Depends what suits you best. Automatic or Revolver? You should choose a caliber before choosing a gun, because the projectile is the purpose of the exercise, and more important than the launcher. In a defensive handgun the likelihood of stopping a human or animal attack is generally the overiding concern. The shooter has to be able to control recoil for accurate rapid fire at what might be multiple threats or a single highly determined one. This is why we all don't carry 44 magnums. Another concern is a readily consistant supply of available ammo. A smaller bore gun thats only effective with two differant types of ammo can be a liability if the ammo supply dries up. One advantage of a 45. is that just about any round you stuff in it is going to hit with some authority. I recommend the following calibers as they are considered "Man Stoppers". The old addage that the faster the bullet (like a 9mm) will stop someone dead in their tracks is wrong. A "man stopper" round has an fps (feet per second in which the bullet travels) of 750 to 1250 fps. The round will still travel at high velocity but will mushroom and not fragment. This mushroom impacts the target and will not, or should not exit the target or assailant. The psi (pounds per square inch) ratio is so great the round should knock the assailant on his bum and force him away from you. Automatic for women 40. s&w, caliber - Taurus compact handgun. Automatic for men 40 s&w, or 45 ACP caliber - Taurus or Kimber compact handgun Revolver for women 38+P , caliber - S&W Ladysmith or Taurus Revolver for men 38+P, 357,, or 45. caliber - S&W, Kimber or Taurus Extreme "Man Stoppers", used mostly for intimidation. 357. magnum - Bulldog revolver 40. caliber - S&W or Taurus compact (for concealed carry) 44. magnum - Bulldog revolver 45. ACP - Kimber compact (best for concealed carry) 50. caliber AE - Desert Eagle Automatic (as seen in the Matrix-Smith) 454. magnum - Taurus revolver 500 magnum - Smith and Wesson (largest caliber handgun in the world and probably the most destructive. There is a rumor that the Russians invented a higher caliber but I am unaware of its specs.) The best recommendation I can make for the gentlemen is an automatic Kimber compact, it is custom fitted at the dealer for you and costs about 1500 to 2000 dollars US. It conceals nicely under a shoulder strap or concealed holster. For the ladys I recommend a revolver, a 38+P snub nosed handgun is light and very effective and conceals nicely in a purse or strapped to your thigh, and costs between 500 to 1000 dollars US. Revolvers are best for close quarter combat and are far more accurate than automatics. Remember, it is very important that the weight, balance and recoil of the gun feels like an extention of your hand. Lighter titanium guns are great for lightweight concealed carry but will have greater recoil. If you use the sights...your doing it wrong. You should not have to use the sights of the gun when firing it, simply point it like your pointing your finger and shoot. Practice makes perfect.

Selecting the appropriate weapon for self-defense isn't a matter of "fashion." Further, the cost of the licensing will vary from state to state. Get a baseball bat. It's less likely to tempt you to do something stupid or be used to harm or kill you or someone in your household, and it doesn't require licensing.

This one has a very nice feel in your hand, well balanced, reasonably lightweight for a .45 ACP, has 12 rounds at the ready, Very accurate and hits really hard when you need it to. They also make this same model in two smaller calibers .40 S&W as well as 9 MM , any of these three calibers are considered major caliber and well suited for self defense. Taurus PT 24/7 PRO Taurus handguns are generally inexpensive when compared to most other brands, this model is about $300, as far as license cost you'll need to check the NRA website to determine what if any licensing requirements there are in your particular state. Most states require a license to carry concealed, while others allow open carry without license. It's a matter of what burdens the local/state places upon you. The NRA is very helpful getting through the muddle of opinion versus truth.

I agree that it's not about fashion, the question is what will you be comfortable shooting. What will be both comfortable in your hand and what you will be confident using. 45ACP is probably the larget calbier that can be considered practical for self defense IMHO, unless of course you are Clint Eastwood. In 45ACP there is a very nice compact called the Colt New Agent that works well for concealed carry. With smoothed edges and notched front sight it's less likely to snag on clothing and it uses a full size 7 round Colt magazine. 9MM is also a nice round although some will argue it doesn't have the stopping power of the 45ACP, the magazine capacity for a Glock 17 is of course 17 rounds. The below photo shows the three frame sizes in Full size, compact and sub-compact. This particular group is a photo of a Glock 17, 19 and 26. Smaller calibers can also work very well and of course are much lighter and easier to conceal. Although they lack the energy or 'stopping power' of the larger handgun calibers they are non-less intimidating. If you are looking for self defense just in the home handguns can work well and so can shotguns or riffles. One of the least expensive, well made and most capable shotguns available today would have to be the Mossberg 500 series. Avialable as standard pump, pistol grip and with tactical stocks and a 535 version that will take 3 1/2" shotgun shells which offer like 90 to 95% of the performance of a 10 gauge. Rifles however could pose other risks as the projectile can travel much firther As pointed out in some other answers you may or may not need a license to 'buy' a firearm in your locality. In most states you need a license to carry concealed and training requirements vary but at the very least you won't be able to own or carry if you've every had any felony convictions or history of drug possession or use. Here in PA if you have a clean background you do not need a permit to buy a weapon, just pass an instant background check which is usually free to $20 depending on the dealer (most do it for free if you've purchased the weapon from them). If you want a License to Carry Firearms in PA depending on the county (issued by Sheriff excpet Philly) the cost ranges from $25 to $45. Again depending on the county, it might be issued right away or held for up to 45 days.