This girl's body-confident pics with and without shapewear are going viral
Olivia, who goes by Self Love Liv on Instagram, uses social media to document her recovery from an eating disorder and self-harm. Earlier this week she posted two powerful images of herself side by side: one that shows her sporting high-waisted control briefs, and one that shows the underwear pulled down by her hips, exposing her tummy.
24-year-old Olivia, from Birmingham, explained that she bought the shapewear a year ago in hopes that of wearing the garment under bodycon dresses - but quickly discovered it wasn't for her. (Editor's note: The item worn in Olivia's post is not actually made by the brand Spanx.)
"Do you know how uncomfortable these things are 😂 breathing was not an option!" she wrote. "I felt tight, uncomfortable and restricted in the first photo. The relief of taking them off was amazing!!"
She continued, "You don't NEED them. I feel totally fine in the second photo, and I can breathe again!"
Her relaxed smile and confident pose in the righthand photo kind of say it all.
With more than 33,000 likes, Olivia's post is a useful reminder that when you see photos of celebrities on the red carpet showing off teeny-tiny waists and flat bellies, shapewear usually is involved.
More important: Whatever your tummy looks like - curvy, flat, with a pooch or rolls - it's normal and beautiful as is.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with rocking shapewear if you like it how looks (and don't mind how it feels). But if wearing shapewear makes you fantasise about running to the closest bathroom, ripping them off, and stuffing them in your purse, then you should do exactly that.
"The reaction has been amazing," Olivia told Cosmopolitan UK. "Some negative but I'm too happy with the positive response to mind about that! It's so lovely to think I'm helping people, which is all I've ever wanted to do!"
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