The absorption, fluorescence and fluorescence-excitation spectra of concentrated toluene solutions of selected para substituted trans-stilbene derivatives provide strong evidence for aggregation. A red-shifted fluorescence spectrum peaking at 420 nm gains in intensity as the stilbene concentration is increased. The excitation spectrum of this new emission is well to the red of the normal stilbene absorption spectrum, consistent with the appearance of a red shifted shoulder in the UV spectrum. Formation of a fluorescent ground state dimer (or higher aggregate) is proposed to account for these observations. The presence of polar substituents is crucial to the formation of this ground state complex.