One of the most common problems we encounter with customers is an incorrect bridge fit. A too tight bridge will pinch at the nose and cause the frame to sit too high, while a too large bridge will keep your glasses sliding down your face all day long (talk about annoying!)
No need to worry – Marie, our Junior Eyewear Designer, is here with 10 tips that will help you find your perfect bridge measurement.
One: Firstly, know what the bridge is. The bridge width is the distance from lens to lens measured from the inside of the rim across your frame.
Two: Generally the bridge measurement is much more important for acetate frames than for metal. If you prefer metal, you’ve got it EASY! The bridge comes with adjustable nosepads that can be narrowed or widened to suit a variety of nose sizes.
Three: If you have worn plastic frames in the past or currently wear them, you should be able to find your bridge measurement on your current frames. Traditionally, the middle number corresponds to the bridge measurement. If these frames are a good fit, chances are this number will work for you in other pairs.
If the world has more recently become a blur, or you can’t find this number, move along to step 4.
Four: Take a good long look in the mirror. No, I don’t mean to soul-search; look in the mirror, study your face and see where your bridge starts and how wide or narrow your nose is.
One helpful trick is to take a selfie of your side profile! If your bridge is low (level or below your pupils) or if it is skinny, your bridge size will be a low number. If it is high (above your pupils) or if it is wider than average, you will need a larger bridge number.
Five: It is also important to look at location of the bridge on the frame. If you have a high bridge, frames with a bridge closer to the browline are great! If you have a low bridge, frames with a curvier brow or a lower bridge would be a better choice.
Six: Because the bridge measurement is measured from the inside of the frame, a thick-rimmed frame with the same bridge size as a frame with a very thin rim will not fit the same, it might actually be too small. For example, if you know your bridge is 17mm and you’re looking at a chunky frame with a 19mm bridge, it is very likely that it will be a suitable size for your bridge because it takes into account the extra rim.
So, after all this, if you’ve concluded that…
Seven: Your bridge is small: look for something in the 14-16mm range.
Eight: Your bridge is medium: you’ll be best suited to a bridge between 17-19mm.
Nine: Your bridge is large: your size would be 20-23mm.
Ten: Once you’re confident, its time to go shopping! Using our handy size filter found on the left hand side of our glasses homepage, you can search for only the frames that suit your size.
Still not sure which glasses work? Need a little extra help? Use the tag #clearlystyle on Instagram and Twitter for personal assistance!
