How To Tie A Tie | A Complete Guide of The Most Popular Tie Knots
One of the most important things a man can ever learn how to do in their life is how to tie a tie. Well, I guess there are other really important things to learn as well but how to tie a tie is definitely one of those things. I remember when I used to have to ask my dad over and over to tie my tie and it got to a point where I was like enough is enough, I need to learn how to do this myself!
In this article (I promise to keep it short), we will go over several ways to tie a tie. Certain tie knots should be used for different collared shirts and different occasions as well. We will go over all of these below along with some illustrations that can help you get the perfect knot and when to use them.
First Things First: UNDER YOUR SUIT
If you are going to be wearing a tie, you are most likely not going to be wearing a tie with a t-shirt. Therefor, we need to begin with the inside and work our way out. In order to compliment your tie you need to have a perfectly tucked in shirt. How to achieve this is quite simple with this neat little boxer brief called Tucked Trunks. Essentially, they are boxer briefs that help keep your shirt tucked in without having to clip on or use other accessories , pretty neat definitely great to have a pair or two of these laying around for the perfect occasion. Moving right along!
THE ORIENTAL TIE KNOT
The Oriental knot is a very basic knot . This knot should only be used in casual settings where your next big promotion or big deal is not on the line. As you can see, this tie knot is very simplistic in nature and uneven as well.
Next we will dive into the more commonly used knots and which occasions they are most used in !
THE FULL WINDSOR TIE KNOT
Ahh… The holy grail of tie knots, The Windsor Knot. The Windsor knot is also known as the Full Windsor or Double Windsor knot to be distinguished from the half-Windsor knot. It sets itself apart because it is a large, well-balanced & symmetrical knot which can be easily released. In relation to other tie knots, the Windsor Knot is significantly firmer which means less slippage due to the size of the knot which is very large but looks good and is very comfortable as well.
Extra: The Windsor Knot gets its name from the Duke of Windsor, King Edward VIII. The King said to preferred wider knots over the standard four-in-hand knots of the time. It also was the only knot that the British Royal Air Force members were permitted to wear with their uniforms at the time.
Occasion:
This is considered to be the most formal type of tie knots. So this would be the perfect tie for interviews, weddings and other formal occasions.
THE HALF-WINDSOR TIE KNOT
The Half Windsor Knot is considered by many a medium-sized knot. Since this knot is a lot smaller than the Full Windsor Knot, it does not require as much tie length and is usually preferred by taller men.
Considered a medium-sized knot, the half-Windsor is straight and neat, best made with medium to light-weight fabrics. Since the knot is smaller than the Full Windsor, it requires less tie length, and usually tall men prefer it. Like its “big brother” the Full Windsor, this knot finds its place where formality is concerned such as weddings, meetings, interviews and other formal occasions.
Occasion:
Like mentioned above, this is considered to be secondary of the most formal type of tie knots like the Full Windsor. So this would be the perfect tie for interviews, weddings and other formal occasions.
THE FOUR IN HAND TIE KNOT
The Four-In-Hand Knot is one of the simpler knots of the three. This knot is the least formal of the three and best worn for less formal occasions. It’s also known as the “simple knot” or the “schoolboy knot”. It’s key feature is an asymmetrical small knot and is best worn with a heavy fabric neckties in combination with a buttoned down dress shirt of course.
Occasion:
Unlike the other knots, the Four-In-Hand Knot is a very casual knot and should only be worn on very in-formal and casual settings. Never wear this knot to an important event!
THE PRATT KNOT
The Pratt Knot is slightly bigger than the Four-In-Hand Knot and lengthens the tie as well. This knot is most commonly preferred by taller or bigger men. The Pratt Knot also looks amazing when worn with a skinny tie.
THE TRINITY KNOT
The Trinity Knot is a little bit more complex to make and might I add, not very suitable for highly formal occasions. This knot looks super unique with its three folded appearance. That in my personal opinion is the downfall of the Trinity Knot. The appearance of the knot is too disrupting for some and if you can manage to figure out how to tie this knot, it’s best to be worn on casual occasions for sure.
OCCASION
Like mentioned above, this knot is definitely a casual wear occasion. I would not recommend wearing this tie to any event or occasion where you want to be taken seriously.
FINAL TIE THOUGHTS…
I guess I should have mentioned this in the beginning but if you made it this far, you’ll definitely find these final thoughts useful. Learning how to tie a tie is probably one of the most valuable things you can learn when it comes to something as simple as your necktie. A few things to consider are the length of your tie, tie width and knot style.
The length of your tie is very important. The tie should be right on the belt line not slightly above or below. As far as width is concerned, they usually say as a rule of thumb is to go with a tie width roughly similar to the width of your jacket’s lapels. The knot style is also very important because it can make or break your entrance in the room. Always refer back to my guide above for which tie to wear for what occasion you will be attending. Of course, there are over 70 tie knots you can make but the one’s I’ve selected are the most common and popular . I hope this helps and hopefully the article was not too long or too boring. Make sure to share with your friends and help them learn how to tie their ties!
