Things to consider before buying a Pre-Loved dance dress
With so many styles, colours, and designs to choose from, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when looking for a Ballroom or Latin dress.
Here are some pointers to help you find your next dress
Before parting with your money, don’t forget to check with your teacher about dress regulations.
When dancing in lower grades or in the Juvenile age category, there are strict rules as to what can and can’t be worn.
My number one tip - and the one you might not want to do - Get the tape measure out!
Check your height with and without your dance shoes. This is especially important when it comes to buying a Ballroom dress or skirt, so that you don’t end up with a dress dragging along the floor.
It is also worth taking your waist, hips and bust measurements so you can compare your body measurements with the person selling the dress.
With most dresses you can allow for some wiggle room in these measurements as they may be made in stretch fabric, and alterations can often be made to shorten skirt lengths or take in/out at the seams, but keep in mind this extra cost as these alterations will need to be done by a specialist, and can take hours if you are looking at a very full Ballroom skirt, or may require extra crystals for stoning areas that have been adjusted.
Pick your colours carefully
Take time to consider what colours work well with your complexion (also keep in mind that you will probably be wearing fake tan and make up when wearing the dress)
Once you have decided on colours that work well for you, think about the sort of dance floors you will be wearing the dress on. A black dress can look stunning when trying it on at home, but on a dark dance floor it can look “heavy”. And on the flipside, a white or very pale colour dress doesn’t always work on light coloured floors – they can sometimes blend in and result in you not being as visible to the judges
Check the condition
Are there many stones missing? Are there any fake tan or makeup stains? Or any holes and rips in the material? It is inevitable there will be some wear and tear, but a good dance dress can last years and years when taken good care of.
Does the style and fit suit you and compliment your dancing?
If you’ve got killer pins that you want to show off in Latin, don’t hide them under a longer skirt!
If you know your problem area is your right shoulder in Ballroom, maybe don’t buy the dress with a large stoned feature on the right shoulder!
Have a think about the areas of your body you want to accentuate, and areas that you can disguise with
floats
fringing
feathers and all sorts
Ask your teacher
Send photos (or even better a video) of you in the dress before you commit to buying so they can give their expert opinion
One last thing to mention… It’s ok to haggle… within reason. The second-hand dress market is flooded with dresses and the likelihood is the seller is trying to get a great price for their dress, but also wants to move it on to be able to buy another one. Its normal practice for people to make an offer - just don’t be disrespectful - the worst that can happen is they say no.
Happy dress buying!
Got a dress or dance accessories to sell? Or want to put these top tips into practice? Join us this Saturday 26th February from 10.30am – 1.30pm for our Pre-loved Ballroom & Latin Sale at The Piccadilly Ballroom.
It’s FREE for buyers and just a £10 flat fee for sellers. For more information and to buy your ticket,
CLICK HERE —-> https://www.dancing-holidays.co.uk/pre-loved-sale