Blueberry Boutique  presents How to Tie a Tie: Four Knots for Work, Dress, and Casual

This guide will review four basic tie knots : the Four-In-Hand, Half Windsor, Windsor or Double Windsor, and the Pratt Knot. Each of these knots should be combined with the right collar, shirt, and tie fabric to produce the desired effect of confidence, from work to wedding or other event.

Before you start: Begin all knots by buttoning up the shirt all the way to the top and flipping the collar up. Also, for these four knots, and in general when tying a tie, start with the wide end hanging twice as long as the thin end.
        Reminder: Keep the knot close to the neck and tight as you tie so you can avoid a lot of adjustment when finished.

Four-In-Hand Knot
This knot is best for heavy fabric ties and a button down, tab collar with regular spread.
It is a casual knot.

Step 1) Cross the wider end over the narrow end.
Step 2) Bring the wider end back across the narrow end underneath it
Step 3) Brinf the wider end back over the narrow end in front
Step 4) Pull the wider end up through the neck loop
Step 5) Bring the wider end through the knot created by the tie (NOT the loop around neck)
Step 6) Pull down and shape tie knot

Windsor (or Double Windsor) Knot
This knot is triangular and thick and works best with spread collar shirts.
It is a dress knot.

Step 1) Cross the wider end over the narrow end on top
Step 2) Bring the wider end up through the neck loop and then back down in front
Step 3) Pull the wider end underneath the narrow to the right and back through the loop and to the right again. The wider end will be inside out.
Step 4) Bring the wider end acoss the front towards the left
Step 5) Pull the wider end through the neck loop again
Step 6) Pull the wider end through the front knot created by the tie.
Step 7) Bring wider end down, tighten, and shape knot

Half-Windsor Knot
This knot works best with wider ties in lighter fabrics with a standard shirt collar.
It is a slightly dressy knot, though more casual than the Windsor knot. It is suitable for most occasions.

Step 1) Cross the wider end over the narrow end.
Step 2) Bring the wider end around and behind narrow end and pull wide end up
Step 3) Pull the wider end through neck loop
Step 4) Bring the wider end around front towards the left
Step 5) Bring the wider end up through the neck loop again
Step 6) Pull the wider end through the knot created by the tie in front
Step 7) Pull down, tighten, and shape knot

Pratt Knot
This knot works best with wider ties in lighter fabrics and works with most dress shirts.
It is a casual knot.

Step 1) Begin with tie inside out. Cross the wider end under the narrow end
Step 2) Bring the wider end over and under the narrow end, pull loop down and tighten
Step 3) Bring wider end over to the right and pull it up through neck loop
Step 4) Bring the wider end down through knot created by tie
Step 5) Pull, tighten, and shape the knot