I never thought I’d be in a position where I was questioning my own mother’s priorities, but here I am, staring at the receipt for a designer dress that cost nearly $1,800. A dress that, in my mind, represents something more than just fabric—it represents a choice. A choice she made when she could have helped her grandson with his college tuition instead. My mother, now 70, has always been practical. She raised five kids on a modest income, always putting family first, always making sure we had what we needed. She sacrificed for us, whether it was working extra shifts to pay for our school trips or wearing the same coat for a decade just so we could have new ones. Growing up, I never saw her buy anything extravagant for herself.

That’s why, when I found out she had spent nearly two thousand dollars on a designer dress—just to wear to her book club and the occasional luncheon—I was stunned.