So an Orange mother and her daughter have started a business which aims to help parents who either pay through the teeth for expensive formal wear their daughters might only wear once, or who can’t afford to purchase the dresses in the first place.

Mother of three Sharon Cole and her youngest daughter Maddie – who is sitting the HSC – have set up After Dusk Dress Hire, a website business which allows women to log on and flick through a range of styles of outfits that can be rented for the traditional end-of-school events and then returned.

Young ladies have the option of first trying on the garment and picking it up, or, for those living too far away, having their chosen dress delivered.

Mrs Cole estimated that getting her eldest daughter Taylor ready for her grad ball in 2014 set her back $800.

“I don’t think it really was affordable for me but you just do it. You don’t want your child to miss out,” Mrs Cole said.

She said she hoped girls can avoid thinking they have to buy something new every time they attend a formal occasion.

“With Instagram and the likes there’s definitely an image to maintain,” Mrs Cole said.

Maddie said with James Sheahan Catholic High School’s policy of all girls wearing white dresses, there’s the concern that someone else will wear the same dress, which means most of her friends buy online or have the added expense of travelling to Sydney.

She said when it comes to choosing outfits there is pressure to get the style right.

“Designers and brands are a big thing,” Maddie said.

With Maddie in charge of purchasing, the business duo hope to expand their selection to cater to older women, men and boys.

“Our aim is to provide quality clothes for people of all ages at lower cost and with more convenience,” Mrs Cole said.