Darrell Rattray

I was about eight months postpartum and every pair of shapewear I tried did the same stupid thing.

I’d put them on, think, okay… maybe this one actually works. Then by the time I was ready to leave, the waistband had already curled underneath my belly and now I had this big roll running straight across my stomach.

Like… brilliant. I bought shapewear to hide one bulge and somehow I’d ended up with two.

So half the time I’d just rip them off and throw on a big top again.

I mentioned it to my physio and she goes, “You’re looking at the wrong thing. Stop buying tighter pairs and look at the waistband.”

Most shapewear relies on tight elastic to hold you in. So it squeezes, and as soon as you move, that pressure pushes the waistband straight down.

Then she goes, “You need something that actually grips your skin, not something that just squeezes you tighter.”

And I was like… okay, that actually makes sense.

So I went home and searched for exactly that.

Bella kept popping up, so I started scrolling through the reviews. Loads of women were basically saying the exact same thing I’d been saying. Their shapewear always rolled underneath their belly, but apparently these didn’t. So I ordered a pair.

Five days later, they turned up at my front door and the first thing I did was flip the waistband inside out to see the grip lining everyone was raving about.

I threw them on and honestly just waited for them to curl underneath my belly. But… nothing.

Every 20 minutes or so, I kept checking because I genuinely didn’t trust them yet. But they were still exactly where I’d put them. Then I put my clothes back on and everything just sat properly.

A couple of weeks later, I wore them out to dinner and halfway through the meal I realised I hadn’t thought about my stomach once.

Normally by then, I’d have been in the toilet again, for what felt like the fourth time, pulling my shapewear back up. But that night, I hadn’t touched them once.

And that was the weirdest part. I wasn’t managing my stomach all night. I was just… out having dinner.

For once, I’d picked what I actually wanted to wear, not whatever hid my stomach best.

Last time I checked, they were running up to 50% off, and they have a 30-day money-back guarantee. Make sure you click the link below so you’re getting the actual Bella pair.

Fairy Godmother: I’m your bridal fairy godmother. It’s time to try Bella’s Tuck and Lift shorts.

Bride: Tuck and Lift shorts?

Fairy Godmother: Yep. They’re high-waisted, so they actually smooth that low apron. And I already know you’re gonna love the grip technology in the waistband.

Bride: Okay, but I’ve tried Spanx, Skims, literally all the big brands. They look fine at first, then I sit down or start moving and they roll. And somehow my apron still shows in all the photos. I was honestly at the point where tape or cling film were starting to feel like my only options.

Fairy Godmother: Please don’t wrap yourself in cling film. And going tighter isn’t the answer either. There’s a soft anti-slip grip lining inside these. The waistband holds onto your skin, so they won’t roll down.

Bride: Wait… so they actually stay up without squeezing me even tighter?

Fairy Godmother: Exactly. Most shapewear just squeezes you harder. These actually smooth that low apron without squeezing you to death.

Bride: Okay… you weren’t kidding. These actually feel so good. My apron looks smooth, I can breathe and they haven’t moved. Usually I think I look fine in the mirror, then someone takes a photo and my stomach is literally the first thing I see.

Fairy Godmother: Exactly.

Bride: Okay, fine. You win.

Fairy Godmother: That’s what I’ve been saying. And please don’t leave these until wedding week. Get them ordered now so you have them in time for your final fitting.

I’ve been fitting women for weddings and events for the last 15 years and I see this all the time.

Most women just want their lower tummy smoothed so they can put their dress on, look in the mirror and actually feel proud of what they see.

But they sit down during the fitting, the waistband of their shapewear rolls under their belly and now their stomach’s back on show and suddenly it’s the only thing they can focus on again.

And that’s when they start thinking they need to change the dress, buy an A-line and spend even more money.

When the dress was never the problem.

What I tell all my clients is, stop buying shapewear based on how tight it is and start looking at what the waistband is actually made of.

That’s why I recommend Bella’s Tuck and Lift shorts to my clients.

They’ve got this grip lining inside the waistband that anchors against your skin instead of just squeezing you tighter.

So you get that smooth, contained look without having to worry about it rolling under your belly.

So you can wear the dress you actually wanted, feel excited when the photographer comes over to you and actually be happy to be in the photos instead of trying to hide in them.

So if you’ve got a wedding coming up, make sure you get these in time for it. Bella are up to 50% off right now, so I’ve left the link down below.

Here’s the frustrating thing about an apron belly.

To everyone else, it’s nothing, but in your photos, it’s the first thing you see.

Fine in the mirror, and horrendous in every single picture. And you’ve tried the shapewear, pair after pair, and none of it fixes it.

The firm stuff you can barely breathe in, and even with it on, you get the photos back, and you’re still picking apart how much stomach is in every one.

It’s why brides end up taping their apron up, or wrapping it in cling film to hold it flat. You’d try anything to get it through the photos.

But here’s the actual problem: most shapewear smooths your waist, not that low apron, so it still shows.

And whatever’s meant to hold it in place either rolls down the moment you move, digs in with boning, or has a grippy strip at the top that bulges out where everyone can see.

This pair works differently. It’s high waisted, so it actually covers the low apron, and instead of a strip or boning, the whole waistband is a soft rubber grip.

It holds on to your skin, so it smooths that apron and stays put all day without digging in or showing through your dress.

You can wear them from 10 in the morning till midnight and never once adjust them.

You can breathe, sit, and eat, and no one can see anything under your dress.

So when your photos come back, you’re not picking your stomach apart anymore.

For once, you just like them. So if shapewear has never got your belly through a full day of photos, it’s not you.

Forget the tape and the cling film, get the ones that grip with the whole waistband. They’re $45, not $80 like the big brands.

Does not mean you have to hide yourself in baggy clothes.

Yes, it’s there. And yes, some outfits are going to show it more than others.

And if you’re completely fine with that, amazing.

But if there are days where you just want your stomach to look flat and smooth, that’s okay too.

That’s where shapewear comes in.

The problem is, most of us have already tried pairs that look good for ten minutes and then start rolling down, digging in and create another bulge.

So instead of putting up with that, try Bella’s Tuck and Lift Shorts.

They give you the flat and smooth tummy you’re after but have a special grip technology that stops them from rolling down.

So your stomach doesn’t get to decide what you wear anymore. You can put on the outfit you actually wanted and feel proud of how you look in it.

They’re up to 50% off right now and come with a 30-day guarantee.

The link is down below if you want to try them.