Buying a Solo dress is a big investment. They range in price all the way up to a down payment on a new car. If you're fortunate enough to have some say so in the selection process, here are some things to look for and questions to ask when looking to purchase a costume. E Bay regularly has a good assortment of dresses, most of them have been worn. Some may say, "this dress worn by champion," or "won several times," or "really stands out on stage." Or it's described as "Stunning", "Eye catching", or "One of a kind." We all know that a dress doesn't win without a dancer in it, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and Solo dresses are not duplicated. So forget the buzz words and ask these questions. Do I like the colors and style, in general? Then ask, how old is it, how much has it been worn, has it ever been altered, is there let down room, what fabrics is it made of, and do you have a photo of the dress on a dancer. You might want to know who made the dress. This is not always important, unless you think wearing a "Big Name Designer" has magic powers to make the owner a better dancer and a for sure winner. Be prepared to pay big bucks if that's the case. You also want to find out if the seller offers a refund in case the dress doesn't fit when you get it, and know the specifics. Depending on your school, you may need to get the teachers approval on your dress choice before you buy. If you don't want to take out a large loan for a dress, check for new listings each day, and you just might find what you need.

Sometimes there are new dresses up for grabs. You may see things like, "dancer had a growth spurt before the dress arrived," or "dancer retired" or "dancer was injured." You still might want to go over the question list and ask specifics. Also on occasion, a designer may have a design for sale for the customer to purchase a Custom Made dress made to the buyers measurements. This is always a good way to go to ensure a perfect fitting dress, that no one has worn before.

If you are selling a dress, list as much information about it that you can. Think of things you'd want to know as a shopper, and list those already answered questions for potential buyers. Most of all, be honest!