Costume season is here, which means dance moms everywhere are refreshing resale pages at midnight hoping to snag the right size before someone else does. Buying secondhand can save your family hundreds of dollars a season, but only if you know what to look for. Here's how to shop pre-loved costumes with confidence.

Check the measurements, not just the size tag

Costume sizing runs nothing like everyday clothing, and it's not consistent from brand to brand either. A "child large" from one designer can fit completely differently from another. That's why listings note the brand name instead of just a size — so you can pull up that brand's actual size chart and compare it to your dancer's current measurements, taken recently since kids grow fast mid-season. Most brand size charts are just a search away, and a good resale site will link to them directly.

Look closely for alterations

Many competition costumes get taken in, hemmed, or restitched to fit a specific dancer. That's not a dealbreaker, but you want to know about it upfront. Look for a listing that discloses alterations directly, where they were made and whether they could be let back out, instead of guessing from photos alone.

Inspect embellishments before you buy, not after

Rhinestones, appliques, and trim are the first things to loosen with wear and travel. Look for close-up photos of the bodice, straps, and any high-movement areas. If photos aren't detailed enough, ask the seller for extra shots. A few loose stones are an easy fix; missing patches of rhinestones or fraying trim are a bigger repair job.

Also, expect a few stones to shake loose in shipping no matter how carefully a costume is packed. That's normal, not a sign of a bad purchase. Keep a small bottle of E6000 on hand and you can reset any stragglers in minutes.

Confirm what's included

Competition costumes often come with more than the main piece — briefs, gloves, headpieces, or matching accessories. Before buying, confirm exactly what's included in the listing so you're not scrambling to source a matching headpiece two weeks before your competition.

Buy from a source that stands behind the listing

The easiest way to avoid all of the above headaches is buying from a marketplace built specifically for competition dancewear, where every costume is reviewed and described accurately before it's listed, not a random online marketplace where photos can be misleading. At Encore Dance Closet, new costumes are added daily, including pieces fresh off the Dance Awards stage, so you can find quality solo, duo/trio, and group costumes without the guesswork, or the recital-season price tag.