Marcus Bontempelli’s wife has hit back at online trolls after receiving a barrage of hate messages over the dress she wore to the Brownlow Medal on Monday night.
Neila Bontempelli attended the AFL’s night of nights alongside the Western Bulldogs superstar just 35 days after giving birth to the couple’s first child, Daisy.
She wore an eye-catching metallic silver-blue gown with black lapels, long sleeves and a red floral waist embellishment.
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The look was criticised from all corners of the internet, with trolls saying it looked like a boxing gown or karate robe.
In a statement provided to The Blunt And The Beautiful podcast on Thursday, the Canadian-born first-time mother explained it wasn’t easy finding a dress so early postpartum.
“I was recovering from a complex birth and cesarean,” Neila said.
“My mum is in town from Canada. We had help on the night, so we thought it was a good opportunity to get dressed and feel good after many sleepless nights covered in milk.
“I’ve always told my mum about the Brownlow and she’s followed it online from Canada and the socials, so it was very special for her to be there on the day and see all the preparation that went into it.
“All in all, the worst of the comments was that the dress resembled a boxing gown or a dressing gown.
“But it was tough to find something that met the requirements I had. I needed to have good breast-feeding access, loose on the waist for a C-section scar, bandages, leakage — the list goes on — all while loving the dress and staying true to my own personal style.
“Which I hear now, loud and clear, is not for everyone.”
Neila shared vision on the night which showed her breastfeeding Daisy in their hotel room while wearing the dress, which she had deliberately allowed for when selecting her outfit.
The former professional ice hockey player said words can hurt more than people realise.
“I understand people are going to have their opinions, but when people write, ‘She must have been high from the gas from birth’, or, ‘This is awful and an equal embarrassment to her partner’, those things are shocking as they are upsetting,” she went on.
“In the end, I received thousands of lovely messages from people saying they loved it, even from other stylists and celebrities, which had a lovely impact.
“Most importantly, I was comfortable and happy and confident, and Marcus thought I looked absolutely beautiful.”
In a more cryptic and subtle dig at internet trolls, Neila posted an image to her Instagram story on Tuesday suggesting those who felt the need to spread negativity might get what is coming for them.
She posted a photo holding a mug emblazoned with the words: “I saw that. — Karma”.
The Bontempellis tied the knot in October last year, hosting their wedding at a luxury ranch in the Napa Valley in California.
They shared the news of their pregnancy with a beautiful gender-reveal video in February.
The pair met in Western Australia after the Bulldogs’ 2021 grand final defeat to Melbourne.
“It was a bit of a silver lining after the loss as I was a bit down and out on myself,” Bontempelli told Triple M earlier this year.
“I was pretty busted up and broken, she put me back together, which was great.”
He proposed in Italy during the 2024 off-season before they headed back overseas for the bucks and hens parties in Las Vegas before the destination wedding.
