Toph Life… How to Knot a Tie

It’s damn near impossible to tie the perfect tie, but here at Toph Life, we’re going to try and teach you how. It’s almost imperative to your wardrobe that you know how to properly knot your tie. Face it, at least one time in your life you’re going to have to tie your own tie. You don’t want to be that guy who can’t do it. Even if you think you’re never going to have tie your tie, you are wrong.

The tie you choose to wear says a lot about you. You can look at someone and tell what kind of person they are just by the tie they’re wearing. Typically, hipsters are wearing skinny ties, preps are wearing schoolboy stripped ties, businessmen are wearing silk ties. Then, you have the tie under the sweater, complimenting the suit and the chick with nothing but the tie. The fact is women have always had a bit of an affinity for a man in a tie, and she finds you incredibly sexy when you’re wearing one. We’ll get into the tie that suits you, once you learn how to tie it.

So, let’s check out how to tie a tie.

The Four-in-Hand Knot – The Four-in-Hand Knot is the most popular type of necktie knot and easiest to learn.  Probably over 80% of tie wearers knot their ties with this. The knot is long and straight but slightly lopsided. It’s also the easiest way to knot the tie.

1. Begin with the wide end on your right and extending about a foot below the narrow end of your tie.
2. Bring the wide end of the tie over the narrow.
3. Bring the wide end underneath the narrow end.
4. Bring the wide end of the tie over the narrow again.
5. Bring the wide end of the tie through the back of the loop.
6. Hold the front of the knot loose with your index finger; pass the wide end down through the loop (created in step 4) in front.
7. Remove your finger and tighten the knot.
8. Hold the narrow end of the tie and slide the knot up to the collar.

The Half-Windsor Knot – The Half-Windsor knot is a medium triangular knot that is considered more formal than the four-in-hand.

1. Begin with the wide end on your right and extending about a foot below the narrow end of your tie.
2. Bring the wide end of the tie over the narrow.
3. Bring the wide end back underneath.
4. Bring the wide end of the tie through the middle of the loop.
5. Bring the wide end around the front.
6. Bring the wide end of the tie through the back of the loop.
7. Hold the front of the knot loose with your index finger; pass the wide end down through loop (created in step 5) in the front.
8. Remove your finger and tighten the knot
9. Hold the narrow end of the tie and slide the knot up to the collar.

The Windsor Knot – The Windsor knot is a wide triangular knot that is usually worn for formal occasions, this type of knot should be worn with wide spread collar shirts.

1. Begin with the wide end on your right and extending real low leaving the narrow end quite short.
2. Bring the wide end of the tie over the narrow.
3. Bring the wide end up through the middle of the loop and to the left.
4. Bring the wide end behind the narrow end.
5. Bring the wide end of the tie through the middle of the loop.
6. Bring the wide end around the front.
7. Bring the wide end of the tie through the back of the loop.
8. Hold the front of the knot loose with your index finger; pass the wide end down through the loop (created in step 6) in front.
9. Remove your finger and tighten the knot
10. Hold the narrow end and slide the knot up to the collar.

The Pratt/Shelby Knot - The Pratt/Shelby knot is Semi-wide knot, when beginning to tie this knot the tie is turned outward.

1. Begin with the inside of your tie facing outward and the wide end on your right and extending about a foot below the narrow end of your tie.
2. Bring the wide end of the tie under the narrow.
3. Bring the wide end of the tie over the narrow end and through the loop.
4. Bring the wide end of the tie through the back of the loop.
5. Hold the front of the knot loose with your index finger; pass the wide end down through the loop (created in step 3) in front.
6. Remove your finger and tighten the knot.
7. Hold the narrow end and slide the knot up to the collar.

And for your viewing pleasure… women in ties!!!