# How do you tie your tie? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 4, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186 "2011-02-04T19:19:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/1 "2011-02-04T19:19:57Z")
[Four-in-hand](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-in-hand_knot), [Pratt](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_knot), [half-Windsor](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-Windsor_knot), [Windsor](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windsor_knot), something else, it varies, or do you prefer a bowtie or bolo? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/2 "2011-02-04T19:22:07Z")
Half-Windsor; smaller knot than a full-Windsor, not lopsided like a four-in-hand. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/3 "2011-02-04T19:25:58Z")
Usually a Windsor or a half Windsor. I don’t like the asymmetry of the four-in-hand, and I never tried the Pratt. The Windsor makes a rather big knot, so with some of my ties I go with the half-Windsor. I thought I was the only man in the Western hemisphere who still wore a tie. Apparently knot. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/4 "2011-02-04T19:26:22Z")
I usually go with the half-Windsor but sometimes I do a four-in-hand if I’m in a hurry. ---
**Author:** ![Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ian_D.Bergkamp)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/5 "2011-02-04T19:34:53Z")
Usually a Windsor, though I’ll use a half Windsor if necessary for a shorter tie. I first learned to knot a tie using the Four-in-Hand, but I think the asymmetry looks sloppy. I’ve never tried the Pratt, but it looks interesting, so I may give it a go. ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/6 "2011-02-04T19:49:39Z")
I’ve usually tied a half-windsor because I always thought four-in-hand looked really…I dunno, grade school-ish, but I read somewhere (GQ, maybe?) that the half-windsor is considered too fastidious. Now it depends on the thickness of the tie. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/7 "2011-02-04T19:51:14Z")
Half-windsor is half-assing it. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/8 "2011-02-04T19:59:02Z")
Well, now I at least know that the way my dad taught me to tie a tie has a name. Not that I wear a tie much these days. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, weddings, funerals - that’s pretty much it. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/9 "2011-02-04T20:10:13Z")
Four-In Hand for church, Bow-Tie when I’n in a perky mood. I know how to tie them all, including the Cravat and the Jabot. ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/10 "2011-02-04T20:26:53Z")
Competition knot, also known as the half-windsor from my dressage days. ---
**Author:** ![Rex\_Goliath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rex\_Goliath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rex_Goliath)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/11 "2011-02-04T20:31:10Z")
Four in hand. I look best with a skinny knot. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/12 "2011-02-04T20:33:47Z")
Hawaiian shirt, even to funerals. But I teach my debaters how to tie what I’ve heard refered to as a half-shelby knot, which is very fast to tie and doesn’t interfere with debate. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/13 "2011-02-04T20:38:05Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Usually a Windsor or a half Windsor. I don’t like the asymmetry of the four-in-hand, and I never tried the Pratt. I, on the other hand, do not care for the symmetry of the Windsors. I find the smaller asymmetric found-in-hand fits my face and personality better. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/14 "2011-02-04T20:41:35Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > [Four-in-hand](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-in-hand_knot), [Pratt](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_knot), [half-Windsor](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-Windsor_knot), [Windsor](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windsor_knot),… I looked at those pictures and suddenly realized that my whole life I’ve been putting on ties in reverse. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/15 "2011-02-04T20:42:55Z")
I’m a Windsor dude. It was the one taught to me by my dad, and the only one I know. Now that see the Wiki links, and the names and patterns of others, I might try some out. I always thought the Four-in-hand looked a lot less formal, but didn’t know its name or how to tie it. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/16 "2011-02-04T20:53:40Z")
Usually depends upon the type of collar on the shirt I’m wearing. Some call for a smaller knot, some larger. Bow tie for formal or whimsical occasions. Every man should know how to tie their own tie and in various ways. ---
**Author:** ![SeldomSeen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeldomSeen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeldomSeen)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/17 "2011-02-04T21:09:11Z")
Well, ya learn something every day. I’ve always thought that thing I did to a tie (on the very rare occasions I wear one) was a half-windsor. At least that’s what I was told, but looking at the links it appears what I’ve been doing all these years was a four-in-hand. Ah the disillusionment! Incidentally, I really like bolo ties. They’re easy and they look cool. Hardly ever wear one though; wearing a bolo in polite company usually means you’ll be taken for a dumb redneck. Which may be an accurate characterization in my case, but I still object to being thought of that way. SS ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/18 "2011-02-04T21:12:00Z")
I’m tall. My neck size is 19. A full windsor won’t hang below my nipples. I have a few ties that are long enough to tie in a half windsor, the rest get a four in hand. ---
**Author:** ![geneb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e4f/32.png) [@geneb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/geneb)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/19 "2011-02-04T21:28:06Z")
Four in hand. My ties are still barely long enough. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186/20 "2011-02-04T21:39:21Z")
I probably wear a tie once every five years, when I do it’s a half-windsor. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-tie-your-tie/570186.md?page=2)