[tigerb]

In addition to all the good advice you've already gotten, I would say -- don't spend a lot of money on one particular thing (a prop, an outfit, an accessory) until you are sure you need it and you are sure it fits your style. It's easy to go nuts on Moondance or L Rose or Dahlal because things are SO PRETTY... and then find out that you jumped the gun. (For example, I leaped to buy a pair of zills that caught my eye, and then found out they were much smaller than what my teacher wanted us to use. )

If you are curious about an accessory, make friends with a student who has it and see if she'll let you try it on or test it out. Somebody has a cool fringe skirt in class... you want one... you try on hers and realize that it's much too long/short/in the way whatever.