Ultimate Guide To Tying A Necktie [0:00:00]
Gentlemen, today, I’ve got for you the ultimate guide to how to tie a necktie.
Rule number one.
Choose the right collar type.
The point collar.
The point collar is best paired with a slim tie that has a smaller knot.
A wide tie a large knot would easily overwhelm this collar type and mess up the proportions.
Two - spread collar.
This collar you can experiment with, but it will look best with a medium width tie and
knot.
Number three - wide spread collar.
This type of collar is going to stand out due to its width, so you should put it in
check with the wider type and larger knot.
Smaller knots and skinny neckties, they will just get lost in this collar style and look
out of place.
Rule number two.
Get the right lapel size.
The width of your tie should closely match the width of your suit’s lapel.
The wider the lapel, the wider the tie needs to be.
A good way to check this is by putting the end of your tie on top of the lapel and see
if they match up closely.
If the tie is too thin, it may make your lapel look larger than it actually is ruining the
proportions.
If it’s too wide, well, it will just look ridiculous.
Proportions are key.
Rule number three.
You want contrast between your shirt and tie.
Make sure that your tie isn’t too similar in color to the shade of your shirt, otherwise
your tie won’t stand out on its own.
A lighter shirt with a dark necktie is my go-to combination and I find it to be the
most stylish as it has the perfect amount of contrast.
Now, what about dark-colored shirts with light-colored ties?
You can pull this look off, but it’s very casual.
This is not a dressed-up look.
Rule number four.
Don’t exactly match your pocket square and tie.
You may have heard that you should match your pocket square and your tie.
This is actually incorrect.
Although many stores sell them as a pack, you don’t want to actually wear them like
that.
The pocket square itself was meant to be a stand-alone accessory.
Use a pocket square with a slightly different color or pattern than your tie and this looks
so much better than a pocket square and necktie that match exactly.
And, if all else fails, go with a simple white pocket square in a presidential fold.
This will work with any necktie and is really a simple go-to look.
Now, let’s transition and talk about the basic four necktie knots that you need to
know.
First up, we’ve got the four-in-hand.
This knot is perfect for pointed collars and smaller lapels.
To tie it, first make sure the wide end is longer than the narrow end.
The length will depend on the tie itself.
Take the wide end and cross it over the narrow end and then bring it under and behind.
Wrap it around and across the front again creating a loop.
Then, bring it up through the neck opening.
Now, pull the wide end through the loop created at the front, but don’t squeeze it.
Now, you want your tie to have a dimple as it looks much better than the tie just laying
flat.
There are two ways to create a dimple.
First, use three fingers to squeeze the fabric on top together, then gently pull with your
other hand from the bottom down until it’s tied.
Another way is to pinch the knot from the sides with two fingers.
Now, use the other hand and with three fingers placed on each side in the middle of the tie
gently pull down until it’s tied.
[Music] Now, that you have the dimple, you can finish
tying the knot by holding the narrow end and pushing the knot upwards to your neck.
Keep the narrow end secure by using the keep loop on the back of the wider end.
Remember, the tie should end around the middle of your beltline.
If you find it to be too short, start over and shorten the narrow end.
If it’s too long, then make sure the wide end is shorter.
Nicely done.
Next up, we’ve got the half-Windsor.
This knot is incredibly versatile and works great with all colors and lapel sizes.
To tie it, first make sure the wide end is longer than the narrow end.
Cross the wide end over the narrow end and bring it under and behind.
Now, take the wide end and push it through the neck opening.
Once it’s through, take the wide end and pull it across the front of the knot and bring
it under and through the neck opening again.
Pull the wide end through the loop created at the front.
Now, add the dimple.
Hold the narrow end and push your necktie by the knot up to your neck.
Insert the narrow end into the keeper and you’re done.
If it lands on the middle of your beltline, you nailed it.
Next up, the full Windsor.
This is a large knot perfectly suited for wider collars and wide lapels.
Start by making sure the wide end is much longer than the narrow end.
Now, cross the wide end over the narrow end, bring the wide end under and through the neck
opening.
Once you do that, take the wide end behind the narrow end and bring it over and through
the neck opening once again.
[0:05:00] At this point, you should notice the symmetry
of the knot.
Now, wrap the wide end across the front, then go under and through the neck opening from
behind one final time.
Finish off by pulling the wide end through the loop formed at the front adding the dimple
and pulling the knot upwards while holding the narrow end to tighten the knot.
Insert the narrow end through the keeper loop and check the length.
If it lands in the middle of the beltline, you nailed it like a boss.
Now, we’ve got one of my favorite knots, the bowtie.
Bowties although not as common as neckties are just as formal and can be worn in any
situation that you’re required to wear a necktie.
And, in fact, the bowtie when made from solid black material is more formal than any necktie
and is required for wear with a tuxedo a.k.a. black tie.
Now, you’re going to see pre-tied bowties out there.
I advise you to avoid them.
Any man that’s worth the salt knows how to tie a bowtie and they look so much better
a regular tied bowtie is going to actually be able to have some natural movement to it.
Now, a lot of guys think that tying a bowtie is for some reason difficult, more difficult
than tying a necktie.
That’s not the case and I’m going to make this easy for you guys.
Here is a simple way to tie a bowtie.
To tie the knot, make one end slightly longer than the other.
Cross the longer end over the shorter end.
Now, take the long end behind and under and through the neck opening and pull it tight.
Fold the short end and bring it over to form the bowtie shape.
Take the long end again and drape it down over the top.
Bring the two ends of the bowtie and you should notice a hole is formed in the back.
Take the long end fold it and place it through that hole.
[Music] So, at this point you’ve got a messy bowtie,
let’s fix it let’s dress it up, let’s finish this.
Pull the non-folded ends to loosen up the knot a bit and then pull the folded end to
tighten it again.
Keep going back and forth until you’re satisfied with the look.
Congratulations, you just tied a bowtie.
So, what video to watch next?
Check out this one.
I’m going to teach you all about dress codes, so that you understand when to wear each type
of tie.
The link of this video down in the description along with tons of other great resources you’ll
find over at RealMenRealStyle.com.
[0:07:33] End of audio