When I was writing product reviews last year, I tried on many undergarments in the name of journalism. One day, during a deep dive into supportive sports bras, I read about the Forme Power Bra that made headlines when Taylor Swift was photographed wearing one.
According to the website, Forme is a posture-correcting bra “engineered to immediately improve your upper body alignment and body foundation.”
Forme Power Bra
As someone who occasionally struggles with back pain and can often be found hunched over a laptop, I was extremely curious if the bra was worth the hype and the very high (for my budget) price tag of $188. The bra is engineered (aka designed) by an orthopedic surgeon. It claims to “transform your whole body alignment, giving you posture that allows you to function, think, and live at your highest potential.”
When I read that information, I snuck a peek at my graying and fraying [insert non-name brand] bra that barely kept my chest hoisted more than an inch or two from my belly. Hmm…I thought, maybe the Forme Power Bra could help usher in a whole new middle-aged me. So, readers, I bought one. I’ve worn it a couple of times a week for a year, and now I feel ready to share my review to help you decide whether you should consider this sports bra splurge.
What is a Forme Power Bra?
As previously mentioned, the Forme Power Bra is a posture-correcting sports bra designed to gently encourage better upper body alignment by integrating six tension fabrics and double-fabric panels that help pull your shoulders down and back to promote better posture. The website states the bra is “FDA-registered as a medical device, but note that being registered is not the same thing as endorsed or approved by the FDA, so don’t get taken in by the language here.
Sizing and colors
It comes in XS (band size 26 – 28 and A to B cups) to 3XL (44.5 – 46 and DD to DDD/F cups) and I would encourage anyone who is considering one to size up from their normal band size, because it is a whole lot of compression (more on that later). I purchased a large based on my size, and while it fits, I could have benefited in comfort from a larger size.
The Power Bra (one of several types of bras, including a relatively new “Collagen Power Bra” sold on the Forme website) comes in seven colors. I bought the ecru color, thinking it would be closer to nude, but it looks a bit washed out.
Cost
While the website says you may be able to pay using HSA or FSA dollars using its partnership with Flex, I don’t have these options, so I can’t speak to that mode of purchase. The bra costs $188 plus shipping and tax, and if you qualify, you can use Afterpay to spread out your payments. It took about a week to receive my bra in the mail using regular shipping. When I revisited the website while writing this review, I noticed that you can spend an additional $5.75 for “shipping protection by Route,” which offers “fast refund or replacement” if your item is damaged, lost or stolen on its way to you.
It is a little cheeky to price your bra at nearly $200 and then ask people to pay to protect it. I wouldn’t have chosen this option, but I don’t remember seeing it a year ago. Fyi, the Power Bra is the least expensive bra option from Forme. I suggest buying this one if you are considering a Forme bra for basic workouts or support.
Did the bra work out?
When I received the bra, I eagerly opened it to try it on. It is extremely snug due to all the compression, and I won’t lie, I struggled to get onto my body. Some sweating and swearing may have ensued, but once it was on my body, I noticed a difference right away. At first, I was worried about the size, as it felt too tight. After doing a few light stretches and taking deep breaths, I felt better, and suddenly, my shoulders were back and my chest was up, allowing me to take deeper breaths without feeling squeezed. My basic sports bras tend to slip down, so I liked the wide straps on the shoulders and the thick band that fits over my chest and slightly down my ribcage. It is longer than most of my sports bras. I was happy to notice that after a day of wearing it, the bra didn’t ride up or slip off my shoulders.
After a week, I noticed that the bra was keeping my spine straighter, dare I say, in alignment during workouts and daily tasks, like sitting at a computer writing. I put it on for a few months when I felt twinges of back pain and cautiously took a walk. I can’t swear the bra kept my back out of spasm, but I felt more secure when I wore it, like it kept everything in alignment, and I didn’t feel any spasms that day while I wore it. Over the past year, my back pain has improved, but I can’t say that I owe it all to the Forme bra. Regular walking, massage, and pilates help prevent back spasms.
However, I notice that when I wear my Forme bra, I never have any back issues, which I can’t say when wearing my basic sports bras, as I don’t provide the same level of support. It keeps its shape, and while I hand wash and line dry the bra, I am impressed at its compression level over a year.
The downsides
I suspect, for many budgets, this bra is expensive, like, really expensive, but if you consider it a tool in your arsenal against poor posture and you wear it often enough, it could be considered affordable, if you calculate the number of days you wear it over time. But paying nearly $200 upfront for a sports bra feels a little crazy to me, even if I succumbed to the Forme Bra hype.
You will notice this bra on your body—unlike some lingerie and basic bras that feel more comfortable. I think that is also the point: the bra’s engineering gently reminds (quietly forces?) you to have better posture. I even find myself pulling my belly button in when I wear it.
I wish it were a bit more comfortable underneath clothing; I find that while it smooths out my top half, it isn’t thin enough to feel good under layers, for someone like me with sensitive skin. Others say it is very comfortable to wear underneath shirts and sweaters, so it probably depends on who’s wearing it, like most undergarments.
While I like my Forme Bra, it’s not a magic miracle, and you have to work with it – i.e., keep sitting up straight, not slouch, and wear it long enough to get into the habit of good posture. Yes. It helps, but won’t cure back pain or improve overall fitness by simply wearing it. You have to work out and sit up straight and all those things…some reviewers say the support really made a difference, and others said the bra is a hack. I will say, the more I wore it, the better it felt on my body. But it continues to be hard (and sometimes stressful) to put on and difficult to take off. You could not have convinced me to sleep in it because of the compression.
Forme Science has 4.6 stars on Trustpilot and nearly 5,000 reviews (mostly positive) on its website. One reviewer said it gave her “uni-boob,” and I won’t argue with that descriptio,n but for my purposes, I wasn’t wearing this to improve the look of my chest, but rather work as a tool to keep my spine in alignment and minor back pain at bay by improving my posture. There are hundreds (if not more) complaints on Reddit streams, but there are equally positive reviews there as well.
Forme Power Bra
The bottom line … maybe buy something else
The Forme Power Bra is extremely supportive for my chest, and I feel like it did help improve my posture (when I was wearing it), but I do go back to slouching without it on. If you are looking for a bra to do double-duty as a pretty underthing and a supportive bra, the Forme isn’t what you probably want to buy. Some very fit people may wear it as a crop top as it holds everything in, but that look isn’t for me. Forme Science sells a lot of compression workouts and shapewear, from leggings to t-shirts, so if you had the money and the inclination, you could dress head to toe in Forme, too.
I still wear my Forme Power Bra, but I have also invested in a few other, much less expensive sports bras that are more comfortable and equally supportive as Forme. The website claims this bra will alleviate neck, shoulder, and back pain, and while it certainly didn’t cause pain, I am not sure it kept me pain-free. Here’s what it did: the bra helped my posture (when I wore it) and reminded me not to slouch or curl my shoulders and upper back when sitting or stretching, and in pilates class.
The Power Bra did not boost my endurance (as mentioned on the website), although I did walk and run faster because my chest stayed in one place, so it did improve my workouts (kind of). It did improve my breathing while wearing it, mainly because I noticed my breath when my shoulders were down and back, in my mind’s eye, I felt like the bra helped me expand my lung capacity, but mainly it made me mindful of my breath underneath all that compression.
But given the expense and my experience with it, it didn’t make such a difference that I’m rushing out to buy more. It is not a miracle cure for back, neck, or shoulder pain, at least not for me, and I would urge people to consider the “why” before they buy this very well-hyped bra.
That said, if you want a posture-correcting bra, can afford the price, or can use your HSA or FSA dollars, the Forme Power Bra is well-made and supportive, but it isn’t a miracle cure-all for bad posture and pain.
Check out more affordable compression sports bras and talk to your physical therapist or orthopedist for recommendations before you take the plunge and purchase the Forme Power Bra.
