Hauttie Of The Week: Belly Bandit Brigade
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Our Hauttie Of The Week is One...Smart...Chick! Kari Caden - and her two sisters - created a product that totally transforms the way women bounce back after having babies. Ladies, bow down to The Belly Bandit www.bellybandit.com Everyone from Melissa Joan Hart to Kourtney Kardashian swear by the bandit and frankly, so do I. I wore the belly bandit MOST days and EVERY night after having Gibs and I could literally see my tummy shrinking day by day. Thank the heavens, I mean the Cadens! Kari breaks it down...who it's for, why it works, and how you'll finally say peace-out to that spare tire forever. But wait there's more (in that stupid infomercial voice) Those new corsets - all the rage in Hollywood - they've got em and EVERYONE - new mom or not, will shape up from lacing up. Here's more...
AC: What was your Aha moment that lead you to creating Belly Bandit?
KC: My sisters and I had always wanted to do a work project together. (Lori and I have a promotional advertising agency and Jodi has a custom cabinetry and design business.) After Lori gave birth to her first baby we finally saw an opportunity to get all of us together. She was the first to have a baby and go through the incredibly frustrating process of gaining and trying to lose weight! When Lori asked if I’d carry her second child because she couldn’t bare to see her “spare tire” again, we knew we had to do something to help women get their bodies back after baby. That was our “Aha” moment! After lots or research and trial and error we came up with the Belly Bandit. If you ask each one of us, we’ll each take credit for the idea, but it was definitely collaborative. Finally we’re all working together which was always the goal!
AC: How is it different from other products on the market?
KC: Our belly wraps were created in conjunction with a top Ob/Gyn and designed with our specialized Power Compresscore™ materials. We carefully vetted all materials and made sure it did the job – our motto has always been quality above all else.
AC: You have a serious celeb following…how did that come to be?
KC: I think because we are based in Los Angeles, and a lot of the top stores carry our line, word spread early throughout the Celeb Circle. A lot of studios and stylists started to get wind of the product lines and began ordering them for movie sets. The studios still pick up product at least once a week and as our line grows so does their interest!
AC: Which celebs are fans of the belly bandit?
KC: Everyone! But seriously our celebrity fans include Christina Applegate, Christina Aguilera, Julie Bowen, Kourtney Kardashian, Melissa Joan Hart, Busy Phillips, Poppy Montgomery &Nancy O’dell. Of course, many use the products but like to keep it hush, hush and we’re ok with that too!
AC: What are some of the complaints you hear from moms during pregnancy and after giving birth?
KC: We hear them all, as I’m sure you do too! “I feel really wiggly and jiggly.” “I don’t want to even get dressed.” “I thought my stomach would return to normal after the baby popped out.” After c-sections, “I feel like I’ll burst if I cough or laugh.” These are all really common complaints, which is why we say, out of necessity comes ingenuity!
AC: How does belly bandit help these ladies?
KC: I love my job because I get to see first-hand how the Belly Bandit helps women both physically and emotionally. I receive thank-you letters and before-and- after images almost daily. It’s incredibly rewarding when women are thanking you for providing a product that makes them feel better about themselves in such a vulnerable time in their lives. It had kept us motivated to invent, create and put out great products.
AC: Is Belly Bandit for everyone? One-fits-all kind of thing?
KC: Yes, our core product, the Belly Bandit, is definitely THE product for post-pregnant woman…. although it’s far from a one-size fits all. We’ve gone to great lengths in our sizing process and actually have a sizing calculator online to make sure women are fitted correctly. Women’s bodies are very different during pregnancy and there is a wide variety in terms of weight gain. It is really important to get the right size in order for the product to work effectively.
AC: How does it work?
KC: The Belly Bandit is designed to shrink a woman’s belly, waist and hips post-pregnancy.
AC: And for the scientific explanation...
- Belly Bandit® applies constant medical-grade pressure, which can result in body shaping, muscle memory and the reduction of stretch marks.
- Belly Bandit's® custom compression helps expedite fluids through the body's system
- Belly Bandit® compresses small blood vessels and capillaries to help flush body fluids away from the skin, reduce swelling known as edema, and minimize bruising
- Belly Bandit® compresses the stomach, hips and waist which have all expanded during the course of pregnancy, getting you back faster to your pre-pregnancy size. One reason this works is due to a hormone called relaxin.
- Belly Bandit's® medical-grade elastic helps stabilize the pelvic floor and support the spine
- Belly Bandit's® constant compression results in a flatter belly by helping the uterus to shrink faster. It's setting off a chain reaction - once your uterus shrinks, so does your tummy.
- Belly Bandit's® universally perfect fit and patented Stretch and Compress fabric will help you look and feel fabulous, in-and out-of clothing.
AC: Does it work for women who may not have kids but are looking to flatten their belly?
KC: Listen if it did, I’d be eating a large pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner with my Belly Bandit! But seriously, the Belly Bandit wraps are specialized for the post-pregnant woman! However, our Mother Tucker line (leggings, tanks, corset) does the trick for all women who simply want a little surgery-free nip or tuck. We are here to empower women to look and feel their best, before during and after pregnancy so we’re creating specialized garments for women at any stage and any age.
AC: What’s the deal with all those new corsets celebs are hawking? Are they legit? Dangerous?
KC: We actually recently debuted our Mother Tucker Corset and it’s hugely popular. Women are craving curvier figures and curvier waistlines and the corset delivers just that! While some women are firm believers in waist training, I honestly can’t advocate one way or another. I’ve seen the extreme training and it something that is really prevelant right now in the media. Those are crazy before and after photos! I will say, I do love wearing a corset out at night. There is something about how it shapes the body to give it a ‘Jessica Rabbit’ type look and feel! Who doesn’t want that.
