# Poll for men: How do you (have you) tie(d) your tie? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 4, 2011, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799 "2011-07-04T09:21:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [July 4, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/21 "2011-07-04T21:21:31Z")
I swear by the full windsor and anything else is heresy. ---
**Author:** ![Kiwi\_Fruit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiwi_fruit/32/12_2.png) [@Kiwi\_Fruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiwi_Fruit)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2011, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/22 "2011-07-04T21:45:48Z")
Originally used four in hand but changed to half Windsor because I wanted something that didn’t look as though I was still at school. Also the half Windsor is symmetrical, **Tabby\_Cat** and **bahia hombre**. If yours isn’t, then it’s probably not done right. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2011, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/23 "2011-07-04T22:38:09Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Anyone wear a bow tie? Yes, Dr Who https://www.youtube.com/embed/BioSWCEPDps?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque Sorry I couldn’t resist.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/24 "2011-07-05T02:08:28Z")
Four-in-hand only. Any other knot requires a longer tie, and my ties barely fit as is. At least, they seem to when I’ve tried to tie them from the instructions on the Internet. I always barely have any tie left on the back side, and that means it will try to stick out. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/25 "2011-07-05T02:50:33Z")
I’m surprised the half- and full Windsor are as popular as they seem here. I always thought they were a bit exotic and the four-in-hand was the default for Americans at least. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/26 "2011-07-05T12:24:48Z")
I always use the small knot (though I didn’t know that’s what it was called until now). I think this is the default knot that schoolboys are taught at primary school in the UK, and I’ve never seen any reason to switch. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/27 "2011-07-05T17:21:07Z")
Used to use a half Windsor but then decided it was too narrow, and switched to the full Windsor. I still get a bit confused at times, but I’m getting there. ---
**Author:** ![bahia\_hombre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@bahia\_hombre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bahia_hombre)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/28 "2011-07-05T17:25:48Z")
> [@Kiwi\_Fruit](#): > > the half Windsor is symmetrical, **Tabby\_Cat** and **bahia hombre**. If yours isn’t, then it’s probably not done right. Well, my head is not on entirely straight so that may be part of the problem 😃 ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/29 "2011-07-05T17:31:12Z")
4 in a hand here. But, I had to follow the links to find out what it was called. Why do I use that knot? It’s what my dad showed me. Why did he use it? I seem to remember that he told me he saw it on a cigarette commercial. “Over, Under, Around and Through, (name of the cigarette company) brings it’s pleasure to you” I don’t remember what the cig bran was and my dad doesn’t smoke, but every time I tie a tie, that little diddy goes through my head. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/30 "2011-07-05T17:40:07Z")
My dad taught me the four-in-hand- knot when I was a kid (though I never knew if had a ‘name’ until today), and that’s the only knot I’ve ever needed. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/31 "2011-07-05T23:07:50Z")
I usually do a half-Windsor. Frankly, I think the four-in-hand looks like an especially half-assed Windsor style done by someone who wasn’t sure how to tie a tie. ---
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/32 "2011-07-05T23:10:46Z")
I actually thought for the longest time that the Four-in-Hand was a half-Windsor and the half-Windsor was the full-Windsor. Those are the two I use most. There are a couple of thin ties that I use a full-Windsor for, but that’s pretty rare. ---
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/33 "2011-07-06T00:01:11Z")
Gal-who-has-worn-ties here. I used to know how to tie a Half Windsor but the small knot is the only one I can consistently get right. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/34 "2011-07-06T01:28:03Z")
> [@Dahnlor](#): > > I normally use the small knot. Before this thread, I had no idea what it was called. I’m also surprised that it isn’t more popular. > . This > [@Rigamarole](#): > > . I didn’t even know there were so many configurations. And that. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/35 "2011-07-06T05:45:56Z")
I always thought the Windsor knots looked rather school-boy myself – generous knots for kids with skinny necks who were uncomfortable with ties and appreciated the slack. I’m for the four-in-hand all the way, with a tight, tight knot. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/36 "2011-07-06T06:30:27Z")
Four in hand for me, but the only time I worked in a job that required a tie was at a movie theatre, age 16 through 18. I do have a question; my Dad ties his starting out with them inside out, the seam facing away from his chest. Does anyone know what this is called? He showed me when I was young on a few occasions, but I have never remembered how he tied them. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/37 "2011-07-06T06:45:28Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > Four in hand for me, but the only time I worked in a job that required a tie was at a movie theatre, age 16 through 18. > > I do have a question; my Dad ties his starting out with them inside out, the seam facing away from his chest. Does anyone know what this is called? He showed me when I was young on a few occasions, but I have never remembered how he tied them. I think it may be a Pratt knot (linked in OP). I was never aware of it before but tried it yesterday and it was quite snazzy as well; and easier to tie than the half-Windsor. As for the small knot, I was sort of aware of it but didn’t know people actually wore it that way; I thought it was something menswear stores did for display purposes, kind of like how for dress shoes they put in the laces in an impossible-to-wear parallel configuration. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/38 "2011-07-06T06:48:42Z")
Crap, that will teach me, I never even saw the last two links. Thanks Koxinga ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/39 "2011-07-06T12:32:52Z")
Oh my goodness! Here I thought I was tying a Windsor knot but it turns out it’s actually a Cavendish. _impressed_ ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799/40 "2011-07-06T12:55:00Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Anyone wear a bow tie? All the time. If you can tie a shoelace, you can tie a bow tie. He also forgot the cravat. and the ascot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-men-how-do-you-have-you-tie-d-your-tie/587799.md?page=3)