How to Measure Sunglasses Size—­A Small-Face Guide

Still wrestling with shades that slide, slip, or make your cheekbones disappear? You’re not alone—and this guide is your shortcut to a fit that finally feels made-for-you. In this quick-start guide we’ll decode those mysterious millimeter numbers, show you two at-home measuring tricks, and reveal the petite-specific specs we perfected after Julie’s infamous Grand Teton squint saga. If you’re on the hunt for sunglasses for petite faces that stay put through dog walks and beach days, you’re in the right place—let’s grab a ruler and dive in.

from wedding woes to ello HQ wins

Julie’s Grand Teton sunrise looked postcard-perfect—right up until the moment she realized none of the five park shops stocked shades that fit a genuinely petite face. The glare, the squint-rage, the ruined photos…that little fiasco became our “light-bulb” moment.

Back in Florida, we turned our loft into a mini lab: calipers, spreadsheets, prototype frames, and a wall-sized chart of every lens-bridge-temple combo we could find. After dissecting dozens of samples, we built the ello petite spec sheet—narrow widths (126-135 mm), daintier bridges, kinder temple curves, and lens heights that keep brows front-and-center. That experience fuels every design tweak we make today.

decoding the tiny numbers: what do sunglass sizes mean?

Grab any pair of shades and you’ll spot three numbers, usually printed on the inside of one temple in this order: □ □ – □ □ □.

• Lens width – distance across one lens (e.g., 48 mm).
• Bridge width – the saddle over your nose (e.g., 18 mm).
• Temple length – arm length from hinge to tip (e.g., 135 mm).

Those millimeters tell you 90 % of what you need to know about fit—especially when your face width is under 115 mm.

tools & prep: measuring sunglasses at home

• ruler marked in millimeters (a sewing tape or digital caliper is even better)
• credit card for the “temple-to-temple” trick
• mirror & good lighting

Pro tip: set your phone to selfie video so you can freeze-frame and double-check where the ruler sits.

step-by-step: measure your current sunglasses in millimeters

1. Lens width ✔ — place the ruler straight across the widest part of one lens, edge-to-edge.
2. Bridge width ✔ — measure the gap between lenses at the tightest point.
3. Temple length ✔ — start at the hinge, follow the arm to the curve’s end.

step-by-step: measure your face & head for petite frames

credit-card temple test

Hold a standard credit card horizontally under one eye. If the card’s edge lines up with the outer edge of your brow, your face width is ~54 mm. For petite faces the card usually overshoots—use that overshoot to gauge how many millimeters to trim from standard “medium” widths.

mirror-ruler selfie

With a mm ruler, measure across your temples at the widest point (just above the cheekbones). Faces ≤ 110 mm are extra-petite; 110-115 mm true-petite; 115-120 mm narrow-average.

Record the number—this is your target frame width.

interpret your numbers: petite cheat-sheet

For everything 126-135 mm, browse our line-up in the petite frame size guide.

the petite-frame sweet spot—126 – 135 mm (and how every ello style stacks up)

Years of caliper work told us that most true-petite faces (110 – 115 mm temple-to-temple) feel best when the overall frame width lands between 126 and 130 mm. Anything

narrower can pinch; anything wider risks nose-slide. Below is how each of our six current styles plots against that “Goldilocks” band—measurements come straight from our master spec sheet:

How we build around the band

• Design box: every sketch starts in Illustrator with hard stops at 126 and 130 mm.
• Bridge math: we cap bridges at 13-17 mm so narrower noses stay centered.
• Early temple bend: arms curve ~3 mm sooner than industry standard, keeping ear pressure low even on micro-puffs or ponytails.
• Lens height tuning: enough vertical room to keep brows visible (no raccoon-mask effect) but still clear of cheeks.

Try it yourself: grab your ruler, match your measurement to the table above, and order two or three contenders with our 10-day home try-on. Your sweet-spot shades—and zero-squint selfies—await.

which frame shapes flatter petite features?

Choosing a silhouette is more than a vibe check—it’s how you control balance, brow drama, and the illusion of width (or sleekness) on a smaller canvas. Here’s the cheat sheet:

try this quick mirror trick:

1. Hold each frame shape (or even a paper cut-out) about an inch from your face.

2. Notice where your brows, cheekbones, and jawline sit against the outline.

3. If the shape highlights what you love—brows, cheek peaks, jaw—keep it. If it buries or widens spots you’d rather downplay, pivot.

A five-minute shape check now can spare you fifty “is this the one?” screenshots later. For a deeper dive—including outfit pairings, tint tips, and face-shape hacks—skim our best frame shapes for petite features guide, then circle back here to lock in your sweet-spot width. Selfies will thank you.

3 petite fit pitfalls—solved by ello ✔

✔ Temple gap & slide – feather-light TR90 flex on Outer Banks keeps arms snug without clamp-pressure.
✔ Nose-bridge slip – custom pads on Bali 128 mm aviator hug narrower bridges so frames stay centered.
✔ Overshadowed brows – balanced lens height on Half Moon Bay cat-eye shows off your natural arch instead of hiding it.

lens tech & tint moods—because petite fit isn’t just about millimeters

Picture this: you’ve nailed the 128 mm frame width, but every selfie still looks off because your lenses throw weird glare or mute your skin tone. Lens science matters just as much as

frame math, especially on a petite canvas where every millimeter of tint is more visible. Here’s our lab-tested cheat sheet for getting the optics as perfect as the fit.

material & style choices for narrow faces

TR90: hypoallergenic, heat-resistant, and 25 % lighter than acetate—ideal for all-day wear or sweaty hikes.
Acetate: deep, saturated colors that pop on smaller canvases; adds just enough heft for that “premium” feel.
Metal: ultra-thin profiles (hello, Bali aviator) keep facial real estate open and airy.

Weight and temple flexibility directly affect petite comfort—our internal spec calls for < 24 g total weight on any frame ≤ 128 mm width.

pro insight: questions with an ABO-certified optician

Q: Does a petite frame always need shorter temples?
A: Not always—temple curve matters more. A 135 mm temple with an early bend will sit better than a 130 mm that curves too late.
Q: How much bridge width is “petite”?
A: Anything 13-17 mm. Beyond 18 mm, most petite noses will see slippage.

try before you decide—our 10-day home try-on ✔️

Can’t tell if Bali or Outer Banks is your forever pair? No sweat. We’ll ship your favorites to your door so you can road-test them in real life—coffee runs, dog walks, mirror selfies—before you commit.

Say ello to  peace-of-mind:
✔ USPS shipping—no “restocking” gotchas
✔ Petite-friendly packaging—collapsible case, pouch & microfiber cloth included
✔ 100 % UV400 lenses on every frame

Ready? Add your sweet-spot picks to cart, try “10-Day Try-On,” and we’ll take care of the rest. Your perfect petite pair is 10 days—and zero risk—away.

“I’ve hunted 15 years—Bar Harbor is the first pair that didn’t swallow my cheekbones.” — Raquel, Boise

Drop your favorite styles in the cart, test-drive them for 10 days, send back what doesn’t spark beach-day joy. Free returns, same-day shipping before 1 pm EST.

claim your petite-perfect match

The millimeters don’t lie—now it’s your turn to feel the proof on your own face. Grab your ruler-verified shortlist, start the 10-day home try-on, and give every frame the coffee-run, beach-walk, messy-bun test. When the one hugs just right and the selfies sparkle without a single squint, you’ll know you’ve found "the one."

Ready to see every style that lives inside our 126–135 mm sweet spot? Explore the full petite collection and pick your test-drive lineup today. Here’s to frames that don't slip or slide and a world that finally fits your petite-perfect point of view.