How To Tie A Tie - Four-In-Hand Knot
Tie a Tie - Four-In-Hand Knot. Clive, our menswear expert leads you through an easy to follow, step by step guide to mastering this simple, smart knot.
The four-in-hand is a basic tie knot that everyone should know. It's a narrow, slightly asymmetric knot, so it's good for ties made from a heavy fabric because it's not too big. It's also advisable for men with short necks because the narrow, long knot appears to lengthen the neck.
Step 2: Prepare
Turn up the collar of your shirt and do up your top button. Drape the tie around your neck with the main seam facing inwards. The wider end should be on the side of your dominant hand, so if you're left handed it goes on the left side, and if you're right handed, on the right side.
Step 3: Position your tie
If you look carefully you will see a seam on the front of the narrow end of the tie.
Cross the wider end of the tie over the seam. This will ensure that when finished, your tie is the correct length and reaches to your waistline.
Wearing it too short or too long will not look good.
Step 4: Wrap around
From this starting position wrap the wide end under the narrow one, and flip it over the top. Do this one more time, so effectively you have wrapped the wide end around twice.
Step 5: Up and Through
Pass the wide end up behind the knot and then pass it down through the centre of the knot.
Step 6: Tighten
Slide the knot up the narrow end to tighten it to your neck and turn your collar back down. Take a minute to adjust it making sure that the knot is smooth and the tie hangs straight.
Step 7: Removing your tie
When taking off your tie, slide the narrow end out and undo the knot. Don't just loosen the knot and pull it over your head as this will damage the fabric.
