tie a tie

How to tie a tie was once something all men learned as a part of growing up but today’s more casual approach to fashion in general has left the American man with fewer and fewer occasions when wearing a tie is expected. And there are more ways than one to tie one, too, which only leads to confusion.

Perhaps the best approach to how to tie a tie is to learn the most basic knot style and practice until perfect. Some men prefer to look into a mirror while doing this but others find the mirror distracting.

Perhaps learning how to tie a tie in the Pratt Knott style is the most practical method. The Pratt is a symmetrical, medium-sized knot that works for most shirt collars and involves just six easy steps, as follows:

1. Drape the tie around the neck with the label side facing out. Drape it so the wide end of the tie is on the right side and the narrow end on the left.
2. Cross the wide end to the left side, going under the narrow end along the way.
3. Bring the wide end of the tie, now on the left, up in front and down through the loop that has formed around the neck. Finish this step with the wide end still on the left side.
4. Cross the wide end across the loop at the neck, with the wide end now pointing toward the right shoulder.
5. Bring the wide end up through the loop at the neck and then down through the loop made in step #3.
6. Gently draw the knot up to the collar and adjust for length and symmetry. The wide end of the tie should hang down far enough to cover the belt buckle.

Voila!

It might be a good idea to allocate some time to practice how to tie a tie before the moment comes when the tie is important. Being in a rush often leads to frustration that might not produce the desired result.

Once you’ve learned how to tie a tie successfully once, please don’t consider yourself a master of the craft yet. Practice again another time or another day. The more often you practice, the more skilled your effort will look.

And once the big day arrives, when how to tie a tie becomes important, allow yourself plenty of time for dressing, especially this part of dressing. Oftentimes the things we can accomplish under relaxed circumstances can become a little nerve-wracking under pressure. Don’t let a poorly tied tie distract from your big event.

Related Topic: How to tie a knot