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As a shopping editor, my eye has been trained to see things that other people might miss. For example, when we were all ooh-ing and ahh-ing over Taylor Swift’s iconic TIME Person of the Year profile, I noticed that Tay was wearing an interesting sports bra in one of her Eras Tour dance rehearsal photos. I did some digging and it turns out that she was rocking the Forme Power Bra, a posture-correcting bra designed to create proper alignment in your shoulders and upper back. Fancy, fancy!
Considering how grueling Taylor’s Eras Tour rehearsals were (“Every day I would run on the treadmill, singing the entire set list out loud,” she told TIME), having supportive gear designed by an orthopedic surgeon makes all the sense in the world. And while my days consist more of imagining I’m performing “Blank Space” while Hot Girl Walking on the treadmill than actually doing stadium tours, I immediately thought to myself that the Forme Power Bra might just be the solution for my croissant-like posture. Like, why yes, I’d love to sit less like a shrimp and more like a 5’11” pop star! So I tested it out—keep reading to get the real scoop on Taylor’s sports bra (and whether it’s worth the money!) below.
How the bra works
If the phrase “posture-correcting device” conjures up images of a hardware-filled contraption with wires, sensors, and plastic pieces, think again. The sports bra is less brace-like and more supportive, using fabrics of various tensions throughout the design to keep your shoulders back and gently guide your body into correct alignment whether you’re standing up, sitting down, or exercising!
The details
The Power Bra comes in six colors (Black, Stone, Rosé, Ecru, Sage, and Cloud) in sizes XS to 3XL, some of which are currently on backorder. As far as price, I'll admit it's not the most affordable thing out there at $175. But it’s definitely fancier than your average sports bra thanks to all the FDA-registered technology—you can even spend your pre-tax HSA money on it if you want!
Initial thoughts
To illustrate my commitment to testing all the things that Blondie owns, I will tell you all that I did, in fact, try on the sports bra in a very tiny office bathroom stall. NGL, it was a little tricky to put on at first. But don't let that scare you! It was easier to put on the second time, and even easier the third time, and the fourth time, and so on. The brand recommended stretching the arm hole a few times before wearing it, too, which I found to be helpful as well.
My initial reaction was that the Forme bra really does help you be more mindful of your posture. I even tried to curve my shoulders forward at one point, and wildly enough, realized it was way harder than normal to slouch my shoulders into Gremlin Mode. It acted as a gentle reminder that the most comfortable way to sit is with my shoulders down and back.
Also, it’s worth noting that I have a mild case of scoliosis, and was worried that the bra would feel like a brace because the natural resting state of my spine is a liiiiittle bit off center. But I didn’t run into any issues—it even supported my one shoulder that has a tendency to pop out!
Power Bra in Rosé
Power Bra in Sage
Power Bra in Stone
As far as sizing, Cosmo’s Deputy Shopping Editor Kim Duong and I tried on our regular sizes and both found the sports bra to be pretty dang tight. It’s very compressive and lacks cups—this led to flat-from-the-side, noticeable-from-the-front Regency-style cleave à la Bridgerton, so I’d suggest sizing up if you have a large chest. Kim and I agreed that the Power Bra, which is made of a pretty thin, nippy athletic material, would be vastly improved with the addition of removable cups or padding inserts.
Observations after a few weeks of wear
I enjoyed the Power Bra the most while wearing it on my busiest, most active days. I’m talkin’ workout classes, chasing after an energetic two-year-old, and hauling boxes out of your friend’s apartment—on those days, the garment felt less tight and more supportive, the way a good pair of compression leggings or a high-impact sports bra helps with your performance.
But I struggled to wear it for long periods of time on work days spent typing away at my desk. I was always dyingggg to take the sports bra off by the end of the day. Whether it was because my body was tired from being reminded to sit perfectly straight or because the bra felt restrictive around my rib cage and lungs, all I knew is it felt great to rip off the posture-correcting garment. It’s definitely something that would take practiced stamina to wear for long periods of time.
Kim had a similar experience: “It’s not the miracle bra one may hope it is. It definitely requires some active willpower to transform your slouching habits,” she explained. “Overall, I think it would be a good bra to wear while you’re running errands or rehearsing for a worldwide tour but I found it to unfortunately be too uncomfy for me to wear at my desk.”
And as far as results? While wearing the Power Bra would give me an instant posture boost, I honestly didn’t see a noticeable, lasting difference in my posture after weeks of “training” it by wearing the Power Bra under my clothes. When I took it off, I felt like I sagged right back into my slight but regular slouch. All of the posture magic seems to happen while you’re wearing the Power Bra, which is why I’d recommend it as extra support during a yoga class, dance rehearsals, or a super active day… not as something to wear Every! Single! Day! in hopes of magically curing your posture.
Pros:
Cons:
The conclusion
While the Power Bra didn't transform me into a billionaire with an NFL boyfriend (🥲), I totally understand why Taylor invested in this product for her dance rehearsals. The Forme bra (with stretchier fabric in the front and tighter fabric in the back to align your shoulders properly!) is a great way to remember to mind your posture when you’re being active, especially for shorter periods of time when you can tolerate the tight, athleticwear feeling of the fabric.
While I didn’t really see any permanent results over the weeks-long testing period, anything that reminds me what correct alignment should feel like (for both aesthetic and general health purposes) feels like a win in the long run. It was super easy to wear under clothes, so while it’s unfortunately not going to be an everyday bra for me, I’ll definitely be taking advantage of it for pilates classes, hiking, or more physically-taxing days.
Next step? Learning Taylor’s Vigilante Sh*t choreo...
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