How to Put on a Tie

It’s something every guy and even a fair number of girls need to know – how to put on a tie. Just because most jobs and events don’t demand them these days doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to dress the part when it’s called for. Besides, looking good never goes out of fashion.

Knot rocket science - the basic techniques for tying a tie are simple to master.

The Internet is full of instructions for putting on a tie, many of which have illustrations. The basic knots are not hard to master, but if you really want to learn to wear a tie well, you should go to a good men’s clothing store and ask one of the salespeople to give you a hands-on lesson. They will also be able to teach you about proper tie maintenance and little tricks for making a tie look extra-sharp.

Someone who knows a lot about ties will also be able to advise you as to what knots to use with what shirt. The collar determines the knot. That isn’t to say that you can’t use the one knot you have mastered with a variety of shirts, but it’s one thing to know how to put on a tie, and it’s another thing to know how to do it well.

The most basic and ubiquitous tie knot is the Windsor. It is a thick, wide, triangular knot that, though simple, is distinctive. It looks best with spread collar shirts. It’s also a better knot for a man with a longer neck, because the wideness of the knot can make the neck look slightly shorter.

To tie the knot, draw the wider end (A) about a foot past the narrow end (B) and cross it over. Then bring A up through the loop between the collar and the tie, and back down. Now, pull A underneath B and to the right back through the loop and then to the right again so that A is inside out. Bring A back across the front from right to left and pull it up through the loop again, then bring it down through the knot in front. Use one hand to secure the tie while the other tightens the knot and works it up to the collar. With practice, you should be able to tie this knot in less than 30 seconds.

There are over a dozen different knots, all created for different shirts, tie fabrics and styles. Once you have the Windsor down pat, you should learn the Half Windsor and then the Four-in-Hand. The Four-in-Hand is a smaller knot, long and narrow, and very good for wide ties made from a heavy fabric. It’s not as bold as the Windsor, but it’s a useful knot to have in your repertoire. The Half Windsor is for standard shirt collars and wider ties made of light or medium weight fabrics. From these three simple knots, you can begin to move into more elaborate, elegant knots like the Shelby or Onassis. Again, the best way to learn how to put on a tie using a variety of knots is by going to a high-end shop to buy good ties and getting hands-on instructions.

There are some lazy and/or insecure men who manage to tie one decent knot and then simply loosen the tie enough to pull it over their heads, hang it up and then just pull it back over their heads and re-tighten when they next want to wear that tie. If you have cheap ties and don’t wear them much, you can certainly do this if you feel you can’t master a basic knot, but under no circumstances must you do it with a good tie, especially if it is silk. That will ruin the tie. Far better to keep a set of instructions handy and try the knot again each time you wear the tie. A bit of practice will get you tying good knots every time.

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