Can a bridesmaid wear pants and top instead of a dress?

Yes, yes, yes! My best friend is gay and does not wear dresses. She means the world to me. By asking her to wear a dress for me, even if it was a couple hours, I would be asking her to be someone she isn't on the most important day of my life. The other option would be to not have her by a bridesmaid, and to me, that is not an option. I am traditional about a number of things but my main concern for that day is to have my closest friends portrayed exactly as I have come to love them.