I wish it hadn't taken me this long to realize that I'm an adult with my own money and I can make the decisions to buy what makes me happy and no one gets to tell me I can't. I only really started actually actively acting on my desires this year. For example, buying the knee-high boots. They were expensive, but I absolutely love the style and the fashion upgrade I gained from acquiring them. I was in a financially feasible position to make that choice, so I did. It was something that I was hesitating on for years because I was always self-conscious about it. But something clicked in me recently and yeah, life is too short to worry about how other people will look at you. I'm going to dress the way I want to and no one can take that away from me. I'm going to use the time I have on this planet to look the way I wish I could look. And really, so far I've been rewarded for it. My parents didn't like that I bought the boots; they thought they're for girls and they expressed displeasure with the idea of me wearing them in public. But they haven't told me I can't, because they know they can't. I'm an adult and I bought them with my own earned money and I can do what I want. And in fact they are literally the only people in my life that don't like me wearing them. My coworkers and students both are enamored with them. I had a small crowd of kids around me asking me about them with great interest one morning, even. One of my coworkers told me I have a great sense of style and wanted to know where I bought them because they thought their daughter would love the style, too. Even if no one had said anything about the boots, I was happy with how I looked, but now this positive reinforcement is encouraging me further. I just ordered a shawl/cloak coat for myself, as well. Yet another type of fashion that I've been wishing I was brave enough to wear for years. But now I feel like my inhibitions are gone and I'm more comfortable dressing the way I've always wanted to dress than I've ever been in my life. (at least until the warmer seasons roll back around and i have to store these away because its too hot out to tolerate them. very much not looking forward to that. but when do i ever.)
All this is to say.... If you are in a financially feasible position to acquire something you want but are hesitating due to self-consciousness or some other external factor... This is your sign to go for it. Don't have regrets. I certainly don't want to have any more. I wish I could have done this years ago, but I'm doing it now, and that's what counts, I guess. I'm going to keep doing what makes me happy. I hope as many people out there as possible get to do this unhindered.