How to Tie a Tie

It’s a sad fact, but there are grown men who don’t know how to tie a tie. If they have a big interview that afternoon, they’ll go shopping for a clip-on. Even if a man does know how to tie a tie, their knowledge is often limited to just one necktie knot. But there are several ways to tie a tie. Certain necktie knots should be used with certain shirt collars and tie fabric materials to get the best results for your appearance. Below, we show you three classic necktie knots every man should know and give you the lowdown on when you should use them.

I’ve created videos for each tie knot and also one giant video with them all together. To make it easier for you to follow along with the instructions, I’ve flipped the images. So when you’re watching the video, my right is the same as your right and my left is the same as your left.

Also known as the “schoolboy,” this is probably the most widely used tie knot because it’s so easy to tie. It’s a good tie knot to use if your tie is made of heavier material. It looks best with smaller spread collars.

1. Drape the tie around your neck. The wide end should extend about 12 inches below the narrow end of the tie. Cross the wide part of the tie over the narrow end.

2. Turn the wide end back underneath the narrow end.

3. Continue wrapping the wide end around the narrow end by bringing it across the front of the narrow end again.

4. Pull the wide end up and through the back of the loop.

5. Hold the front of the tie knot with your index finger and bring the wide end down through the front knot.

6. Tighten the knot carefully to the gills by holding the narrow end N and sliding the knot up. Center the knot.