‘My small fashion finds are big hits’
CAITLIN’S HELP FOR PEOPLE WITH DWARFISM
CAITLIN Hellyer is causing a big stir in the fashion world after starting a blog to share her clothing finds for other people with dwarfism.
The 20-year-old student, who is 3ft 8in tall, has never felt held back by her stature but has struggled to find trendy clothes that fit her.
Caitlin has been buying outfits from the children’s sections but gets “funny looks” while checking items meant for 10-year-olds.
So she started a blog to share her fashion tips – and gained a legion of followers.
Caitlin says a lot of high street kids’ lines are just what she’s looking for – with some better than adult versions.
She also saves hundreds of pounds on shoes – wearing a child’s size 13 – because a pair of her favourite Dr Martens, which should be more than £140, only cost £50 for the child’s equivalent.
Her favourite children’s lines are in Zara, River Island and Primark, and she is constantly searching for new brands. Caitlin, of Plymouth, said: “I used to find it so hard to find clothes that fit me and that I wanted to wear. “Now I’ve found the confidence to explore the children’s sections with pride, I want to share that with other people who might be having the same difficulty.
“People with dwarfism message me from all over the world asking where they can buy my clothes.” Caitlin has achondroplasia dwarfism, which means she has an averagesized torso with shortened limbs. She started an Instagram page and blog about her fashion finds in 2018 and found her struggles really resonated with other people with dwarfism. She soon began getting messages asking her where she shops and how she finds clothes that fit perfectly.
Caitlin said: “It’s rewarding when people message to say I’ve helped them. That’s what makes me keep doing it – to keep helping people and show that you can express yourself no matter what your size.”