Boobs' etiquette after 40

Our most potent symbol of femininity, object of pride or despair, too big or too small and rarely just right, our boobs represent us as women and mothers. Eagerly awaited by some or hidden with embarrassment, they set girls on their way to womanhood. Buying one's first bra must surely rank high amongst female rites of passage. 

http://www.marksandspencer.com/Angel-First-Lingerie-Bras-Lingerie-Underwear-Womenswear/b/65954031

After early years of sensible bras, the temptation to leave practical imperatives behind and concentrate on frills, silks and ruffles often takes over in dating years... http://www.agentprovocateur.com/lingerie/bras.html

Is it too harsh to think that those days of frilly bits and lacy bobs are over, once you enter your middle years? Maybe not entirely but I think it is best to err on the side of fit and comfort and make sure the underwear helps rather than hinder you. 

Choosing the right bra
In practical terms, choosing a bra for aging boobs is far less fun than it used to be! Trinny and Susannah have done a great job in helping women understand the importance of wearing the right bra size and shape. I would add my own tip that padded bras are a 40+ girl's best friend! They give a neat shape to what is starting to droop, sag and wilt. They make up for missing bulk but also tuck and smooth away unsightly bumps. Good brands to explore: M&S is a good starting point of course, but also Calvin Klein or DKNY.  Department stores are a good choice to go to try on lots of different styles.

Topless on the beach - are you mad!?
Growing up in France, my generation experienced topless beaches, with a sense of liberation for some and cringing mortification for others. By the way, I notice that women who still go topless on French beaches should usually avoid it, a definite case of "mutton UNdressed as lamb"! I'm afraid going topless - apart from desert beaches or the privacy of one's garden or swimming pool, is a big no-go area for 40+ women. The wisdom of going topless in the sun at any age should be questioned anyway, now that we know about sun damage and the resulting crepey skin.

Get tested!
Worries about breast cancer and the experience of close friends who experience the disease and its unbearably harsh treatment put breasts in a new light. Host to a potential killer, breasts become the enemy, something to get rid of, instead of the sexy attribute which is celebrated and treasured. They need to be surveyed with an honest gaze as was done in the October issue of the French Marie-Claire where a number of personalities campaign for free breast-cancer screening for women aged 40+ - the test is free after 50 in France:

http://www.marieclaire.fr/,cancer-du-sein-10-stars-enlevent-le-haut-pour-le-depistage-du-cancer-du-sein,20213,34405.asp
A brave decision from model Estelle Lefebure to designer Nathalie Rykiel or chef Helene Darroze to show their breast in such an honest way, supporting a worthwhile campaign but also helping see real women's bodies, sympathetically photographed without the now usual airbrushing.