How To Tie a Tie With Different Knots
A lot of grown men go through much of their adult life without knowing how to tie a tie. Maybe they haven’t had to wear one in years or just never learned how to. There usually comes a time when you’ll need to wear a tie for some social function or professional event. Even if you do know how to to tie a tie, most guy’s knowledge is often limited to just one kind of knot. There are a few ways to tie a tie. Some necktie knots go well with certain collars, give way to different appearances and others are dependent on what type of event you’re going to. Here are just a few of the knots you can start putting into practice.
Four-in-Hand
One of the most common and simplest ways of tying a necktie come from the four-in-hand knot. It is a sleek style, usually narrower and asymmetric as well. Also known as the Simple knot, it got its name from a 19th Century Gentleman’s club in London. If you only want to learn one knot, make it this one as it is appropriate for nearly any occasion. To start with this knot, take any regular tie and make sure the backside of the tie is facing away from you. Here’s the steps you need to take next:- Begin by draping it around your open collar. Take the wide end of the tie on the right and small end on the left. Let the small end drape slightly above your belly button (this will vary and be dependent upon torso length and length of the tie)
- Wide end goes over the small end to the left.
- Across the small end to the right.
- Under and then up through the neckloop.
- Down through the new loop in the front.
- Tighten the knot by pulling down from the wide end.
- Slide the knot up and adjust accordingly.
Windsor Knot
The Windsor necktie is an offshoot of the Four-in-Hand. It has a wider triangular knot that is a great mainstay for formal events. It was inspired by the Duke of Windsor who favored a wide knot with thick ties. There are a few ways to do tie the Windsor Knot and this is one of them.- Drape your tie around your neck just like you’d do for a Four-in-Hand tie. The wide end of the tie should extend about a foot below the small end of the tie. Cross the wide part over the small end.
- Bring up the wide end between the hole between collar and tie and then pull towards the front.
- Bring the wide end of the tie behind the small end and then to the right.
- Pull the wide end through the loop again and you should have created a triangle by this point.
- Wrap the wider end around the triangle by pulling from right to left.
- Take the wide end through the loop again for a third time.
- Pull the wide end through the knot, while centering and tightening it.
Bow Tie
Bow ties came about in the 17th century and called the cravat by the upper classes in France. It’s possible that this preceded the four-in-hand tie and had a direct influence on it as a style. Today black bow ties are often wore for dinner jackets and are nearly synonymous with tuxedos. It’s a great stand out addition to any formal outfit.- Start with your bowtie lying face up. Adjust it so that the right side is shorter than the left.
- The left side crosses over to the right.
- Bring that same side underneath and up through the neck loop.
- Cross the original right side of the tie at the joint folded towards the right and then to left until you’ve created a bow shape.
- Bring the left side straight down over the middle of the new bow.
- Fold the left side towards the chest and pinch the fold in the tie.
- Push this side through the loop.
- Pull on the folded parts until bow is tightened enough.
