How much should I save up before I buy anything?

Start with something that does not need to fit. Gloves, stockings, a pair of briefs, a simple skirt with a bit of give. Those are the cheapest things in anyone's range and they are also the least likely to disappoint, because the whole problem with a cheap fitted garment is the fit rather than the rubber. You find out whether you like wearing it, how your skin gets on with it, and how much faff the care is, all for a fraction of what a dress costs.

This is what I did last year and it was the right call. I nearly saved for six months for a dress and I would have hated the fit.

Cheap and simple, good. Cheap and complicated, bad. That is the whole rule.

I will offer the other side. I bought several cheap small things, none of which I still wear, and the money added up to more than the one good piece I eventually bought and have worn constantly for three years. If you already know you like it, waiting and buying properly once is not the worse option.

That is a fair point, although I do not know that I like it yet. That is sort of the whole problem. I have wanted to try for years and I have never had anything on.

Then start small. Glosswork's advice is right for someone who already knows, and yours is a different question. Find out first. A pair of gloves answers three questions at once: do you like the feel, does your skin react, and do you actually enjoy the process of getting into it. Some people discover they love the look and hate the effort, and it is much better to learn that cheaply.

Add up the extras when you are planning, too. You will want a dressing aid, a shine cloth, somewhere dark to keep it. None of that is expensive but it is more than zero and people forget it when they are budgeting for the garment alone.

And do not rule out looking after something second hand while you decide. Plenty of people move things on in good condition when their size or taste changes. Wash anything used properly before it goes near you, and check the rubber is still springy rather than dry and sticky.