Tying the knot

There are three standard ways to tie a  necktie and every man should know at least one. After you finish reading this article you will too!

How to tie a knot, is a topic of conversation with about 90% of the men I style. Some share with me their story of when their father taught them how to do the Four-in-Hand, some claim their wives always "do that kind of stuff", some are very confused between the Half Windsor and the Full Windsor and some just give up and use their old clip-on ties. Do they even make those anymore?

My father was quite the dresser and I have the good fortune to have been taught the Full Windsor - the most complicated of all tie knots - at a very young age. My gift to you on this day is to show you how to do the three basic tie knots..

The Four-in-Hand

The simplest and most common tie knot gets its name after a gentlemens' club in England during the 1850's. Legend has it that members began wearing their neckties this way, thus making it fashionable.

The 4 in hand is most practical when using thin ties or knit ties. Also if you are dealing with a thick cashmere tie, the Four-in-Hand allows for a less bulky knot, which can be helpful if the shirt collar is  round or short. 

The Full Windsor

The Full Windsor knot is the thickest one of all. Named after the Duke of Windsor - King Edward the VII - though he did not invent it, he did favor the thicker, bulkier knot. The Full Windsor knot is most commonly used for the more formal occasions and is best suited with spread or cutaway collars. The Full Windsor is also erroneously called the Double Windsor.

The Half Windsor

The Half Windsor is the son of the Full Windsor and it is only slightly less bulky yet producing a very similar triangular knot. The only real difference being that it is brought up and around the loop just on one side instead of both sides - see diagram. This type of knot works best with medium to light fabric shirts.

If you have read this far, by now you should have a little history, a diagram to follow and a better idea of when to implement the various knots, so my job here is almost done. I just need to share a small pet-peeve of mine regarding the positioning of the tie on the collar.

The tie - regardless of the tie knot - should always be pulled all the way up on the collar. Never showing the collar button. In the case of loosening the tie knot, be sure to unbutton the collar button. This creates a more relaxed look that makes sense. Other wise you look at the very best, silly!