17 April 2023
By Roger Kennedy
roger@TheCork.ie
Style
Walk in any boardroom, wedding or other formal event and you’ll be confronted with ties. A tie is a staple accessory in any gentleman’s wardrobe. A well knotted tie gives your outfit elegance, and you’ll also feel like a million bucks. Web shops like Suitable offer a wide range of stylish ties for any occasion. Still, tying a tie is a skill that is not as common as it used to be. Especially when you’ve never worn a tie before, it can be a challenge. With practice however, it will become easier, and you’ll be able to tie good-looking knots quicker. Here are three of the most popular methods:
1. The Four-in-Hand Knot
The Four-in-Hand Knot is one of the most popular because of its simplicity. Nevertheless, it is a classic knot that is suitable for most fabrics, and you can wear it stylishly with most suits and shirts. Because of its asymmetrical and narrow nature, it is more suited for skinny ties.
Step 1: Start with the wide side of the tie on the right and the narrow side on the left.
Step 2: Cross the wide side over the narrow side.
Step 3: Bring the wide end behind the narrow end and make a loop across the front of the knot.
Step 4: Bring the wide end behind the knot and pull it up through the neck loop.
Step 5: Hold the knot with your index finger and pull the wide end down through the knot.
Step 6: Adjust the knot by pulling the narrow end down and sliding the knot up toward your neck.
2. The Half Windsor Knot
Do you have an important business meeting coming up? Then a Half Windsor knot is one of the most stylish knots you can make. Despite its symmetrical appearance it is a surprisingly easy knot to learn. The Half Windsor is especially suited for ties of medium thickness.
Step 1: Start with the wide side of the tie on the right and the narrow side on the left.
Step 2: Cross the wide side over the narrow side.
Step 3: Bring the wide end up and over the front of the knot.
Step 4: Make a loop with the wide end behind the knot and bring it up through the neck loop.
Step 5: Bring the wide end down over the front of the knot.
Step 6: Hold the knot with your index finger and bring the wide end around the back of the knot.
Step 7: Bring the wide end back up and over the front of the knot.
Step 8: Take the wide end behind the knot and bring it up through the neck loop.
Step 9: Hold the knot with your index finger and bring the wide end down through the knot.
Step 10: Adjust the knot by pulling the narrow end down and sliding the knot up toward your neck.
3. The Full Windsor Knot
This one is a bit more complicated than the Half Windsor knot, but if you ask us, it’s more than worth it. Wearing this knot gives your outfit a polished, professional look. The large symmetrical knot works the best with thicker fabrics and wider ties.
Step 1: Start with the wide end of the tie on your right and the narrow end on your left.
Step 2: Cross the wide end over the narrow end, making sure the wide end is slightly longer.
Step 3: Bring the wide end up and over the front of the knot.
Step 4: Make a loop with the wide end behind the knot and bring it up through the neck loop.
Step 5: Bring the wide end down over the front of the knot.
Step 6: Hold the knot with your left hand, with your index finger at the top and your thumb at the bottom.
Step 7: Bring the wide end around the back of the knot, from left to right.
Step 8: Bring the wide end up and across the front of the knot, toward your neck.
Step 9: Take the wide end behind the knot and bring it up through the neck loop.
Step 10: Bring the wide end down over the front of the knot, toward your waist.
Step 11: Hold the knot again with your left hand and use your right hand to form a triangle with the narrow end of the tie.
Step 12: Pull the narrow end of the tie up through the triangle.
Step 13: Hold the knot with your left hand and use your right hand to tighten the knot by pulling on the narrow end of the tie.
Step 14: Adjust the knot by pulling the narrow end down and sliding the knot toward the neck.
Step 15: Adjust the width of the knot by pulling the wide end of the tie outward.
