How to Tie a Tie - Easy, Simple & Fast Solutions
Tips, Suggestions & Curious Facts About Neckties
Oct 25, 2009
An Oriental knot, Pratt knot, Kelvin knot, St. Andrew knot, Cavendish knot, Victoria knot, Nicky knot. There are at least 85 different ways to tie a tie. But the most popular types of knot and the easiest among the others to learn are the Four-in-hand knot and the Windsor knot.
The Four-in-hand Knot
More than 80 % of tie wearers knot their ties like this - the four-in-hand knot. It is appropriate for all occasions! However, the four-it is slightly asymmetric, so it does not look good on wide collar shirts. The four-in-hand knot is good for men with shorter necks as the knot's rather narrow and elongated form stretches the perceived height of the neck a tiny bit.
The Four-in-hand Instructions:
(these instructions assume that you are right-handed)
- Turn up collar of your shirt and make sure that the top button is buttoned.
- Drape the tie around your neck with the wide end on your left and make sure that the wide end is extended about 12 inches (30.5 cm) lower than narrow end.
- Cross the wide end over the narrow end.
- Bring the wide end back underneath the narrow end.
- Cross the wide end over the narrow end once more.
- Put the wide end up through the bottom of the loop that has been formed by the tie and your neck.
- Bring the wide end back down through the loop in the front and pull it down as far as it will go.
- Hold the narrow end gently while slowly pushing the knot up until it reaches the center of the collar.
The Windsor Knot
The Windsor is the oldest tie knot, that is thick, wide and triangular. The Windsor is symmetric and works for any occasion also. But, in comparison to the four-in-hand knot, the Windsor creates a professional-looking knot, that looks especially good at business and political venues.
The Windsor Instructions:
(these instructions assume that you are right-handed)
- Turn up the collar of your shirt and make sure that the top button is buttoned.
- Drape the tie around your neck with the wide end on your right.
- Cross the wide end over the narrow end.
- Bring the wide end up through the loop between your collar and tie, then back down.
- Bring the wide end back underneath the narrow end so that the inside of the tie is facing out.
- Bring the wide end up and then down the through the loop.
- Cross the wide end back over the front of the knot.
- Bring it up through the loop in the back and then down through the loop in the front.
Tie Tips: Experts' Recommendations
- Avoid wearing clip-on ties, such kind of ties are unprofessional
- The tie should be darker than the color of your shirt
- Pick the right tie for your face. For example, if you have a round face, go with a dotted or patterned tie
- Always look for quality material. It is important to know that high quality ties are lined with either 100 % wool or some sort of wool mixture. Tie experts advice to buy tie made of either silk, silk blend or polyester. But, beware of cheap polyester! However, silk is considered the gold standard
- Never take your tie to the dry cleaners. The fact is that the cleaning process would compress the lining, it can cause the luster of the fabric to dull
- Store your ties on a tie hanger - to reduce the chance of wrinkles
- Got a stain? Use club soda and a clean cloth napkin. For grease stains, let a small amount of talcum powder absorb into the stain before brushing it off with a cloth
Guaranteeing a Sharp and Sophisticated Look
Nearly all men find the necktie one of the most inconvenient and uncomfortable accessories. But, today, knowing how to tie a tie, is essential for all men, even if someone hates it. Social occasions or a client meeting literally demands a tie. Whether you are off to a business or a date, or for example, want to have a successful job interview, you should make sure you have a tie on you: suit and tie is always a safe assumption.
A necktie is a must have garment in the wardrobe. At the same time, a necktie is the only accessory that allows a man to make an effortless fashion statement. Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and the President of the United States of America Barack Obama - all these famous and popular people have worn their ties to great effect, because men's ties symbolize sophistication, prominence, manliness and sexiness.
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