How To Tie A Tie: 5 Easy Ways Of Tying A Tie To Elevate Your Formal Outfits

In today’s day and age, you might think a tie is irrelevant with smart casuals entering both the business and social setting dress codes. Among the increasingly relaxed ways of dressing of today, a tie is a subtle way to make your outfit look more defined and powerful. But, there’s much more to tying the perfect knot. Picking the right knot for every occasion, and every shirt and blazer is essential, too. It might look simple, but most newbies struggle with how to tie a tie, even with a basic knot. From a classic tie to the elegant bow tie, options are countless.. While Jaden Smith and Nick Jonas have shown us some edgy new ways of wearing a tie, celebs like Frank Ocean are aces when it comes to working a basic knot with a casual jacket. But the question still remains, ‘how to tie a tie easily?’ To make this easier for you, we’ve curated a list of 5 best knots and how to tie them easily.

#1 The Full Windsor Knot

One of the most common ways of tying a tie, this triangular knot is one of the simplest to master. Ideal for most formal settings ranging from meetings and conferences to weddings, the wide triangular look (or samosa) of this knot makes it perfect for spread collar shirts.

How to tie the full Windsor knot:

• Drape the tie around your shirt collar with the wider end of the tie hanging lower than the slimmer end of it.
• Cross the wider end over the slim end and pull it up toward the opening of the neck, then pull it down again.
• Take the wide end and pull it under the slim end to your right, and repeat it by taking the wide end over the slim end toward the left.
• Pull the wide end through the neck opening and pass it through the loop created in the front.
• Hold the middle of the tie and tighten the knot by slowly sliding it up toward the collar.

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#2 The Half Windsor Knot

Smaller than the full Windsor knot, this is another triangular knot that works well for everyday wear. Pair it with a crisp dress shirt with a standard collar. Opt for wider ties to ace the half Windsor knot.

How to tie the half Windsor knot:

• Drape the tie around your shirt collar with the wider side of the tie hanging lower than the narrow end of it.
• Cross the wide end over the narrow end and pull it under the narrow end toward your right.
• Bring it over the narrow end and then pull the wide end of the tie up from the neck opening.
• Pull the wide end over the narrow end and pull it up from the neck opening again.
• Pass the wide end of the tie through the loop in front and tighten the knot by gently sliding it up to your collar.

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#3 The Simple Knot

As the name suggests, this way of tying a tie is one of the easiest ones to master. Also known as the oriental knot, it is commonly chosen by most men because of its ease and fewer steps. Although it is the simplest to tie, it is difficult to untie. Thick ties work best for this knot.

How to tie the Simple knot:

• Drape the tie around your collar inside out with the wider end hanging longer than the narrow end on the left side.
• Cross the wider end of the tie under the narrow end toward your right.
• Follow that up by crossing the wide end over the narrow end to your left again.
• Pull the wide end up through the neck opening.
• Pass the wide end of the tie through the loop created in front and tighten it by sliding it up gently.

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#4 The Four-in-Hand Knot

One of the most commonly tied knots, the four-in-hand knot is the simplest one to learn. Also called the school boy knot, pair this with a regular button down shirt and opt for a wider neck tie to get this simple yet quick tie knot right.

How to tie the Four-in-Hand knot:

• Drape the tie around your collar as usual and cross the wide end over the slim end of the tie.
• Cross it under the slim end toward the right side and over the slim end toward the left again.
• Pull the wide end of the tie through the neck opening.
• Pass the wide end through the loop created in front and tighten it by sliding it up gently.

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#5 The Kelvin Knot

Considered an extension of the simple knot, this way of tying a tie looks more fuller than the others. It’s easy to learn, is tied inside out and gives a polished look that works for formal and social occasions alike.

How to tie the Kelvin knot:

• Drape the tie around your collar inside out with the wide end hanging lower than the slim end on your left side.
• Cross the wide end under the slim end to your right, and then cross it over the slim end to the left again.
• Take the wide end of the tie under the slim end again and over it again toward the left side.
• Pull the wide end of the tie through the neck opening.
• Slip the wide end through the loop created in the front and tighten it.
• Hold the tie gently and slide it up to tighten the knot.

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