Conversation

So personal ornamentation -- jewelry and makeup and fashion and body modification and all that -- is largely seen by our culture as frivolous and not worth prioritizing in terms of money or effort.

But like. Ornamentation of some kind is present in pretty much every society on the planet both current and historic, all the way back to prehistory. Cosmetics are also often some of the most highly valued trade items.

Choosing how to decorate the self is fundamental to the human construction of identity!

So like. It's cool. Spend money on that new tattoo or whatever.

I tried looking for a good citation here but it turns out finding just one is really difficult because this is anthropological and sociological consensus going back decades.