How to tie a tie. The Brooks Brothers Definitive Guide.

How to tie a tie.  The Brooks Brothers Definitive Guide

A true gentleman knows the difference between a half-windsor and a Prince Albert knot. – BrooksBrothers.com

First, a quick observation. If you call yourself a gentleman, you’re most certainly not a gentleman. And if you use the word “gentleman” in this way: “Every Gentleman should know…” you’re probably an out of touch snoot. I’m sure there’s exceptions to the rule, but… c’mon. Stop sounding like Jeeves.

The Brooks Brothers “How to tie a tie” guide is about as good as it gets for this kind of thing.  They showcase six different types of knots, and the pictures do a pretty good job of showing you step by step what to do.

Do you need to memorize all six ways?  Nah… you really only need to know these three:

1. The Full Windsor – The biggest knot, for the biggest occasions.
2. The Half Windsor – Not as big as the full, but still plenty substantial.  The middle ground.
3. The Four in Hand – Perfect for more casual situations.  Quick and easy.

One final tip: When you’re tying the tie, fight your instinct to tie it super-tight.  Keep it reasonably loose and flexible.  You don’t want to cinch the living sh*t out of your tie, because the knot will get minuscule and you’ll end up killing the fabric.  Think of your tie knot as a grilled piece of meat.  You want it to feel rare.  Soft with some spring back, and certainly not rock hard well-done.  It doesn’t have to be air-tight.