This post has been sitting in Draft purgatory for almost a month. I should probably get on this.

First things, first. This is a review of the GirlyGoGarter. I wasn’t asked to do one in exchange for goods or services. I simply just wanted to share my experiences with it and how it worked for me. You don’t even get affiliate links in this one. Just enjoy.

So as an insulin pumper, I hate wearing dresses, skirts, and things without pockets. I’ve probably ranted about the lack of pockets in women’s fashion in previous blog posts. It makes ballroom dance costuming rather challenging, but I somehow make it work. The point is, a lot of fashion trends and styles tend to be avoided because I have this object tethered to me 24/7.

Now, I have options. I’ve gotten by with just an old iPod arm band secured around my thigh with the insulin pump clipped to it. Or, worst case, I clip it to my pants and wear a baggy sweater over it. This helps deter second glances, questions about if I’m a doctor and need to carry a pager, or the awkward silhouettes it creates. I also took to sewing mini pockets into dance pants in a pinch.

But I wanted a better solution. When I was pregnant with Bean, I loved wearing maxi skirts. They were totally comfy when I definitely wasn’t. But, the pump band around my leg became unwieldy with an extra 25-40 pounds in front of you. Especially, since the band had a tendency to slip.

A gal on one of my Diabetes boards posted a link to GirlyGoGarter (GGG) when another member had a similar question about pumps and dresses. Always looking for new solutions to my problem, I checked them out.

From their website:

The GirlyGoGarter® is a sexy, lacey garter made of two-way stretch microfiber with pockets that adheres to your upper thigh with latex-free patented GentleFlex™ Grippers.  There are two types of pockets on the GirlyGoGarter®: easy-access (on the outside, just within the lace) and lock-flap (on the inside, against your thigh). Both types of pockets keep your money, I.D., lip gloss, mobile phone, keys, passport and all of your essentials safe, secure and right at your fingertips.

Their website also lists off a variety of items you can store in said garter. Including everything from your purse basics, to an epipen or pacifier (yeah, I don’t know about that). The garter can hold up to 3 lbs. of your essentials on your leg, guys! You can even buy a custom flask to fit into the pockets! It also looks a lot cuter than my old iPod arm band and comes in several colors.

I decided to order one to try. Mind you, they aren’t cheap. (Around $40.) Keep in mind though – this is basically like paying for an evening bag to attach to your leg. Or in my case, making a safe haven for all of my robot parts. I ordered a nude color to start.

Shipping was rather quick – my Garter arrived within a week. However, when I opened the envelope, out popped a black Garter. Huh. I could have swore I ordered a nude one. (More on that later.)

Here are the basics:

You have one long piece of microfiber covered in the lace color of choice. There are two pocket options: the lace pocket and a pocket within the microfiber. (The latter option is good for things you don’t need constant access to.) On the interior is the patented Grippers referred to above. To secure it, there is some heavy duty velcro sewn on the end. The garters come in several sizes – this one is the smallest size.

So, I took it for a test drive.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BAabSDhCMSn

For the record, GGG doesn’t actually recommend wearing tights with this thing. The Grippers work best with bare legs, or at the most, fishnets. However, it was January, and butt cold outside. I took my chances.

For the first test, I was sitting at a desk for about 80% of the day, so the garter didn’t have a chance to slip much. Would I dance with tights and this on? Probably not. Could you get away with a couple quick jaunts around the office and some tights? Definitely.

As the weather warmed up, I ventured out without tights, hoping to actually make this thing work for its money.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBn4tNsiMZY/

For the most part, this held up nicely. I kept Dex and my insulin pump on me while out and about, but didn’t have to carry a purse or worry about pockets. A roll of glucose tabs probably won’t fit, but a small roll of lifesavers, some hard candies, or another small low treatment of choice will more than likely fit.

Now about that incorrect color mentioned earlier. I didn’t mind the black garter. Maybe mommy brain was messing with me and I did indeed order this color. A few days after receiving my garter, I received an email from Libby, a customer service manager for Andy Paige – the creators of GGG. She let me know that there was a mistake with my order and the company indeed sent the wrong color. For my troubles, they were sending me a nude color garter, free of charge since it wasn’t right the first time. The second garter arrived about a week later. Kudos for excellent customer service follow through, Libby.

Verdict – Recommend. The garter alleviates the awkward protrusions from the insulin pump and holster, thus creating a sleeker line. And it works great if you want to be subtle or not feel more like a cyborg. And keeping the pump in the lace pocket makes for easy access.