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1Overview
2Drape the tie around your neck.
3Cross the wide end over the narrow end.
4Feed the wide end through the neck loop.
5Wrap the wide end behind the knot.
6Guide the wide end through the top of the neck loop.
7Fold the wide end over the front of the knot.
8Bring the tie through the bottom of the neck loop.
9Pull the tie down through the loop in front of the knot.
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Co-authored byChloée Ohayon-Crosbyand Hunter Rising
Last Updated: September 2, 2024Approved
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If you’re putting the finishing touches on a formal outfit, tying your necktie into a Windsor knot will make you look super stylish. A full Windsor, or double Windsor, has a large triangular knot that’s the perfect addition to a wide-collared shirt. Even if you’ve never tied a tie before, a Windsor knot is pretty easy and will only take a few minutes. Keep reading and we’ll help you through the steps for tying your tie so it looks clean and professional.
How to Knot a Tie
- Drape the tie around your neck so the wide end is longer
- Bring the wide end over to make an X.
- Feed the wide end of the tie up through the collar loop.
- Wrap the wide end of the tie behind the knot and feed it through the top of the neck loop.
- Bring the wide end across the front of the knot.
- Feed the tie’s wide end through the bottom of the neck loop.
- Pull the wide end through the front of the knot.
1
Overview
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2
Drape the tie around your neck.
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Leave the wide end longer than the narrow end. Drape your tie so the wide end hangs over your right shoulder. Adjust the length of the tie so the narrower end sits just above your ribcage and the wide end is by your belly button.[1]
- If you’re left-handed, start with the wide end over your left shoulder instead.
- Be sure to coordinate your tie with the color or pattern of your outfit so you can look your best.
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3
Cross the wide end over the narrow end.
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Crossing the ends forms a loop around your neck. Hold the narrow end of the tie in place with your left hand. Try to keep the point where your tie overlaps close to your collar so the knot stays tight. The wide end is now on your left side and the narrow end is on your right.[2]
- Leave a little bit of slack when you first tie your tie, or else it might get too tight and make it difficult to breathe or swallow.
4
Feed the wide end through the neck loop.
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Looping the tie through forms one half of the Windsor knot. Pull the wide end up through the bottom of the neck loop right where the tie overlaps at your collar. Drape the wide end back down over the top of the neck loop to form one side of the knot. The wide end will be right-side up.[3]
- Practice tying your tie in front of a mirror since it’ll be a lot easier to see what you’re doing.
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5
Wrap the wide end behind the knot.
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Wrapping the tie around the knot makes it more secure. Take the wide on the left side of your chest, and bring it behind the knot in the center. Use your left hand to hold the tie against the back of the knot so it stays in place. The wide end should be upside-down on your right side and underneath the knot and narrow end.[4]
- Make sure you pull the tie as tight as you comfortably can so the knot looks clean when you’re done.
6
Guide the wide end through the top of the neck loop.
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Feeding the tie through the neck loop finishes the base of the knot. Pull the wide end over the right side of the neck loop and feed it through the top. Pull the wide end down through the neck loop so it’s upside-down and on your right side when you’re finished. The knot near your collar now has a symmetrical cone shape on each side.[5]
- If the shapes are not symmetrical, undo your tie and try starting over so your knot doesn’t look messy.
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7
Fold the wide end over the front of the knot.
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Smooth out your tie to give the front of the knot a clean, classy look. Bring the wide end from right to left across the front of the knot. Pull your tie tight so the knot doesn’t have any wrinkles or creases. Hold the tie in place with your left hand so it doesn’t get loose.[6]
- Straighten out your tie so it lays flat and doesn’t hang backward or crooked when you finish tying it.
8
Bring the tie through the bottom of the neck loop.
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9
Pull the tie down through the loop in front of the knot.
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Pulling the tie through the knot lets you tighten and resize it. Grab the wide end of the tie and make sure it’s facing right-side up. Push the wind end through the space between the knot and part of the tie wrapped around the front of it. Hold the narrow end with one hand and pull the knot up toward your collar until it’s comfortable to tighten and adjust the length.[8]
- Fit your tie so the wide end reaches your waistband when you’re finished tying a Windsor knot. If the tie is too short, undo your tie and shorten the narrow end before trying again. If your tie was too long, shorten the wide end.
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Tips
Give yourself a little extra time if you’re tying a tie on someone else since it’s a little trickier getting the fit right.
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For a less bulky alternative, try tying a half Windsor knot instead.
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About This Article
Co-authored by:
Chloée Ohayon-Crosby
Costume Designer & Wardrobe Specialist
This article was co-authored by Chloée Ohayon-Crosby and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Chloée Ohayon-Crosby is a Costume Designer and Wardrobe Specialist in Los Angeles, California. With over eight years of experience in fashion consulting, Chloée specializes in personal, film, theater, and commercial styling as well as image consulting and costume design. Chloée has worked as an assistant designer for the distinguished fashion house Chloée and as a freelance stylist with Glamour Italia. Chloée studied Fine/Studio Arts at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and Fashion Design and Merchandising at the world renowned ESMOD École Supérieure des Arts in Paris, France. This article has been viewed 883,287 times.
50 votes - 76%
Co-authors: 35
Updated: September 2, 2024
Views:883,287
Categories: Featured Articles | Ties
Article SummaryX
If you want a more formal knot, try a Full Windsor:
Step 1. Button the top button of your shirt, and fold your collar up.
Step 2. Drape the tie around your neck so the wide end is on the right side, and extends well below the narrow end.
Step 3. Hold the narrow end of the tie in place while you cross the wide end over the narrow end near your collar.
Step 4. Wrap the wide end behind the back of the tie.
Step 5. Pull the wide end of the tie through the middle of the neck loop from back to front, pulling it through to make the first “shoulder,” over the left side of the neck loop.
Step 6. Pull the wide end of the tie to the right, behind the narrow end of the tie. Loop this end over the right side of the neck loop from front to back, pulling through to make the second “shoulder”. You should now have to triangle shapes, one on either side of the knot.
Step 7. Bring the wide end of the tie from right to left across the front, creating a horizontal bar.
Step 8. Bring the wide end of the tie behind the neck loop, then pull the end of the tie from to bottom, behind the horizontal bar you just created.
Step 9. Hold the knot with your left hand, and pull the long end to tighten the knot. Then hold the knot with your left hand, and push the knot up to your collar.
Step 10. Adjust the knot if needed. You may need to pinch or pull a bit to make the knot balanced and nicely shaped.
Step 11. Fold your collar down, and make sure that the tie is covered by the collar all the way around your neck. To learn how to tie a half-Windsor knot, scroll down!
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