Cynthia Rowley's new line of bridesmaid dresses launches this month. StyleList hit the collection's New York debut and can vouch that the looks are chic and flattering -- far from a "27 Dresses" punch line.

Rowley knows the value of a well-priced, well-designed bridesmaid dress, having suffered through her share of unfortunate outfits. The worst, she told StyleList, was for a cousin's wedding.

"It was pink polyester taffeta, a gigantic princess number with the V [at the waist] and a huge skirt," she described, grimacing at the memory. After the reception, she unleashed her own version of "trash that dress."

"I threw it in the trash of the hotel room," she recalled. "You practically had to surgically remove it from my body."

Rowley's initial collection spans 20 designs, with both knee-length and formal, floor-length styles.

Some elements were plucked from Rowley's recent ready-to-wear collections, such as the tulle skirts and squiggles of ribbon.





Prices start at $175 and top out at $220.

One of the line's best aspects is its color palette. Each dress comes in at least a dozen colors, with some styles available in more than 70 shades. Powder pink and cornflower blue, bright coral and fuchsia, deep jewel tones -- there are enough hues here to match virtually any color scheme.

Bucking Ivanka Trump's sleeve trend, this collection is all strapless or sleeveless. Most dresses are executed in duchesse satin or cotton sateen, with a few tulle and polyester georgette numbers in the mix.

The dresses will be distributed to bridal shops in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Australia. You can browse the collection and find retailers on the Web site of the line's producer, the Dessy Group. Rowley and Dessy plan to release two collections a year.

Rowley's on quite a roll -- this year she's also launched new lines of shape wear and surf wear.

In related news, read more about wedding wear.