PHOTO: Katie Friedman
Amethyst: Claims to Create a Sense of Calm
I guess you can call me a crystals freak: I started dabbling with stones during the past few years to deal with anxiety, and now they’re all over my apartment. I carry grounding stones like black tourmaline and keep calming purple and pink ones like amethyst, lepidolite, and rose quartz near my bed, and I meditate with them. So I was very into the idea of wearing crystals in my bra, I just hadn’t gotten around to trying it yet.
My birthstone is amethyst, and I know it’s a powerful anti-anxiety crystal, which is what I was looking to address. I was hoping that by wearing the bra all day, I’d feel a steady, enduring sense of calm.
I put on the bra, looking forward to an immediate change: I was like, ‘OK, I feel pretty chill.’ That feeling promptly started to fade when I boarded a packed train, but I tried not to let that interfere with the high hopes I had for my new calming bra.
Throughout the next few days, whenever I’d feel anxious or on edge at work (which is pretty much my forever mood), I’d remember that I was wearing the crystal, and mentally tap into that energy. During a big pitch meeting, I silently repeated: ‘let that crystal work.’ I felt calm, and delivered my ideas with clarity and confidence.
Was a stone on a bra a cure-all for my anxiety? Of course not. But it made me more aware of harnessing my own inner strength to mitigate any anxiety about a deadline or an unanswered email. The crystal itself was seamless underneath my clothes and I didn’t notice it. The particular fit of this cut was a little off on me, but the bra is very cute.” — Jess Militare, assistant editor
Max & Vera Charm Affirmations Bra, $58, Max & Vera
PHOTO: Katie Friedman
Agate: Claims to Improve Self-Expression and Calm Nerves
To get at the essence of my natural energy, pull out my high school yearbook: I was, no joke, awarded the enviable superlative of “Overly Anxious.” I’ve tried some fairly woo-woo things to become calmer and cooler since then—essential oils, guided journaling, meditation—without much luck. The agate crystal bra, and its promise to help those who “have difficulty communicating and being heard’ while ‘calming and soothing nerves,” was a natural choice for me.
I first wore my agate crystal bra on a day that happened to combine two of my biggest stressors into one event: a work trip. Yet I made it on early morning flight and into a full day of programming without any breakdowns or frantic texts for help.
I spent the next two days feeling unnaturally assertive, entering my interviews with confidence and chatting it up with the other people on my trip. Feeling the crystal bumping against my sternum was reassuring in situations that would normally make me clam up. By the fourth day that I wore my crystal bra, I found myself speaking up during moments where I’d otherwise stand against the wall and pretend to check my phone. However, the stone was as successful on the “calming and soothing nerves” front: Sure, I felt more talkative than usual, but I wasn’t picking over how I felt I sounded or fretting over my to-do-list any less.
The bralette made planning outfits more difficult, though: Only a handful of my tops can conceal its sheer material, and I had to recycle the same shirts multiple times to stay comfortably covered. (Some women can pull off the natural look; I am not one of them.) The crystal, surprisingly, didn’t stick out much. Whether my agate charm really made me feel more outgoing, or I fell for a very convincing placebo effect, I plan on wearing it on days I want a boost—provided I have a clean black shirt handy.” —Halie LeSavage, fashion features assistant
I’d vaguely heard about healing crystals and their power, but I’d imagined it to be an expensive session like a psychic reading, so the idea of a wearable crystal seemed much more accessible.
The Agate crystal caught my eye because of its description: It claims to have calming properties that could ease anxieties and bring positive energy, and I thought if wearing a crystal can take care of even a tiny percent of that, it’s definitely worth a shot.
I didn’t mind the crystal placement in the bra at all—if anything, it makes you feel sexier to have a secret gem hiding inside. I can’t speak to energy part since I tried it at home and took it off after a few hours because the fit of the bra itself left much to be desired. I’m a 36DD, and I felt like the bra offered little support. (But since the website doesn’t give any options in cup sizes, it wasn’t surprising that it doesn’t provide full or side coverage.) It’d be good for special tops, but it’s not the kind of bra I’d wear to work, and expect to feel comfortable in. But, apparel with crystals open a whole new world of possibilities after this experiment.” — Smiriti Sinha, social media manager
Max & Vera Charm Affirmations Bra, $58, Max & Vera
PHOTO: Katie Friedman
Lemurian Seed Crystal: Claims to Help Reach a State of Balance
The description for lemurian seed crystal is vague and differs depending on the source, but many sites mentioned balance and finding greater knowledge. I’ve been feeling very anxious lately, and have been trying to hone in on a routine that doesn’t exhaust me. I was hoping this stone would help me with those two issues.
At first, I didn’t think the stone did anything, but as I reflect on these last few days that’s not entirely true. I notice I’ve been more organized and situations that would have caused moments of great distress didn’t have that effect on me. I’ve also been openly communicating more with people about the things that I want and how I’m feeling.
Also, this bra was honestly the most comfortable bra/bralette hybrid I’ve ever worn. It was soft and weightless, and it also looked great under several different styled shirts (and my nipples didn’t show). The crystal did stick out a little under my loose t-shirt but I was able to move it and lay it flat. I would definitely try more apparel with crystals and I’m already thinking about other stones I can wear with this bra.” — Khaliha Hawkins, digital administrative assistant
Max & Vera Affirmations Bra, $62, Max & Vera
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