How to Tie a Tie

The Four-in-Hand — your everyday knot

Slightly asymmetric, narrow and effortless — the four-in-hand is the knot for office wear, slim and classic ties alike. It suits standard and narrow collars and works with every tie in our collection.

1. Drape the tie around your collar, seams inward, with the wide blade on your right hanging about 30 cm lower than the narrow end.
2. Cross the wide blade over the narrow end, just below the collar.
3. Wrap the wide blade behind the narrow end, then across the front once more.
4. Push the wide blade up through the loop at your neck, from behind.
5. Feed the tip down through the horizontal band you created in step 3.
6. Hold the narrow end and slide the knot up gently. Pinch below the knot as you tighten to set a small dimple.

The Half-Windsor — for occasions

Fuller, symmetric and triangular — the half-Windsor sits beautifully in a spread collar and photographs well, which makes it the wedding and interview knot. It uses more length, so allow the wide blade to start lower.

1. Start as before, but with the wide blade hanging lower — about 35 cm below the narrow end.
2. Cross the wide blade over the narrow end, then bring it up through the neck loop and drop it down to the left.
3. Pass the wide blade behind the narrow end, right to left.
4. Bring it across the front, left to right, forming the face of the knot.
5. Push it up through the neck loop from behind once more.
6. Feed the tip down through the front band, tighten slowly, and centre the knot with a dimple.

Which knot, which collar?

• Standard / narrow collar — four-in-hand. A big knot crowds a small collar.
• Spread / cutaway collar — half-Windsor. A small knot looks lost in a wide opening.
• Bandhgala or sherwani — no tie at all; reach for a brooch or pocket square instead.
• The dimple — pinch a small fold under the knot as you tighten. It catches the light and signals a tie knotted by hand, not on a hook.