How to Tie a Tie

Co-authored by Chloée Ohayon-Crosby

Last Updated: December 8, 2024 Fact Checked

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Have you graduated beyond the clip-on tie? Beginning with these helpful instructions, a sharp-looking tie, a mirror, and some patience, you can become an expert in tying your own fashionable knot. You have several options available, from the versatile Four-in-Hand Knot to the classic Windsor.

If you're helping someone else put on a tie, see this article for instructions from that perspective.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Using the Tupac Method (Four-in-Hand Knot)

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Drape the tie around your neck. With your collar up and your shirt fully buttoned, place the tie around your shoulders. Hang the wider end of the tie on your right side, with the narrow end about 12 inches (30 cm) higher on the left.^{[1]
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Tip: Avoid spread collars with this small, asymmetric knot.
Bring the wide end to the left side of your body, over the narrow end. Hold the two pieces of cloth together with your left hand, near your neck.

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Let go with your right hand. Tuck it underneath the narrow end, grab the wide end, and pull it back through to your right side.
Cross it over the narrow end one more time, at the same point where your left hand is holding the knot together.

Note: The front of the tie should be facing forward again (so the seam is hidden).
Fold the tip of the wide end under itself and pull up through the neck loop.^{[2]
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You should have a horizontal knot across the front of your tie. Hold this knot open with your finger and carefully insert the wide end.
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Tighten the knot. Hold the narrow end and slide the front knot up to tighten the tie. Make sure your tie is straight and the length is appropriate, ideally ending at the top of your belt buckle.
- Squeeze the sides of the knot gently to create a dimple just below it.
Tip: The four-in-hand knot is a little asymmetrical at the neck. Don't worry about this; it is normal.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Tying the Traditional Windsor Knot (Extra Formal)

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Put the tie around your neck. Make sure the wider end is on the right, and about 14 inches (36 cm) lower than the thinner side on the left. The Windsor knot uses a lot of cloth, so the lower end should start a bit lower than you would usually position a tie.

Tip: Many consider the large, symmetric Windsor knot the most elegant and formal option. Wear it with a spread or wide spread collar.^{[3]
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Hold one end in each hand, then pass each of them to the opposite hand. The wide end should now be on your left side.^{[4]
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Using your right hand, hold the two ends where they cross near your collar. With your left hand, pull the wide end up through the neck loop from below.
Rest the wide end back on your chest, to the left of the narrow end.
Grab the wide end with your right hand and pull it back to the right side of your body, under the narrow end. Hold the knot near your collar in place with your left hand.
Fold it back over from right to left, so the front side is visible again.
Bring the wide end back up through the neck loop one last time.
Place the wide end through the horizontal knot at the front of the tie. Pull it through.
Hold the base of the front knot and squeeze gently from the sides. Slowly pull the wide end of the tie to bring the knot closer to the neck.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Tying the Pratt Knot (Basic Formal Knot)

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1
Place the tie upside down around your collar. Unlike most knots, the Pratt knot begins with the tie upside down, so the seam of the tie is facing forward. Hang the wide end of the tie over your right side, and the narrow end over your left side.
- This medium size knot suits most collars and builds.
2
Check the position of the wide end. In a knotted tie, the wide end should just graze the top of your belt buckle.^{[5]
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Research source} At the start, however, raise or lower the wide end until it hangs 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) below this point. As a rule of thumb, the Pratt knot will lift the wide end by this distance as you tie the knot.^{[6]
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- The narrow end of the tie should be higher than the wide end. It will usually be around belly button level, but this is less important than the wide end's placement.^{[7]
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3
Cross the wide end under the narrow end. Move the wide end across your body to the left side, placing it underneath the narrow end.
- Do not move the narrow end of the tie for any part of this knot.^{[8]
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  Research source} Just hold it steady while you use the wide end.
Place the tip on top of the loop, still on your left side.
Insert the wide end down into the loop from above. Pull it through in the same direction it lay before, on the left.
This flips the wide end so the seam is no longer visible. The wide end will extend at an angle off to your right.
Bring the wide end up to your neck loop again, but this time from below. Pull it through.
Your last fold created a horizontal loop at the front of your tie. Tuck the wide end through this loop, and pull straight down to tighten. The wide end should now rest in front of the narrow end.
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Slide the knot to adjust. Pull down on the wide end to tighten. Slide the front knot up to the base of your collar to fasten the tie.
- To create a dimple just below the front knot, squeeze the sides of the knot gently as you tighten.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Tying a Half Windsor Knot (Formal)

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1
Position the wide end on the right side. Place the tie around your neck and let the sides hang in front of you. The wide end should be on the right side of your body, and hang roughly 12 inches (30 cm) lower than the narrow end on the left.
- The Half Windsor is a triangular, symmetrical knot suitable for formal occasions. Larger than the Four-in-hand but less bulky than the Windsor, this can work with most neckties and collar types.^{[9]
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  Research source} Neckties made from thicker fabric will likely require a spread or wide spread collar with this knot.
Bring the wide end of the tie over to your left side, crossing over the narrow end.
3
Fold the wide end back under the narrow end. Complete a loop around the narrow end and pull the wide end back to the right side.
- The underside of the wide end should be visible at this point.
Raise the wide end up to the loop of necktie at your collar. Keep it on the right side.
Insert the wide tip down through the loop and pull it through from the left side, so it crosses under the narrow end.
Bring the wide end back across the front and onto your right side.
Fold the wide end up through the neck loop a second time.
Loosen the front knot with your finger and insert the wide end. Pull it through to rest over the narrow end.
Gently squeeze the front knot as you pull to slide the knot up and create a dimple at the front of your tie.

Community Q&A

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Question

Can I use a scarf as a tie?

Community Answer

Yes, you can use a scarf as a tie.

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What type of knot should I use for school?

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The four-in-hand knot should work fine for school.

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What is the quickest way to tie a tie?

Abhimanyu Sinha

Community Answer

The four-in-hand knot should work. Doesn't take more than a minutes with practice.

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Tips

Ideally, the tip of the tie should graze the top of your belt buckle. It's all right if the tie dips down to the bottom of the belt buckle ("Italian style"). If it's any lower, try a knot that uses plenty of cloth (such as the Windsor), or switch to a shorter tie.^{[10]
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Research source} Similarly, if the tie ends above your belt, buy a longer tie or try the Pratt knot, which doesn't use much cloth in the knot.

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If you're helping someone tie their tie, tie it on yourself first since it will be easier to make the proportions accurate. Then, before you tighten the knot, transfer the tie to their neck.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Chloée Ohayon-Crosby
Costume Designer & Wardrobe Specialist

Expert Interview. 24 July 2020.}

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If your tie has a loop underneath the wide side of the tie, you may slide the narrow side through that loop to prevent it from "peeking" from behind the wide side of the tie.

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