Although there are many different ways to tie a tie, one of the best known is the "Windsor" knot, and its variant, the half "Windsor". It is an elegant knot (some consider it the most elegant) and is the most suitable for shirts that have an open collar. This article explains how to tie a "Windsor" knot.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Windsor knot
Step 1. Stand in front of a mirror
Observe what you do in the mirror, so you can see what happens as you go through the steps below. Once you have learned, the mirror will no longer serve you, however initially it helps you to leave the right length, etc. Check that the shirt is fully buttoned and turn up the collar before proceeding.
Step 2. Put the tie around your neck
One end is much wider than the other (the general rule is that the widest part must be twice the length of the narrow part). Put the wider part on the right, so that it is about 30 cm longer than the narrow one, which is on the left.
If you are left handed, it would be better to swap the sides, as it is easier to work the wide part with the dominant hand. Of course, in this case you have to swap left and right in the instructions below
Step 3. Cross the wide part over the narrow
Create a kind of asymmetrical "X", which has the narrow part under the wide one.
Step 4. Pass the wide part of the tie under the intersection
The upper half of the "X" you created in the previous step, shaped like a V, and the collar of the shirt create a circular shape, which we will call the "ring" in the following. Pass the wide part of the tie under the narrow one and pull it out of the ring, at the back.
Return the large part to where it was before crossing it under the ring
Step 5. Pull the wide part of the tie, from underneath the narrow one and to the right, making it return to the right again through the ring
Step 6. Cross the wide part under the grip, crossing it to the right
Step 7. Repeat step three
Step 8. You should end up with some sort of large knot wrapped around the narrow part
Take the loose part you just pulled from the ring and pull it through the knot.
Pull all the way
Step 9. Use both hands to carefully tighten the knot until it is immediately below the collar, approximately 2.5 cm
Pull the collar down being careful to fully lower it even in the back, where you can't see. Tighten the knot again, arranging it so that it is immediately under the collar and check that the tie reaches down to the waistband. Done.
Method 2 of 2: Double Windsor Knot
Step 1. Stand in front of a mirror
Looking in the mirror will help you see what you do and will help you make fewer mistakes.
Step 2. Grab the narrow part of the tie with your right hand and the wide part with your left hand
Step 3. Cross the wide part over the narrow part
Step 4. Take the wide part, bring it up and pass it through the ring, back
Run it under the ring first and then over it. The wide part should be on the left side of the neck.
Step 5. Pass the wide part behind the squeeze
Step 6. Pass the wide part at the top through the ring near the neck, front
Instead of passing the large part under and then over the ring (as in Step 4), pull it over and then under. The wide part should be on the right side of the neck.
Step 7. Cross the wide part in front of the narrow part
Step 8. Pull the large part over and then under the ring
Step 9. Thread the wide part down through the knot you formed in the front of the tie
The double Windsor forms a triangle, adjust it and tighten the tie around the collar.
Advice
- To get the right final length, the tip of the tie should reach the middle of the belt buckle.
- If you want a more modern, trendy and casual look, tie the knot a few inches below the collar. However, for all formal occasions tie the knot in the traditional way, right under the collar.
- The Windsor knot took its name from the Duke of Windsor, belonging to the royal family (he was also once king of England, until he abdicated to be able to marry Wallis Simpson, a divorced woman) famous for its elegance in the 30s of the last century. The popularity of this knot is due to the greater volume of the knot compared to other knots and its elegant symmetry.
