How to Tie a Tie: 6 Knots, Step by Step

Learning how to tie a tie means learning one motion in a few different orders. The wide end wraps around the narrow end and the loop around your neck, then tucks down through a band at the front. Change the order and the number of wraps and you change the size and shape of the knot.

In 1999 two Cambridge physicists, Thomas Fink and Yong Mao, used a mathematical model to count 85 ways to tie a conventional tie knot. Most are lopsided, bulky or both. The six below are the ones worth knowing, and most men need only two of them: a four-in-hand for narrow collars and a half Windsor for spread collars.

Before you start: how to read the steps

Every set of steps on this page uses the terms below. Learn them once and each sequence reads cleanly.

• Left and right always mean your own left and right. Facing a mirror, your right hand appears on the right side of the reflection, so the words match what you see.
• Wide end (the blade) is the broad end that finishes in front. Narrow end (the tail) hangs behind it.
• Neck loop is the loop of tie around your neck, above the point where the two ends cross.
• Front band (sometimes called the front loop) is the horizontal wrap across the front of the knot. Every knot here finishes by passing the wide end down through it.
• Seam in means the back of the tie, where you can see the seam and label, faces your shirt. Seam out means the tie hangs inside out at the start; the wrapping turns it the right way round.
• Fasten your top button and turn your collar up before you begin. Fold it down once the knot is tight.

How far should the wide end hang at the start?

The wide end always starts lower than the narrow end, because the knot is made entirely from the wide end while the narrow end stays still. The bigger the knot, the more of the wide end it uses, so the higher the narrow end has to start. With a standard tie, a four-in-hand usually works with the narrow end's tip starting somewhere between the bottom of your breastbone and your navel. A full Windsor needs it to start much higher, often around mid-chest.

How to tie a four-in-hand knot

The four-in-hand is a small, narrow knot that leans slightly to one side. It is the most useful knot you can learn: it suits point and button-down collars, thick and thin ties, and any office. Our four-in-hand guide covers fixes, the dimple and when it is formal enough.

How to tie a half Windsor knot

The half Windsor is a medium-sized, near-symmetrical triangle. It fills a semi-spread or spread collar better than a four-in-hand and is the safest all-round business knot. One pass over the neck loop is what sets it apart. See the half Windsor guide for collars and fixes.

How to tie a Windsor knot (full Windsor)

The full Windsor, also called the double Windsor, wraps each side of the neck loop to build a broad, symmetrical triangle. It needs a spread or cutaway collar, suits thin to medium ties, and uses the most length of any knot here. The Windsor knot guide explains when it is too big.

How to tie a Pratt (Shelby) knot

The Pratt is a neat, medium, fairly symmetrical knot, larger than a four-in-hand and smaller than a half Windsor. It starts inside out and uses less length than a half Windsor, which helps tall men who want more than a four-in-hand. It is usually credited to Jerry Pratt of the US Chamber of Commerce, and it is also called the Shelby after the American television newsman Don Shelby, who is said to have made it widely known by wearing it on air in the late 1980s.

How to tie a Kelvin knot

The Kelvin is a four-in-hand with an extra turn, tied from inside out. It is slightly larger and fuller than a four-in-hand but keeps the same long shape, which helps a thin tie fill a point or semi-spread collar. Its name honors the physicist Lord Kelvin.

How to tie a simple (oriental) knot

The simple knot, also called the oriental or small knot, is the smallest and quickest knot: four moves, starting inside out. It suits thick ties in wool, knit or heavily lined silk, narrow collars, and tall men whose ties land short with bigger knots. Be aware that some people use the name simple knot for the four-in-hand. Our easiest tie knot guide covers it in full.

Tie knot comparison: size, shape and difficulty

How to choose a tie knot

Choose the knot that fills the space between your collar points without forcing them apart. Then adjust for the tie, your build and the occasion. Our guide to which tie knot to wear goes through each decision in detail.

By collar

The collar decides first. A point collar has a narrow gap between its points and wants a small knot; a cutaway has a wide gap and needs a broad one. If you are not sure what you are wearing, our guide to shirt collar types shows each one.

By tie thickness

Thickness matters as much as the collar. A heavy wool, knitted or thickly lined silk tie makes a big knot from few wraps, so tie a simple knot or four-in-hand. A thin, lightly lined silk tie makes a small knot, so a half Windsor or full Windsor gives it presence. Skinny ties under about 2¼ inches (6 cm) look best with a four-in-hand; a broad knot on a narrow blade looks top-heavy.

By face, build and height

Keep the knot in proportion to you. A broad face, thick neck or large frame can carry a half Windsor or full Windsor; a narrow face and slim neck look better with a four-in-hand, Kelvin or Pratt. Height affects length more than looks. Tall men should favor knots that use less tie, while shorter men can use a bigger knot to take up spare length.

By occasion

How to get a dimple in your tie

A dimple is the small fold in the blade just below the knot. It makes the tie arch slightly away from the shirt and shows the knot was tied with care. You form it at the very end, before the knot is tight.

How long should your tie be?

The tip of the wide end should reach your waistband, touching the top of your belt buckle. Standard ties are about 57 to 58 inches (145 to 148 cm) long, which suits most men with most knots. Extra-long ties of about 61 to 63 inches (155 to 160 cm) suit tall men, larger necks and anyone who ties a full Windsor. The narrow end should finish shorter than the wide end and sit in the keeper loop on the back of the blade. Our tie length guide has a chart by height and knot, and our tie width guide shows how to match the blade to your lapels.

Common tie-tying mistakes and how to fix them

What about the Eldredge, Trinity and other fancy knots?

The Eldredge and Trinity are decorative knots tied with the narrow end, producing braided and three-lobed shapes. They take practice, use a lot of tie and draw attention to themselves. They can work at a party or with a casual outfit, but at an interview, a funeral or a business meeting the six knots above are the right choice.

The tailor's view: collars, ties and knots that work together

A good shirtmaker cuts the collar around the knot you wear. The gap between the two halves of the collar at the neckband, called the tie space, should be just wide enough for the knot to sit in without pushing the collar points apart or leaving a gap above the knot. If you order made-to-measure or bespoke shirts, tell the maker which knot you tie and how thick your ties are.

Ties can also be made to length. Made-to-order ties can be cut longer or shorter than standard, and a tie specialist can shorten a ready-made tie by taking it apart and re-making it. A ready-made tie can rarely be lengthened, so tall men should buy extra-long from the start. For black tie, the knot changes entirely: see how to tie a bow tie.

Start with the four-in-hand and tie it until you no longer need the steps, then add the half Windsor for spread collars. Those two cover almost every collar and occasion. When the knot is right, pair the tie with the right shirt and suit using our guide to matching a tie to your shirt and suit.

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