AT 6ft 4in I’M TOO TALL FOR LOVE Caroline tells how she will spend V alentine’s alone
7 killed in blast
A SUICIDE bomber killed seven and wounded 20 others at a bank in the Afghan city of Lashkar Gah as local soldiers collected wages. FINDING a date in time for this Valentine’s Day might be a bit of a tall order for singletons. But Caroline Stillman will be short on pity for them – as she has the problem all year round. At 6ft6 4in, she reckons her tower towering height puts off potential suitors and is killing her chan chance of finding romance. S She says she has yet to have a pr proper date, never mind a lon long-term relationship, and wil will spend Tuesday night wor working. So as we meet for din dinner, I make sure my behavio iour “I is thinkthe heighta lot of of guys chivalry. are unc uncomfortable about dating a womanwo who is taller than them them,” says Caroline, 24. “M “Most guys who message me are pretty small, especially after I dyed my hair blonde. Som Some are cringeworthy, going on a about how much they love tall blondes. Those messages ge get deleted t straight away!” We W meet at Nottingham’s Lac Lacemarket Hotel, near to wh where Caroline works as a m men’s stylist. She cuts a breathtaking figure and my eyes instinctively go to her fe feet, expecting killer heels. Instead I see stylish black boots – with flat soles. I introduce myself with a peck on the cheek, hoping she won’t notice I’m on tiptoe. And complimenting her boots goes down well, as she made them herself. “I never wear high heels, I’d just be drawing more attention,” Caroline says. “Tiny dresses are out too, they’d look like a T-shirt! It makes it hard to dress for a date. Most guys expect high heels on a first date.”
As we head to our table, an undeniably short waiter has to stretch to take her coat. Between forkfuls, she says her height is caused by genetic condition marfan syndrome, which hits the body’s connective tissues. It can also cause heart issues, so she has regular checks.
Caroline takes the physical effects in her stride but the psychological impact of being bullied at school hit her hard.
She was branded “giraffe legs” and boys would pretend to ask her out, only to mock her in front of their friends.
Things reached a head when one girl called Caroline “lanky” online and told
u“her to commit suicide. Her parents took her out of school to teach her at home.
Self-conscious
“That had a lasting impact,” she says. “People are nicer now. But you still get idiots who shout. I hate it, not because of what they say but as it makes people look. It makes me more self-conscious.
“I tend to be suspicious when a man asks me out. I worry they’re doing it to make fun, like the bullies at school.”
For now, Caroline is focused on her career and her brand of plus-sized shoes, which she sells online through Carobella Boutique. She set it up as she could never find stylish options in size 11.
On Tuesday night, she will be packing orders. But she insists she is keen to find love – so what is she looking for?
“I’m hoping I’ll meet a nice, eligible basketball player,” she laughs. “I actually don’t care about a guy’s height. I just worry with someone much shorter, it will become an issue for them. I’d like to find a man who doesn’t even mention my height, who likes me for me.”
Outside, we hug and say goodbye. This time, I don’t feel the need to stand on tiptoe. I wish Caroline good luck in her search for love. There must be some fella out there who’ll measure up.