Is going braless in middle age really such a social faux pas?

[DustyHedgerows]

Not sure what's changed, whether it's the heat or just a general feeling of being 'done', but this summer, I have parted company with my bra. I'm middle-aged, not particularly busty, and am just not bothering to put one on in the mornings when I'm not working. I suddenly resent the idea of wearing one, as it's not as if I really need support -it really only sheilds the world from seeing a hint of my nipples under my top. DC are embarrassed to be seen with me and although I don't really care, I've noticed the odd person do a double-take when I'm out. I'm not wearing anything revealing, just a t-shirt, a buttoned shirt or loose-fitting dress.
Is going braless in middle-age really the social faux pas that my teens imply that it is?

I wish I could go braless. It's been such a pain this hot summer. I like wearing the least possible clothing I can get away with but I'm pretty busty so it wouldn't look great, and I'm also beyond middle age.

My mum does. She has an opinion about it, hence my answer.

My husband doesn’t dare mentioning.

To be fair, I am a bit resentful after I breastfed my children for 6 months and a year respectively and my breasts never recovered from that. They are not perky or smallish anymore so my hope for them looking like they did in the past is gone along with my desire to conform to societal standards.

Wish someone would have told me that after pregnancy they don’t go back to how they were.

@Stelladid funnily enough I bought the aforementioned deodorant last week but haven’t tried for the recommended use above.

Will try and report back x

They do go back after pregnancy for many women, it’s breast feeding or weight gain or loss that impacts them.

”women have breast, men do not”??? But men can get breast cancer”.

I can’t my boobs swinging around all over the pace would piss me off more than wearing a bra so I compromise by wearing some really supportive bra tops from Amazon. Wear them in the day and to sleep in (clean each time) but keeps them contained and me comfy!

I have never breastfed because no kids. My boobs drooped anyway

yes they do. One of the mammographers I saw for routine screening told me she hated it when men got an appointment because mammograms are much more painful for men than for women because they have much less breast tissue and also they only get sent for mammograms if the diagnosis of cancer is definite or all but definite. This was some years ago now, I aged out of mammograms 3 years ago

About 10 years after finishing breastfeeding, my boobs improved and got much firmer. Could be peri-menopause, I don't know, but some other friends have said the same. I was definitely worse in my 30s than my 40s. I guess they might go saggy again though, they're very changeable.

I only wore one when I breastfed my children, because they were heavy and leaked at times. Otherwise I hate them. I had breast cancer and after an operation to remove the lump the affected breast was smaller than the other, but still I didn't wear one. I detest them, my children are not embarrassed or if they are, have never said so, because it's the norm for them. I don't care if people can see my nipples, they aren't disgusting things.

I have data.

Boobs without a bra are 6cm lower than with one. 6cm!

and?

I wanted to know how much difference a bra made. It's a lot. I'm now also wondering how far my boobs have dropped since their glory days in my 20s.

I really dont feel the need for a bra most of the time, im 36c and yes now not as firm as they were but i do agree wearing a bra is restrictive and in the hotter weagher i certainly never missed it.
If its a night out and needing a boost then thats another matter

Well, that's interesting to know within the context of this discussion.

Can you add a link to these? Tia

Surely that depends on what you are wearing over them. Some clothes give support on their own with no need for a bra.

It also depends on your size. Mine are never going to be 6cm lower. There's just not enough of them.

LOL....yes!

Me neither. One advantage of having small boobs, they don’t sag!

but that's only relevant if you actually care.

Yes, and clearly a lot of people do care, since they have replied to the post.

I was just curious to see the difference a bra actually makes to me. And that difference is 6cm. And a lot of swing.

I was wearing a strappy nightie and hoodie vs a bra and t-shirt. I think that my boob sag gives my age away more than my hands. And I associate no bra with bedtime. I'll wear the scraggiest of weekend clothes, but i need to be held up during the day.

Can we all agree to just not give a fuck anymore? Either about our own sagging tits or others? If you’re offended by another woman’s tits stop looking ffs.

In winter, generally no unless in a close-fitting top for going out. Warmer weather, yes.