Bangle Bracelets for Thin Wrists (and How to Measure What Size Bangle You Need)

I was posed the challenge of finding petite jewelry, especially bracelets for tiny wrists, by fellow petite, Jackie. What a great idea! I decided to focus on bangles, since from personal experience, those are the pieces I’ve had the hardest time finding. I have two bangles my mom (a fellow tiny petite!) gave me a long time ago that are actually small enough to not fall straight past my hand when I put my arms down, so I pulled them out and did some bangle sizing research.

Basically, once you know the right size bangle to look for, it’s actually pretty easy to find the right size bangles online. Bangle bracelets are usually sized by diameter. The best picture I could find to show how to measure your bangle size is from the esdesigns Etsy store.

Elizabeth Scott Botanical Jewelry, Etsy.com

When I used this method to measure for my bangle size, I got 2 1/4 inches, so by this chart, I’m a size small (that’s a no brainer…I’m a size small EVERYTHING!). When I measured the bangles my mom gave me, they came in at somewhere between 2 1/4 and 2 1/2 inches, which seems about right because the bangles I own are still just a bit big on me. This also makes sense because most “one size fits all” bangles you’ll find in stores are about 2 1/2 inches, hence why they fall right off ladies with tiny wrists.

So, now that we’re armed with our proper bangle size…let’s go shopping!

I found a great place to find tiny bangles was on Etsy! An online marketplace for handmade crafts, Etsy has a lot of options from different designer/artists who make their wares in multiple sizes, and most are open to being contacted to make special sizes or special orders. If you see something you like, but not your size, ask the designer, and maybe they can whip up a special size just for you!

I found lots of items available in multiple sizes, including my needed 2 1/4″. And if that size was not listed, most designers stated on their web page that they will make a special size if you contact them. Most shipping charges within the US are in the $3.00 range…and…most of these beautiful bracelet sets will cost you under $100!

Some of my favorites are:

3 Extra Small Recycled Twig Bangles Cast in Sterling Silver, $60 for set of 3, stratussilver, etsy.com

Bangle Set-6 Sterling Silver Thin Hammered Bangles, $78 For a Set of 6, esdesigns, etsy.com

I also found a few options on Overstock.com! These bangle sets come in size 2 3/8″.

If real life shopping is more your sport, scour vintage shops and expos. I’ve definitely found tiny bracelets that fit my wrists perfectly at the vintage expo I go to in Santa Monica. Vintage jewelry tends to be smaller (as do shoe sizes!) because the average woman of several decades ago was smaller than she is today.

Happy bangle shopping, ladies!