I’ve Tried Every Ostomy Belt for 5 Years…

For five years I rotated through every “stealth” option on the market: the pastel Etsy bands that looked like toddler clothes, the medical-looking wraps with giant velcro, the $150 belts that left red marks after two hours. Nothing felt like something I’d choose to wear if I didn’t have to.

Then a friend in my ostomy group slid into my DMs with a single photo: matte black belt, no shine, no bulk. She just wrote “trust me.” I ordered that night. Five months later I’ve thrown out or donated everything else.

Here’s what actually living with it looks like (no sponsored vibes, just real talk).

The one I’m obsessed with

It’s the GBmates ostomy belt in matte black (they also do a charcoal grey that’s equally good). From the outside it looks like one of those thick fashion waistbands Gen Z layers over low-rise jeans. I’ve had strangers ask where I got it because it looked “cool,” not medical.

Real outfits I’ve worn without a single second thought

• White ribbed tank + baggy carpenter jeans → belt in black, no outline even when the bag was full after sushi

• Silk emerald slip dress to a wedding → charcoal belt underneath, danced until 2 a.m. with zero leaks or shifting

• Grey marl gym set for hot yoga → black belt, did inversions and never once worried about pancaking

• Cropped leather jacket + low-rise cargos at a concert → belt visible on purpose because it actually completed the look

Things I didn’t expect to love

• It’s stupidly thin but somehow holds everything flatter than my old Level 2 medical supports

• No silicone, no rolling, no irritation even on shaved skin in summer

• The pocket keeps the bag centered so I stopped getting those weird one-sided balloons

• I forget it’s there. I fall asleep in it half the time and wake up with everything still perfect

How it stacks up against everything else I’ve tried

• Cheaper than Stealth Belt Pro and twice as comfortable

• Way less “granny” than most high-street shapewear hacks

• Doesn’t scream medical like the big-name ostomy brands

• Survives the washing machine on cold (I’ve done it 40+ times, still perfect)

The only downside (if you can call it that)

They only make black and charcoal grey. Zero nudes, zero patterns. At first I was annoyed… until I realized those are literally the two colors that disappear under everything. I own one of each now and rotate them like regular underwear.

The moment I knew it was different

I was at a rooftop bar in a cropped satin top (something I would’ve cancelled plans over two years ago). A guy I was talking to put his arm around my waist and I didn’t flinch. I didn’t angle my body away. I didn’t have the usual five-second panic of “can he feel it?” That was the first time in five years I felt… normal isn’t the right word. Just me.

If you’re tired of dressing around your bag instead of for yourself, try the GBmates belt in black or charcoal. I’m not saying it’s the only thing that works for everyone, but it’s the first thing that ever worked so well I stopped thinking about it.

Tell me in the comments: what’s the one outfit you still won’t wear because of your bag? Maybe this year we change that.