Overall rating out of 5:

2

Cost:

$168

Would you recommend this brand to a friend?

No. I can’t say that I saw enough of the benefits advertised, and certainly not enough to justify the price as well as consumption of another thing.

When did you purchase this product?

November 4th, 2022

Is this product similar to anything you’d purchased before?

No.

Any personal history with or specific reason for purchasing the product?

Come with me on this journey back to third or fourth grade, which are formative years in constructing the sense of self that shapes you and later haunts you, right? So, someone got a hold of a yearbook belonging to a very rude kid, who wrote a snarky comment next to each classmate’s photo. Next to mine: Slouch. This is literally how I learned that I had bad posture, and that posture is equated to likability.

Into adulthood I struggled with posture and, as a result, some back pain. Working on a computer for the past 10+ years, as well as pregnancy and carrying around my baby-now-toddler, hasn’t helped. I’ve dabbled in Pilates, started seeing a chiropractor, and of late, went to a posture expert specializing in The Alexander Technique. This all totally helped, but none became fixtures in my routine.

When I learned of the Forme bra, I was very ready for a quick, everyday fix. Plus, it touts a lot of benefits beyond alignment and back pain: increased height! Stamina! Better sleep?! This all very much appealed to my now-adult Millennial self, who would much rather spend on a high-end fix than pursue a long-term practice.

Any affiliation with this brand?

No

Share your experience with Forme?

I’ve ordered my Forme, I’m getting stoked, and it arrives. The bra is neatly packaged in a branded envelope that reads “Nobody likes a slouch”!! This felt like a personal affront to Middle School me. It’s possible I’m being overly sensitive, but this type of messaging speaks more to my insecure self than my aspirational self.

Anyway, jumping in. What we’re talking about here is a Spanx for your chest. The material is taut, and I wiggled into it in the same unnatural, embarrassing way that I’ve done with shapewear. What I noticed immediately, before even remarking on the possible posture correction, was how it cinches and flattens my chest. BTW and possibly TMI, I’m a B cup, and I truly can’t fathom how one could wrestle this contraption over anything larger.

Once it was on, I did feel a little more aligned! And possibly a little taller?! Though not a mind-blowing difference, when walking or standing, I do see an improvement in posture. Sitting at the computer, not so much. My back naturally wants to compress, and even with this bra, I still felt hunched. Plus, the 2-inch bottom band that sits just below the chest area kept on bunching up.

The most annoying thing, and what would prevent me from wearing this regularly, is that the edge of the armpit is super tight and chafes against the skin. It’s a lot of material all around, so also not great if you’re wearing shirts with large neck holes, as you’ll see the thick straps. As for swinging around with my kid and exercising, I prefer to feel less tethered and more freedom of movement, so as far as everyday, I’ll stick to my regular organic cotton bras.

I do think I will pull the Forme bra out on some occasions. It came in handy for a Thanksgiving family photo, and likely will in other instances where I’m being badgered, usually by my inner self, to stand up straight. It would be great to wear to weddings and other dressy events where I also wear Spanx, except for the fact that, as I mentioned earlier, I’ll want to make sure I’m not wearing something that exposes it.

Would you buy it again given what you know now?

No.

Did it meet your expectations?

The design of the bra is really nice; it’s nicely constructed, and feels high quality. It does feel kind of cool and sexy to wear. Unfortunately, Forme sets the expectation bar pretty high in terms of functionality. Not only was I less impressed than I wanted to be with the posture correcting alone, I certainly did not notice any difference in sleep and stamina.

What would you change or what could use improvement?

Gosh, I don’t know. I’m kind of inclined to believe that there is no miracle bra for posture and all the other benefits that Forme advertises. This feels like a “give a man a fish" situation, rather than a “teach a man to fish” one, so I feel that I’m better off continuing my posture sessions.