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The Art Of Tying The Ties

When tying a necktie you want to pay attention to the material of the necktie you are wearing. Use the Double Windsor for thin materials such as silk, and with wider neckties. Hand-knit or woolen neckties are too thick for the Double Windsor; use a Four-in-hand when you need a smaller knot for your necktie.

Author: Wid Danny
Date: Aug 20, 2008 - 12:42:40 AM

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When tying a necktie you want to pay attention to the material of the necktie you are wearing. Use the Double Windsor for thin materials such as silk, and with wider neckties. Hand-knit or woolen neckties are too thick for the Double Windsor; use a Four-in-hand when you need a smaller knot for your necktie.

The Windsor Knot!
The Windsor Knot is a thick, wide and triangular tie knot that projects confidence. It would therefore be your knot of choice for presentations, job interviews, courtroom appearances etc. It is best suited for spread collar shirts and it's actually quite easy to do.

While just about everyone can use this tie knot to tie his tie, it looks especially well on men with longer necks as its wide form shortens the perceived height of the neck a little bit.

Start your windsor knot with the wide end of the tie on your right and extending a foot below narrow end.

• Cross wide end over narrow and bring up through loop.
• Bring wide end down around behind narrow and up on your right.
• Then put down through loop and around across narrow as shown.
• Turn and pass up through loop and...
• Complete your Windsor knot by slipping down through the knot in front. Tighten and draw up snug to collar.

The Half-Windsor Knot

• Start your windsor knot with the wide end of the tie on your right and extending a foot below narrow end.
• Cross wide end over narrow and turn back underneath.
• Bring up and turn down through loop.
• Pass wide end around front from left to right.
• Then up through loop...
• Complete your windsor knot by slipping down through the knot in front. Tighten and draw up snug to collar.

• Lift up the collar of your shirt and put the tie around the back of your neck. The wide end should hang down about twice as low as the thin end; it can hang closer to your right or left hand, depending on what's most comfortable for you.
• Wrap the wide end of the tie around the thin end twice, a few inches below your neck. The wide end should go over the thin end at first.
• After wrapping the wide end of the tie around the second time, push it through the back of the V-shape made by the partially formed knot.
• Tuck the wide end of the tie through the front loop of the knot.
• Gently pull down on both the thin and wide ends of the tie below the knot until the knot is tight.
• Hold the thin end of the tie and slide the knot up to your neck. (Image 5)
• If the thin end of the tie hangs below the wide end, untie the tie and begin again, with the wide end hanging lower than it did the first time.
• If the wide end of the tie hangs too low, untie the tie and begin again, with the wide end hanging higher than it did the first time.
• Flip your collar back down once you and your tie look dapper.

Start with end in left hand, extending 1.5 inch below that in right hand.Cross longer end over shorter and pass up through loop.

One can find traces of bow ties in the world literature like for instance Balzac, who thought the bow tie had not only a function as fashionable accessory but was also an important factor for the health status of the owner. Frank Sinatra popularized the bow tie during the 40ies and 50ies. Today if one reads about the bow tie in books on how to dress one can find that a person in a bow tie has the air of not being trustworthy or even of being a thief. The only positive aspect of wearing a bow is that bow ties are able to smooth the image of a person who seems to be otherwise a tough guy.

• Form front loop of bow by doubling up shorter end (hanging) end placing across collar points.
• Hold this front loop with thumb and forefinger of left hand. Drop long end down over front.
• Place right forefinger pointing up on bottom half of hanging part. Pass up behind front loop and...
• Poke resulting loop though knot behind front loop (see illustration). Even ends and tighten.

A good knot should always have a dimple. The dimple is the little indentation right below the knot of your tie. A good dimple is made before you tighten the knot. You start by putting your index finger in the fabric directly under the knot while lightly squeezing the side of the fabric as you tighten the knot by pulling down on the wide end of the tie. The dimple should be centered in the middle of your knot.

View all articles by Wid Danny

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