O.k. I'll play along. That "run of the mill" gun might be out there because it works, or has proven itself to be in that 1% category of "bet your life on it".
No one knows when I carry, no one ever sees my gun, and none of them would get a vote anyway. A gun looking cool has nothing to do with function. Function should be your number one consideration. Buying all the ammo you can find and spending countless hours perfecting your ability to shoot it goes much further than cool.
Mentally preparing for how, when, where, and why you would involve yourself in a tactical event is time well spent, and has nothing to do with cool.
I would rather tell my friends and family that I am 99% prepared to defend our safety with this ugly gun that I spent $600 on and have shot one thousand rounds through already, than bragging about some wiz-bang shinny, cool looking gun that hasn't had 50 rounds fired yet.
You might be a perfect candidate to rent a few guns first to see what works for you. Then think about how to carry (holster stuff), what you're wearing, and then start doing the non-stop mental push-ups about what would really turns your life upside down if/when you need to use that gun.
I'm not trying to bust on you, but "cool" really has nothing to do with the severe responsibilities of being a concealed carry citizen.
Best of luck.