How to Find a Used Ballgown

If you are taking ballroom dancing lessons and intend to compete, you have probably seen some of the beautiful ballgowns the competitors wear. Much like the ones worn on Dancing with the Stars and So You Think you can Dance, the ballgowns worn in ballroom dancing competitions are elaborate and beautiful creations. They are made from a large amount of high-quality materials, such as satin and rhinestones. They take hours to make and a custom-designed dress can cost thousands of dollars. There are a number of ways you can find a used ballgown that is beautiful and still in fashion so you can hit the competition floor in style, without breaking the bank.

Instructions

1. Decide what style of dancing you are doing—International Standard or Latin and American Smooth or Rhythm all have different styles of dresses.

2. Attend some ballroom dancing competitions so you can see what the current styles are and what you like, and talk to your instructor about whether these choices are right for you and your style of dance.

3. Set a budget. You can get simple, older dresses, or ones that are cheaply made that you might need to fix up, for just a couple of hundred dollars. However, you can get something quite spectacular for a couple of thousand (still far less than they would cost new).

4. At the ballroom dance competitions, there are usually vendors with dresses for sale, often used ones. Check the racks to see if they have any in your size that you like. Also look in the ladies’ dressing room—competitors will often hang up their old dresses with for sale signs on them. The beauty of this is you can try the dress on right there at the competition.

5. Ask all of the instructors in your area if they or their students have any dresses for sale.

6. Check the internet dance discussion boards for classified ads. One is Dancescape.com (see Resources) and there are usually a number of dresses on there for sale. There are other dance boards as well, and eBay is a great source.

7. Be aware that ballroom dance competition dresses are often made in such a way that they will fit a range of sizes and shapes. Be open to trying dresses that might be a little bigger or smaller than your normal size. They may fit right off the bat or may be built in such a way that they can be easily altered.

8. If you are buying a dress over the Internet, ask how many times the dress has been worn (the more wear it has had, the more likely it will be to fall apart sooner), whether there are any defects and if you can have a trial period. Many sellers will allow you to one to two weeks from the time they ship the dress to you to allow you time to try it on. Be respectful and return it right away if it will not work for you.

9. Ask your instructor to look at the dress on you, and dance in it if possible before you commit to buying it so you know it will work—however, do not dance in it for more than a minute or two out of fairness to the seller.