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"\n\tAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\t\n\n\n\n What is it about \"bridesmaid\" dresses? It's the bride's big day, but does that mean the bridal party has to look like a bunch of ugly stepsisters? Bridal shops offer OK options, but they're all so similar \u2014 and have no personality or style, so bridesmaids' dresses today look pretty much the same as ones from 15 years ago. But lots of non-bridal brands make gorgeous dresses that are modern and fresh, while still being classic enough for traditional ceremonies. They're so nice your bridesmaids might even want to wear them after the wedding (not to mention at it).1. BCBG No one does special-occasion dressing like BCBG. In fact, they're so good, there's almost no point in even mentioning anyone else. Short, long, formal, semi-formal, BCBG does it all and really, really beautifully. Almost any dress on their site would make a great bridesmaid's dress and yet none of them look overtly bridal, so there is actually a very good chance they could get some use after the ceremony. From left to right: Nude Lace Gown, BCBGMAXAZRIA, $528; Yellow and Nude Colorblocked A-Line Dress, BCBGMAXAZRIA, $298; Coral Ruffle Gown, BCBGMAXAZRIA, $598; Yellow Chiffon Pleated Gown, BCBGMAXAZRIA, $4482. JILL Jill Stuart New York designer Jill Stuart's new diffusion line, JILL Jill Stuart, is full of gorgeous dresses ideal for bridal parties (and even some brides), at about half the price of more casual dresses from the designer's main collection. The current collection is heavy on black, making it perfect for formal evening weddings, but it also offers plenty of creams, whites, and pastels. Black-and-White Hi-Lo Dress, JILL JILL STUART, $338; Cherry Dress With Bows, JILL JILL STUART, $238; Black Floral Strapless Dress, JILL JILL STUART, $588; Black Lace Hi-Lo Dress, JILL JILL STUART, $358 \n\tAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\t\n\n3. ERIN Erin Fetherston Erin Fetherston always hits just the right balance of cute and romantic, and even though many of her silhouettes are quite traditional \u2014 strapless, long, and drape-y \u2014 the dip-dyed ombr\u00E9 chiffon, tonal floral prints, and subtle metallic embellishments on many of her fabrics make them feel fresh and distinctive. Pink Strapless Cheetah Print Dress, ERIN ERIN FETHERSTON, $395; White Sweetheart Dress, ERIN ERIN FETHERSTON, $84; Rose Floral Strapless Gown, ERIN ERIN FETHERSTON, $495; Hot Pink Strapless Dress, ERIN ERIN FETHERSTON, $1554. Shoshanna These dresses have outdoor daytime wedding written all over them. The prints are pretty, but not overly-sweet, and many of the solid-colored dresses have really nice textures, which make them look richer and more substantial in photographs than jersey or chiffon dresses.\n\n White Dress With Purple Flowers, SHOSHANNA, $395; Purple Strapless Gown, SHOSHANNA, $495; Blush Lace Dress, SHOSHANNA, $385; Purple Floral Print Dress, SHOSHANNA, $3955. Nicole Miller Nicole Miller really has a way with cocktail dresses \u2014 the shapes look great on a lot of different body types and they can easily be styled for a wedding or a date. Blue Dress, NICOLE MILLER, $430; Light Pink Lace Dress, NICOLE MILLER, $420; Multicolored Floral Dress, NICOLE MILLER, $455; Hot Pink Dress, NICOLE MILLER, $4206. Halston Heritage The voluminous short skirts on these dresses make them great for preppier weddings, but the more subdued color pallets and combinations stop them from looking cheesy \u2014 it's country club without the douchiness. Black-and-White Floral Dress, HALSTON HERITAGE, $445; Red Strapless Dress, HALSTON HERITAGE, $425; Pink Floral Strapless Dress, HALSTON HERITAGE, $475; Black One-Shoulder Dress, HALSTON HERITAGE, $425\n\tAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\t\n\n7. Fast Fashion Anything As great as all these brands are, the truth is you can really find a great bridesmaid's dress just about anywhere. Fast fashion brands like Zara and Asos carry huge selections of dresses and their stock is constantly changing, so even if you don't find something the first time, the perfect dress could be just a week and a fresh delivery away. Even sites like Nasty Gal and Victoria's Secret have some beautiful wedding-appropriate dresses and they will look way more expensive than they actually are once they are tailored to fit each bridesmaid.   Floral Pleated Maxi, VICTORIA'S SECRET, $148; Red Off-Shoulder Dress, ASOS, $42; Floral Cutout Gown, NASTY GAL, $430; Pink Lace Slip Dress, MISSGUIDED, $58; Blue and Green Floral Dress, ZARA, $80\n\nRELATED: How to Wear White to Someone Else's Wedding10 Easy Ways to Instantly Look More Fashionable 6 Ways to Dress Like Your Middle School Art Teacher10 Things You Need to Stop Buying in BlackFollow Charles on Twitter. Do you have fashion or style questions?  Submit them here or tweet your questions to our Style Editor @charlesemanning. Photo Credit: New Line Cinema"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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