I am totally that girl...the one who insists on finding more occasions for a bridesmaid dress than just the wedding itself. The one who shortened one, took away pieces of another, and added pieces to yet another to make her wardrobe stretch.
If you have to spend money on a specific dress, you ought to learn how to make it work for you, and for more than one day. [Although, I've never turned down an invitation to purchase a formal dress!]
The black two-piece with cranberry-colored sash is the most formal; that fact does not pose any issue, though. I've worn the top with different skirts (knee length), bold jewelry, and various jackets/cardigans to reintroduce the piece into less formal, but still elegant, occasions.
The blue dress was originally full length, so I had my trusted seamstress change it to knee-length and have worn it multiple times since!
The yellow is pictured in its original form, something I have no need to alter: I've paired it with bright contrasting cardigans & heels and worn it a handful of times.
Don't let a lovely dress sit in its plastic sleeve in the back of your closet! Find (or create) an occasion to wear it again and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing the CPW (Cost-Per-Wear) is getting smaller as your creativity grows!
