I was terrified of granny boobs so I spent £5,000 making mine perky
Wearing a bodycon dress, Amanda Elias, 43, drinks a glass of champagne and chats with her friends.
It's not long before the conversation turns to body confidence — and breasts in particular.
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Many of the women in the group, all in their 40s and 50s, are desperate to get rid of their uncomfortable underwire bras, but feel their breasts need extra support now that they are breastfeeding children.
Not Amanda who – for her 40th birthday – treated herself to a £5,000 breast reduction and lift because she wanted to join the popular #nobra movement on social media but didn't feel confident enough to do so at her age without some additional surgical support.
“I wanted the breasts I had at 19 again,” she says.
“Before I had my breasts done, I didn't even dare to take the bins out without a bra. Now I've thrown away all my thirty bras and I don't wear any anymore.
“I hated my breasts. I spent years forcing them into underwire bras, spending hundreds of dollars on maternity bras and never finding a bra that fit and gave me confidence.
“My breasts were saggy and were going down rapidly. I was tired of pushing them into bras and embarrassed by ugly fat bulges on the back that were clearly visible through tight bra straps.
“I didn't want granny boobs in my 50s, so I decided to join the youth and fight back… just with a little surgical support.”
If the Wonderbra – with its infamous 'Hello Boys' slogan – was synonymous with the '90s, then the bralette and nipple release are now in style.
Figures back this up: the University of Michigan Business School revealed that a Wonderbra was purchased every 15 seconds in 1994, generating sales of more than £95.2 million.
Now the Instagram account has only 25,000 followers.
Meanwhile, Marks & Spencer's bralette section is bigger than ever.
Movement without a bra
Amanda, who supports older women who don't wear bras or undergo surgery, says she understands why.
“I love the #nobra movement,” says the self-employed businesswoman from Ammanford, South Wales. “I don't wear a bra anymore and haven't for two years.
“I paid £5,000 not to do that and it makes me feel so sexy.
“I used to be terrified of even taking out the bins without a bra; I just wouldn't do it.
“Now my bras are in the bins.”
Single Amanda, mother of three children aged 20, 15 and 10, says she was first inspired to go braless after seeing women on social media abandoning them.
But she felt self-conscious and worried she had 'granny boobs' and couldn't emulate the younger generations as they happily went braless.
Drastic action
So in December 2021, Amanda embarked on phase one of what she calls her 'mummy overhaul', spending £5,000 on breast reduction and enlargement.
She was saving for the operation. My friends supported me and now tried to talk me out of it.
“I didn't want bigger breasts,” she says.
“I wanted the extra back and to look like I did before I had children. I was tired of feeling trapped in my underwear. I breastfeed my children. After each child my breasts deflated and lost their shape.
“There was never a supportive and comfortable bra available that I could find.”
I used to be terrified of even putting the braless bins out – now all my bras are in the bin
Amanda Elias
She underwent breast reduction surgery at a London hospital in a two-hour operation, with recovery taking eight weeks.
“It was painful, but I didn't care,” she says.
“I was actually excited that I had given my life to the work and my children, and I saw it as a gift from me to me.
“I had the operation for myself. Not for anyone else. It was my decision and a treat for me.”
Going braless
Still, it took her some time before she felt brave enough to go braless. But when she did, she was so excited. “They were stimulated again and that immediately gave me confidence,” she says.
Over the next four months, Amanda stopped wearing bras and now only has two sexy bras that she saves for special occasions.
“I am currently single. I haven't delved into the world of dating apps, but I hope my new outlook on life will serve me well.
“It took a while because I was convinced that bras were essential,” she says. “I felt like I was breaking the law by going braless.
One day, while wearing a tank top and nothing underneath while doing housework, Amanda realized she looked better, was more relaxed and had more confidence.
“Then I went to my bedroom and took out all my old, ugly bras in so many different sizes and threw them away,” she says.
“I've thrown away more than thirty bras, and some were ten or fifteen years old. I put away my bras and haven't looked back.”
All new Amanda
Amanda also ditched her flowy mom dresses.
“I have been exercising and have also lost two stone: from a size 14 to a size 12. I have wider hips. I love the hourglass shape I get in a wiggle dress,” she says. “I got a new haircut and became more confident with my makeup.
“Going braless was my way of saying, 'Hello world, I'm back'”
“I feel empowered now. I'm single again and focusing on my business, a skin care company that ships specialized serums and chemical peels all over the world.
“It's called Bravura London and I feel like I've given myself a big compliment with my new look too,” says CEO Amanda.
She says there are added benefits to going braless.
“I no longer have to worry about tight bra straps showing unsightly fat bulges in the back,” she says.
But she has been criticized – largely by women.
“I am honestly amazed at how many women are shocked by my decision,” she says. “I never knew it would be so shocking for some people to come out as a woman without a bra. I thought I would get more grief if I had a boob job.
“I discovered that not wearing a bra every day is the last taboo. But for me it's the best decision I've ever made.
“But as women we have to make our decisions.
“I saved up and had surgery and got the breasts I wanted and deserved. I can now buy strapless dresses, strappy tops and open back dresses without worrying about strap marks, or spending a fortune finding a bra to use underneath.
“At Christmas I wore an off-the-shoulder dress and no one noticed I wasn't wearing a bra.
“The freedom you get when you don't have to worry about the straps being visible is worth its weight in gold.
“In my 40s, it's a chance to celebrate my 'true self.' I'd rather experience it, not just post about it. So I say bravo to not having a bra. It works for me.
“I'm sexier than ever – I can give those young TikTokers a run for their money.”
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