Is it socially acceptable to not wear a bra in public?

If you don’t want to wear a bra to work give it a try going to other places first.

I couldn’t go out without one for my own comfort, my boobs are big and heavy and feel better with a bra on. I prefer a bit of padding too.

I work from home, once a month have a really early morning Teams call with colleagues in a different time zone and I basically get up in time to put a bra and smart top on and wear pyjama bottoms. I cannot be in work mode with no bra on!

I feel a bra is always necessary. Even the smallest among us have some jiggle. I, personally, wouldn't dream of going out in public without a bra. But you do you!

This is a fascinating read.
I always thought one of the joys of smaller boobs was not having to wear a bra all the time. Lots of celebrities don't?
I've always had bigger boobs. Since having kids if I don't wear a bra they seem to sort of wander around of their own accord, so I couldn't go out braless. I wear padded bra's so I don't have to check if my nipples are pointing in the same direction.

I am obviously not a professional or in a client facing position though, so not up to date on office nipple etiquette.
Bra is the first thing to come off when I get home though so I am biased and wish society accepted free range boobs.

If you don't wear a bra don't they sag, the bra is for support surely.

Agree it's uncomfortable when it's hot.

There’s plenty of times I don’t bother with a bra. Depending on what I’m wearing you can’t tell that I’m not. I wear a sports one for the gym, sometimes a sports one for work depending on top or something not padded or with minimal padding. In this weather I prefer to be braless- who needs an extra layer!!! Even in the winter I won’t always wear one- no one knows under jumpers anyway so why be uncomfortable

Life’s too short to be uncomfortable when you can do something free(!) about it
Take your bra off
I wear the bralets from Sainsbury’s at the moment Everything contained and cool
Im 36b

But I doubt anyone is wearing see-through* tops at work, so they're oy going to see an outline, not actual nipples.

• I did wonder if the woman (customer) in Waitrose today realised just how thin her thin white cotton dress was from the back. She definitely had knickers on.

Wow, genuinely surprised at all these answers. I often go braless at home but wouldn’t dream of being braless if I was going out, especially to work. In fact I’ll only wear t-shirt type bras / padded bras if I’m going out. Any soft cup ones I have are not worn outside of the house unless I’m in layers like a hoodie and T-shirt etc!
I don’t have particularly large boobs so it’s not about needing support, I just don’t want people seeing my nipples through my clothes !?

I dont have small boobs and I dont wear one. Too uncomfortable. I wear strategically placed clothing. And anyway I'm older and couldn't care less what other people think. Men aren't going to look anyway. And if they do, they'll just get one of their eyes knocked out, so who gives a .....

This and they look wobbly

I would have thought that a bralet/crop top would keep the nipples down. If so and nothing is visable then it's fine in most places of work (possibly not if somewhere with very formal or fitted clothing).

Personally I wouldn't feel right with nothing on underneath, any more then with no pants, but that could just be me. I have the kind of buzzum that could take someone's eye out if I turned round to fast while braless.

Or they just don’t care…

I am a 36GG. In my younger years I wouldn’t have dreamt of going out without a well fitting Bravissimo type bra. I’m 44 now and I’m done with being uncomfortable- and before someone comes along and said if I was wearing the right size it wouldn’t be uncomfortable, I am definitely a 36gg but I now find anything remotely tight uncomfortable. So I just wear a stretchy crop top, and if people see them bouncing about I really couldn’t care less anymore.

I’m not particularly blessed in the boobie department, and I’ve always gone braless a lot of the time, mainly because I don’t need the support 🤷🏻‍♀️
Was never an issue and no one ever said anything when I lived in the UK and mainland Europe……but since I’ve been in the US?!
My nipples are apparently extremely offensive 🫠🫠🫣🫣

In fact, didn't Kim K launch a bra with built in nipples for extra visibility? Maybe it's fashion now.

In my city, which is stuffed to the gunnels with hip young things in the areas surrounding its prestigious university, nipples are visible through clothing all the time, all year round, irrespective of the weather. As is underarm hair and leg hair. I love it that these young women do entirely as they please and prioritise comfort.

I don't shave as a rule. I only wear a bra for work (teacher) as the consequences of one parent deciding that me showing up in the playground with a nipple-contour would signify gross misconduct or worse, doesn't even bear thinking about.

When I went to school (Europe) loads of our teachers wore no bras, in fact women in general were about as likely as not to wear bras. And nobody died.

People won't necessarily notice you aren't wearing a bra. But realistically, they probably will notice if your nipples poke out. However, I often see the outline of men's nipples through their shirts at work and so I decided I shouldn't be bothered if mine do too.

I once had someone say "I can see your nipples through your top", to which I replied "Did you think I didnt have them? Smooth like a Barbie doll... that's weird" and then carried on. Seemed to shut them up.

But if you work in a secondary school with all that entails, I can understand not wanting to give any excuse for comment!

I have big boobs. I wear full-scaffolding and nipped covers.

For the record, I don't like seeing other women's nipples and I don't like seeing other women's low-hanging or swinging boobs.

I rarely wear bras. I go braless most of the time or wear a bralette. I only wear bras if I’m wearing something nice and want my boobs to look good.

I stopped wearing bras after my second go at breastfeeding. My boobs were forever altered and so the bras I used to wear couldn’t fit anymore and after stopping they never returned to their original size and shape.

Considering that it was at the same time that lockdown happened I stopped bothering and I have not used them since unless the occasion warrants it , but I stick to something soft and not structured .

My mother is of the opinion that I should comply or my breast will reach my knees but to be fair, they don’t look straight ahead anymore, only sad looking to my feet 😂.

I was very self conscious at first but the more you do it the less you care.

Bit of a drip feed. Op works in a secondary school.
I think wearing a t-shirt with no bra on at school is pushing it.

If someone commented on my nipples at work, they would find themselves on the receiving end of a chat from Lucy on HR.

You mention working in a high school. In that case I would wear a bra to work.

Tic tacs where short hard oblong Sweet's with rounded ends.
Just a prick trying to be funny at women's expense and failing miserably.

Small boobs will bounce if you're doing an exercise class or running!! 😅

I'd say it's obvious when a woman isn't wearing a bra but it's up to them.
Personally I haven't yet found a solution to not wearing a bra, sports bras and bralets smoosh my boobs together and I have cleavage sweat, no bra and I get underboob sweat. It's only underwired bras that work in this heat which is annoying!

That's awful. Was the tactics remark them making fun of small boobs?