked, lengthen the torso. A tailored A-line is another great option, which is particularly good for disguising wide-hipped figures.

— If you need to cover up, say for formal meetings and presentations, go for a jacket that echoes the line of the dress. A boxy jacket kills a curvy dress.

— Consider a cardigan for a softer, more feminine option. Keep it sleek with a fine-knit lamb's wool, cotton, silk or cashmere. Keep the buttons discreet. All bets are off if the cardigan once belonged to your dad or boyfriend.

— Any structured or tailored dress needs a defined foundation. Your bust must fill out the darts, so never go without a bra, even if you are small-busted.

— Prints will work if you go for geometric. Avoid florals. At work, they look either feeble or frumpy.

— Invest in the best you can afford. An ill-fitting tailored shift looks bad on everybody.

— For the weekend, keep shapes simple: Your only priority should be to minimize fuss.

— Cotton, denim, or jersey should be your fabrics of choice for weekend dresses.

— If exuberant print and color make you feel happy, then you can get away with wearing them in a dress on the weekend.

— Buy cheaply when it comes to casual dresses. Quantity wins out over quality here. Between beach days, country weekends, lunch with the girls and city shopping trips, it's good to have options and to be able to wear, trash and move on.

— For evening, the little black dress is everyone's favorite option, says Reed, but it isn't the only one.

— Go for lingerie details: lace trims, chiffon layers, and even bias-cut charmeuse if your figure can take its "merciless exposure."

— Dark colors are just as versatile as black and often more flattering, particularly to very pale or freckly skins with light hair color. Check out plum, midnight blues, garnet reds and chocolate browns. Smoky grays, metallics and pinks are lingerie staples that also deliver glamour in the evening because they make a strong statement.

— Try lots of different designers when choosing a dress. Find one whose cut works for you and stick with it.

— Add definition with a belt if needed.

— In the fitting room, make sure you can sit down, cross your legs, bend over and reach up without pinching or squeezing or exposing more than you want to.

— A tailor can adjust hem length, shoulder width, strap length or waist width.

"If more than one of these is required," says Reed, "you're probably buying the wrong size or style of dress. No tailor can make a dress grow to accommodate a butt or bust that is too big for it."

Photo: Designer Samantha Pleet has a wide variety of dresses to fit every figure. In organic cotton detailed with coconut buttons, her flattering spring dress is one of the season's favorite silhouettes. Photo courtesy of Samantha Pleet.