If you’re one of the millions of people who sit slumped over in an office chair for the majority of your waking hours, your posture probably isn’t that great. But not to worry – there’s a new line of garments designed to help combat your bad slouching habit.
Created by Parisian fashion design firm Up Couture, the Up tee is a cleverly-constructed t-shirt that passively promotes good posture. Rather than using any sort of rigid brace, the shirts use a patented configuration of elastic bands sewn directly into the garment. These bands are arranged in a pattern that resembles something of an oddly-shaped figure eight that loops your arms through the holes. The idea is that these shoulder supports will make the shirt less comfortable when you’re slouching, and more comfortable when you’re practicing good posture.
“The goal of the shirt isn’t to force the wearer’s posture into position, which would weaken his or her back muscles, and instead press in the right direction as soon as the wearer’s shoulders leave their unique alignment,” Up Couture says on its official website.
According to designer Neda Naef, the Up is made from 100 percent organic cotton, whereas the internal support bands are made with a particularly resilient form of elastic. This specially-engineered material allows the shirt to encourages good posture for its entire lifespan without degrading over time – which is good, since at $175-$200 a pop, the Up is one of the most expensive shirts you can buy.
That being said, $200 is a small price to pay for better spinal health. Not only could something like this save you from a lifetime of back pain, but when you consider the price of posture-promoting chairs, standing desks, massages and physical therapy appointments, $200 is a steal, assuming the Up works as advertised.
Up Couture’s anti-slouching tees can be purchased online here.
