I am always braless at home; I used to go braless when grocery shopping. Men from less uptight cultures (as opposed to their white American counterparts) do sometimes stop me and shower me with unrefined, sincere, and pleasant compliments (the unrefined and simple side to this is what makes it pleasant, and the fact that I am past my mid-40s makes it hilarious), but now my work is so close to my home that I usually put on a bra even when I go grocery shopping because I do not want to accidentally be seen braless by my coworkers, manager, or reports (and I have reports who are younger than my son). I do love how my nipples show through blouses when I go braless, but I value my professional image > and do not risk damaging it.

Topless:

Regrettably I spent my young years away from European topless beaches, but I think I would have still put on a swimsuit because I would have been worried about the sun reaching the thin and sensitive nipple and areola tissues. It is known that lips are especially vulnerable to skin cancer because the skin on the lips is thin. I always make sure to put on SPF lip balm in addition to the facial sunscreen. So, lovely as this may sound, I would say that topless bathing does not appeal to me.