subject: Finding The Right Neck Tie Knot [print this page] Most men tie their neck tie just one wayMost men tie their neck tie just one way. The four most popular neck tie knots are the four in hand, the half Windsor, the Windsor and the Pratt. Each of these knots have a slightly different appearance and learning the methods for tying these knots can give a gentleman more flexibility in his wardrobe.
The most popular and easiest knot to tie is the four in hand. The disadvantages of the four in hand is that it is asymmetric and small. It looks best with shirts that have a narrow collar and it is appropriate for most occasions.
The half Windsor knot is more complicated than the four in hand, but it is symmetric and has a more formal and business like appearance. Like the four in hand, the half windsor is suitable for most occasions.
The Windsor knot is a large symmetric knot which looks best with wide shirt collars. If the tie is made of a heavy fabric, this knot may be too bulky. It is the most formal of the popular knots and looks well with formal business attire.
The Pratt is an average sized symmetrical knot with a neat appearance. The one disadvantage of the Pratt is that the wrong side of the narrow end of the tie faces up. The wider side needs to be secured over the narrow end. This knot can be worn for most occasions.
In 1999, Thomas Fink and Yong Mao published a book titled The 85 Ways To Tie A Tie. The authors are mathematicians and they used mathematical theory to support their claim that there are exactly 85 ways to tie a tie. Also based on mathematical theory, they determined there were thirteen aesthetic knots. They determined which knots were aesthetic by measuring them for symmetry. The book contains a table describing each of the thirteen knots and includes instructions for tying them.
In addition to the four popular knots already mentioned, they include the Oriental, The Kelvin, The Nicky, the Victoria, the St. Andrew, The Plattsburgh, the Cavendish, the Grantchester, the Hanover and the Balthus. The book is intended for laymen and makes for an interesting read. It also can help men find the most flattering knots for their wardrobe and facial structure. It 's always nice to be able to vary your look and this can be done by changing the knot in your neck tie.
