Once upon a time I got tired of being at the mercy of what other people might think or say about me. Whenever I hear anyone "worrying about what others might think" I offer this little quiz:
Do these others pay your bills?
Do you owe them money?
If you broke both legs, would they take over for you? Pay your bills, help with the kids, bathe you, carry your bed pan and feed you?
If your answer to any of the above questions is NO. You owe these "others" nothing. Their opinions, dirty looks, tales to other "others" don't matter in the big scheme of things.
Don't give anyone the power to own your soul. Sometimes you just have to give the "others" the Bronx cheer. It's okay to shake your fanny, hold your head up and be happy.
Life is all about risk. We all make mistakes and get it wrong sometimes. But there's every reason to assume you'll get it right enough of the time to make life worth living.
Go for what you want.