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5 Small Style Tricks

November 9, 2011 By Joe | Heads up: Buying via our links may result in us getting a commission. Also, we take your privacy rights seriously. Head here to learn more.

1. Roll up your sleeves so they look good and stay up.

Believe it or not there is a much better alternative to the: unbutton… roll… roll… roll… roll method.  And that better alternative is the: unbutton… flip… pulllllllll… flip… smooth… method.  Here’s how to do it:

Unbutton the cuff.  Grab the edge of the cuff and flip the whole cuff back.  Allowing your sleeve to turn inside out along the way, slowly drag your cuff up past your elbow until the seam where the cuff and shirt meet is in your elbow pit.  Fold the extra 3-5 inches of exposed inside-out sleeve up to “lock in” the cuff.  And you’re done.

2. Beef up your four-in-hand:  Embrace the Kelvin

Here’s a scenario:  Four in hand is too small.  Half Windsor is too big.  The answer is a Kelvin, which is basically a four-in-hand that has you start tying with the underside facing up, and adds an extra sweep for the needed bulk.  Primer magazine has a terrific diagram to show you how to tie it.

3. Have your open collar stay where you want it

Seems like cheating, but it’s not.  Buy some wurkin’ stiffs.  They’re incredible.

4. Tie a better shoelace knot

Most of us have been tying our shoes “wrong” since childhood.  A basic shoelace knot has two stages:  1.  The beginning cross starter knot,  and 2. The loops.  The key is to alternate which end goes over the other on each step.  Starting with a left over right cross, then a left lace over right loop gives you an odd laying “granny” knot.

Left:  The Granny is ornery.  Right:  The balanced, square, or reef knot lays flat.

Start again with a left over right cross, but then on step two wrap the left lace BEHIND the right loop.  That’ll give you a much better looking & draping balanced knot.  (If you’re like me and start with a left cross, just imagine the “rabbit” having to duck behind the “tree” to use it for shotgun cover from Granny.)  Extensive coverage over here.

5. Pour a better beer

Most of us get the first step of the process right.  Step 1:  Hold the glass at an angle (45 degrees), not straight up and down, and start pouring with the stream of beer hitting about halfway down the glass.  This lets the beer ease in without building the head quite yet.  Step 2:  Once the glass is about half full, slowly start tipping it up straight while moving the beer stream from the wall of the glass to the center of the beer pool.  Practice if you need to.

Your turn.  Any style tricks worth sharing from your own arsenal  are more than welcome in the comments below.

Filed Under: Accessories, Clothing, Drink, Shoes Tagged With: how to pour a beer, how to roll up your sleeves, how to tie your shoes, Kelvin knot, tricks, Wurkin Stiffs

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Comments

  1. Andrew B says

    November 9, 2011 at 2:06 AM

    Ok, this has always bothered me about rolling the sleeves like in #1– when I do it, I end up with a really huge cuff that just looks ridiculous.  Is there a way I can do this sleeve roll without having a 3 inch cuff?  Where does all the extra fabric go?

  2. Willncarolina says

    November 9, 2011 at 5:03 AM

    +1 on the Kelvin. I have been wearing this knot about 2 months now and it is now my favorite.

  3. Mo says

    November 9, 2011 at 5:05 AM

    I concur on the kelvin! Starting using it this past summer. Nice alternative to the Half Windsor

  4. Jason says

    November 9, 2011 at 5:50 AM

    I like the Pratt knot. It’s symmetrical and about the same size as the Kelvin:

    http://www.tie-a-tie.net/pratt.html

  5. ZachB says

    November 9, 2011 at 5:50 AM

    I find it very difficult to do this method.  Maybe it’s my short arms.  Maybe that’s why the huge cuff looks ridiculous on me too.  I’ve gone back to the standard way.

  6. Tat says

    November 9, 2011 at 6:10 AM

    I have always tied my shoes as you have depict’d @ #4. I suppose I learned the correct way from a dapper gentleman growing up. My shoes stay tight all day, no need for double knots or loose knots. In fact, the way my foot shifts and moves as I walk, it increases the tightness of the knot as I walk.

  7. guest says

    November 9, 2011 at 6:21 AM

    Can’t remember where I saw it, but somewhere online in the past month or so suggested an ian knot – it’s been great with my waxed laces, and helps to keep them looking a bit less crazy.

  8. Mike N says

    November 9, 2011 at 6:26 AM

    Re: #4 the same holds true when you tie anything. Avoid the granny knot at all costs.

  9. Scott says

    November 9, 2011 at 6:28 AM

    I’m 44 and just learned the lace knot thing? When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.

  10. Anotherjames says

    November 9, 2011 at 6:36 AM

    Optimal head for most beers is about 3/4 inch in a typical pint glass. Many incorrectly believe tilting the glass while pouring is to prevent any head from forming whatsoever. Not true. Hence step #2. Let that foam build. Proper head is an essential part of appreciating good beer.

  11. Beej says

    November 9, 2011 at 6:52 AM

    Whoa, whoa, Dappered.  Shoe lace knots?  Lacing the shoes differently.  Awesome.  Tying a backwards bow, or frontwards, or whatever.  No one ever noticed.  Ever.

    Oh, you noticed?  Well, go ahead then.

  12. BenR says

    November 9, 2011 at 7:18 AM

    Re:

    1. I took this site’s advice from a while back and started doing that sleeve roll-up method. Honestly I haven’t noticed that it’s any better or worse than the usual roll-roll-roll-roll style. Though I did it in front of my dad once – he looked at me like I was crazy and asked me if I knew how to roll my sleeve up. “This is what the Internet told me to do….”

    Some shirts are too, I don’t know, tight? in the sleeve and this method is ineffective – the best I can do is 3 rolls.

    2. Maybe it’s because I’m a smaller guy but I honestly think the 4-in-hand is a good size for me, especially with my bulkier knit ties.

  13. Chris Wallwork says

    November 9, 2011 at 7:22 AM

    I also like the playing card as pocket square, neat idea. Not something I will be trying, but nice idea.

  14. Joe says

    November 9, 2011 at 7:47 AM

    Agreed.  What’s odd is that I had the square knot (right over left, left over right) drilled into my head when I was in the scouts.  But I had never applied it to my shoe laces until only a year or so ago.

  15. John3 says

    November 9, 2011 at 7:52 AM

    I rolled my sleeves this way for a few weeks after reading about it here, and just didn’t get sold on it. The whole point of rolling up one’s sleeves is to indicate informality (or get dirty depending on the task). I think this way just looks contrived. Clean, absolutely it looks clean, but I think the extra effort involved (and there is the slightest bit more) is just awkward. I was having drinks with a buddy of mine last week, and we both un-cuffed our shirts and rolled at the same time. He did this roll, and I did the old standby. I was drinking my drink while he was fumbling with his second sleeve. Silly. 

  16. John3 says

    November 9, 2011 at 7:57 AM

    Also, I fully endorse the Kelvin, tying your shoes correctly (only learned about 6 months ago and am teaching my daughter right), and pouring beer correctly. 

  17. Jim Gooch says

    November 9, 2011 at 8:08 AM

    Yeah; about the same for me.  Symmetrical without being bulky.  I’m 6′ w/ a 17.5 neck; if I want a heavier knot, I wind up using way too much tie with a typical windsor.  This knot splits the difference when I want a touch more formality or wear a spread.

  18. Jim Gooch says

    November 9, 2011 at 8:10 AM

    Actually, with props to Jason — below — I guess that’s actually what I’ve been doing.  I saw it called “the venetian,” but whatever.  That’s it.

  19. Anonymous says

    November 9, 2011 at 8:41 AM

    I think it depends on the shirt and person. If this shirt has a more mondern cut and is 100% cotton, it may not be malleable enough for all that folding. If you have a bigger bicep it won’t be easy either. 

    I do both folds to keep things new. I love the fold Joe showed me, but I will also just do a simple roll below the elbow from time to time. 

  20. Anonymous says

    November 9, 2011 at 8:43 AM

    This is my favorite knot as well. It’s a shame our dads only teach us the four-in-hand because it really isn’t an appealing knot. 

  21. Scuba Steve says

    November 9, 2011 at 9:04 AM

    Am I missing something? I’m not seeing the extra sweep in the Kelvin compared to the four in hand:

    http://www.totieatie.com/kelvin.asp

    http://www.totieatie.com/fourInHand.asp

  22. Anonymous says

    November 9, 2011 at 9:08 AM

    Holy…spent all those years a Boy Scout and never made the connection between square knots and tying shoes. Well, that oughta change things.

    Sometimes, I want to give beer back if it’s poured badly. Dutch bartenders are the worst about this, especially with their less–ah–fancy beers (beers like Heineken, Hertog Jan, etc): they pour the beer till the glass is overflowing, then shave the head off.

  23. Mark C says

    November 9, 2011 at 9:11 AM

    Agreed 100%.

    Most pour to minimize head to almost nothing. I pour for a solid 3/4 – 1 incher

  24. Joe says

    November 9, 2011 at 10:16 AM

    I never did well on these visualization tests in school.  Anyway, here’s the steps as broken down by this site: http://www.tcm.phy.cam.ac.uk/~tmf20/tieknots.shtml

    Four in hand – Li Ro Li Co T

    Kelvin – Lo Ri Lo Ri Co T

    Four in hand is five total steps, Kelvin is six, and that’s where the extra beef comes from.  And now I’ve got a headache (and my tie is untied and sitting here on the desk)

  25. Anonymous says

    November 9, 2011 at 10:19 AM

    sometimes I pull mine up, flip it, then tuck the top part of the flip back down underneath. still lays flat, not as big as a cuff, and it’s nearly impossible for them to come undone unintentionally

  26. HelloNurse says

    November 9, 2011 at 10:26 AM

    It’s not necessarily poured poorly if they let it the head over-flow the glass, this typically happens because as they straighten the glass under the tap they drop it away. They do this to let the stream fall further into the beer and churn the beer more thoroughly to better release the aromas which should result in a better drinking experience. The head-chopping part is because you’ve gotta make it presentable and to cut down on the time you’ll have to wait for the head to come down.

  27. Eli says

    November 9, 2011 at 11:21 AM

    Dig the clever header photo with the 5 card in the pocket.  Nice touch.

  28. Anonymous says

    November 9, 2011 at 12:57 PM

    What I mean here, though, is that glass is essentially vertical the whole time, and the overflowing head is chopped off. Leaves a headless, but full, glass.

  29. Beej says

    November 9, 2011 at 1:03 PM

    Despite my outward arrogance, I am an empiricist.  I tied one shoe the regular way and one shoe the “new and improved” way.  The “new and improved” shoe just came undone. 

  30. Jackson says

    November 9, 2011 at 1:27 PM

    How long did this experiment take, and what activities were you enged in for the duration?  I just tied mine with the new-and-improved, but suspect that sitting at my desk for several ensuing hours won’t adequately put the knot through its paces. 

  31. Anonymous says

    November 9, 2011 at 3:18 PM

    I normally fold the resulting cuff in half (and possible again after that).

  32. Anonymous says

    November 9, 2011 at 3:23 PM

    I roll my sleeves up faster this way. That, and they seem more likely to stay up. I didn’t think it was meant to be cleaner or new, I just thought it was an alternative. But I gotta say, the “new” way of rolling the sleeves looks pretty awesome when your shirt has contrast cuffs.

  33. Anonymous says

    November 9, 2011 at 10:04 PM

    AGREED!!! Release those aromas. You will get a flat tasting beer if you don’t give yourself a nice head of foam. I’m gonna be honest, I like a full inch.

  34. Lee says

    November 9, 2011 at 10:19 PM

    I love the Ian knot.  The only time I really don’t use it is with athletic shoes because I can’t quite get the shoes tight enough

  35. Beej says

    November 10, 2011 at 11:39 AM

    Well, thats exactly what I was doing.  Minding my own, sittin at my desk.  The “experiment took about 5 – 6 hours; until the shoe came untied.  Do run too fast to the bathroom, or you may trip and fall.

  36. Mike N says

    November 11, 2011 at 12:11 PM

    Proper head is a beautiful thing.

  37. Anonymous says

    November 11, 2011 at 10:55 PM

    What? I might try that tomorrow.

  38. Josh Tolle says

    November 28, 2011 at 10:12 PM

    A buddy of mine rolls his up into the sleeve so the bulk of the cuff is under the sleeve.  Of course I mercilessly made fun of him when I first saw it, but after rolling up my sleeves the “standard” way and feeling like my arms were clappers in giant bells, I tested out his method.  It’s fantastic — so much so that I sheepishly apologized to my buddy, and have been using the method since.

  39. Derek says

    November 30, 2011 at 3:18 PM

    I like the four-in-hand! It might not be appropriate for every tie, but it’s a good knot that has its place.

  40. Derek says

    November 30, 2011 at 3:18 PM

    That’s what she said.

  41. Derek says

    November 30, 2011 at 3:22 PM

    Agreed!

  42. Derek says

    December 1, 2011 at 6:52 PM

    I find the Kelvin knot completely impossible to tie. What the hell. This is ridiculous! I can do other knots just fine but this absolutely turns out retarded every time, following the not-very-helpful instructions on Primer or the better ones on tie-a-tie.com. It’s so frustrating…what am I doing wrong?

  43. Derek says

    December 1, 2011 at 6:53 PM

    Argh…website had a fart or something.

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