Singaporebrides | The Groom Room

July 2017

4 Common and Easy Tie Knots Every Groom Needs to Know For Their Wedding

By Audrie Soh

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Up your tie game at your wedding with these easy-to-tie tie knots that are timeless, sophisticated and elegant.

Like brides, grooms should place careful consideration in the selection of their bridal accessories to perfect their wedding look, and the most noticeable and commonly worn accessory by grooms are ties. Unlike a bride’s earrings or shoes, the groom’s tie sits front and center, commanding everyone’s attention, and making the right choice of tie can make or break his overall appearance.

Now, when I say ‘the right choice of tie’, I am referring to more than just picking a colour, since ties come in different thicknesses, lengths and styles. The right choice of tie should be one that features a tie knot, length and colour that complements and accentuates your features. To help you make the right choice of tie for your wedding (or other occasions that call for a tie), we speak to Javin, founder of Common Suits, on the four most common and easy-to-master tie knots every groom (and man!) needs to know to up their game for their wedding. For those of you who have yet to master the art of tie tying, don’t worry – we’re here to help. Master the four most common tie knots from our easy-to-follow tutorial videos with step-by-step instructions made with the help and under the professional guidance of Javin.

1. The Windsor Knot

The Windsor knot, otherwise known as the Full Windsor or Double Windsor knot, is a perfectly symmetrical triangular knot that is one of the biggest and most commonly used tie knots in the world. Here’s a fun fact about the Windsor knot – although named after the Duke of Windsor, he neither invented nor wore the knot. The knot that the Duke wore often was actually a four-in-hand knot fashioned on an extra thick tie to produce a bigger and thicker knot. And in their attempt to imitate the Duke’s favoured knot, the public invented the Windsor knot.

How-to:

Step 1: First, start with the wide end of the tie on your right and the slim end on your left. The slim end should end approximately four fingers above your waistband.

Step 2: Cross the wide end over the slim end to the right, and loop it under around the middle and come through above.

Step 3: Hold on to the wide end, bring it over to the right and loop it behind the knot over to the left side.

Step 4: Loop the wide end through the hole from the front and pull it down to tighten the knot. You should see an inverted triangular knot.

Step 5: Then, bring the wide end to the right and over the knot towards the left side, and loop it through the hole from behind. Here, you’ll notice a loop forming.

Step 6: Bring the tip of the wide end through the loop and pull through. Place your thumb and middle finger on each side of the tie with your index finger resting in the middle, pinch and pull the tie tight to create a dimple.

Step 7: Lastly, slide the knot up and adjust.

When to Wear

Bold and stiff in appearance, the Windsor knot exudes power, confidence and authority, making it most appropriate for highly formal events like weddings or important business meetings. Because the Windsor knot produces a big and thick knot, it is best worn with a tie that is thinner and longer than usual, and best paired with a cut-away collar to fully showcase the bigger knot. Avoid tweed or knitted ties as they are too bulky to be worn with this knot.

2. The Half-Windsor Knot

Despite its name, the Half-Windsor knot is actually only 25% thinner than its sister knot, the Windsor knot. Like the Windsor knot, the Half-Windsor knot is a symmetrical, triangular knot that is commonly used. Extremely versatile, this knot exudes an elegant and more casual vibe as compared to the more formal Windsor knot, and is a great starting point for beginners as it is fairly simple to tie.

How-to:

Step 1: First, start with the wide end of the tie on your right and the slim end on your left. The slim end should end approximately four fingers above your waistband.

Step 2: Cross the wide end over and behind the slim end. You should end up with the wide end back at its starting point on the right.

Step 3: Then, bring the wide end up and loop it through the hole, pulling downwards towards the left.

Step 4: Bring the wide end over the knot towards the right side, and loop it through the hole from behind. Here, you’ll notice a loop forming.

Step 5: Bring the tip of the wide end through the loop and pull through. Place your thumb and middle finger on each side of the tie with your index finger resting in the middle, pinch and pull the tie tight to create a dimple.

Step 6: Lastly, slide the knot up and adjust.

When to Wear

Because the knot has an elegant and semi-formal look, the Half-Windsor knot is appropriate for day-to-day wear and professional occasions. It is best worn with a tie of a light to medium thickness and looks best with a cutaway or spread collar.

3. The Prince Albert Knot

The Prince Albert knot is an asymmetrical knot with a long and narrow shape. Full of personality, this unique and elegant knot is a creative alternative to the Four-in-Hand knot with the addition of a second loop around the knot.

How-to:

Step 1: First, start with the wide end of the tie on your left and the slim end on your right.

Step 2: Cross the wide end over and behind the slim end.

Step 3: Then, bring the wide end over and behind a second time, leaving a two-finger spacing to pull the tie through later.

Step 4: Bring the wide end over the middle once more and loop it through the hole from underneath.

Step 5: Next, slide the tip of the tie through the first loop on the knot and pull downwards.

Step 5: Place your thumb and middle finger on each side of the tie with your index finger resting in the middle, pinch and pull the tie tight to create a dimple.

Step 6: Lastly, slide the knot up and adjust.

When to Wear

The Prince Albert knot produces a slender and polished look which makes it great with most collars and face shapes. However, it is best paired with a semi-spread, spread or cutaway collar and worn with mid-width ties as narrow ties will not give personality to your knot while thicker ties will produce a sketchy knot.

4. The Bow Tie

A modern substitute for the cravat, the bow tie is not as difficult to master as one would think. So, forget about the pre-tied and clip-on bow ties you own or were thinking of owning, and start learning how to tie one. We promise it won’t take you long to perfect your very own self-tied bow tie.

How to Wear:

Step 1: With the bow tie lying face up, start with the left side about an inch longer than the right. Cross the longer end (left side) over the shorter end (right side).

Step 2: Loop the longer end through the hole and pull tight, before draping it over your right shoulder.

Step 3: Hold the shorter end horizontally with your left hand, and with your right index finger between the bow tie and your body, move it to the middle to form the bow tie shape.

Step 4: Bring the long end in and fold it vertically over the bow tie shaped fold, while pinching the horizontal ends of the fold together. You should see a hole forming at the back.

Step 5: Fold up the vertical end and loop it through the hole to form a bow shaped fold.

Step 6: Lastly, pull the folded ends to tighten the bow tie.

When to Wear

Intelligent and suave, the bow tie is usually reserved for the most formal of formal and black-tie events. Because it is a statement piece that draws everyone’s attention to its presence, it is best paired with a clean and sophisticated outfit in solid, muted colours. For bow ties of a more casual nature for everyday wear, opt for the batwing bow tie – straight, narrow and angular – or a diamond tipped one instead of the more commonly worn and formal butterfly shaped bow tie.

4 Things You Need To Know When Picking a Tie Knot

Now that you’ve learned how to tie the four most commonly worn tie knots, pay extra attention to these four details that will affect the outcome of your chosen tie knot.

1. Know Your Knots

There are more knots to choose from aside from the Windsor, Half-Windsor, Prince Albert and Bow Tie knots, and every one of them has its own personality and purpose. Take the knot’s size, symmetry and shape, and the occasion into consideration when choosing one to wear. For an event more formal, go with the bold and bigger-than-usual Windsor knot that exudes power and confidence or make a statement with a bow tie. The Half-Windsor or the elegant Prince Albert knots are great options for something less formal.

2. Size and Shape of Your Shirt Collar

Like tie knots, dress shirt collars come in different styles, each meant convey a certain look when paired with a particular tie knot. To avoid making a fashion faux pas, always remember to match the style of your collar to the size of the tie knot you’re planning to wear and vice versa. For instance, the thick and wide Windsor knot should be paired with a cutaway collar because a narrow collar style like the forward point collar will cut into the knot, which will not look flattering.

3. Length of Tie

The length of your tie also matters in your choice of a tie knot because certain knots require a longer than usual tie such as the Windsor and Prince Albert knots. Your height is also a factor in how short or long your tie should be and which tie knot best complements you. To know if you are using a tie of the correct length for you, observe where the tip of your tie rests at. Ideally, it should hit the top of your belt. If it is hanging above or past your belt, then you are using a tie of an incorrect length or an unsuitable tie knot.

4. The Dimple

Whether the dimple is an important detail of perfecting a tie is widely debated upon, but what one cannot deny that a dimple adds detail and dimension to the tie and completes the look. So, don’t forget to pinch, hold and pull your tie with your thumb, index and forefingers after completing a knot.

Bonus

It takes more than choosing and perfecting a tie knot to look your absolute best on your wedding day. Read up on the different types of suits and styles that suits your body type before you choose a bespoke tailor to make you a suit from scratch to fit your every curve perfectly, accentuating your best features for the most important day of your life.

Credits: Feature Image from Jasmine and Wei Xian’s Enchanting Victorian Garden Wedding at Hotel Fort Canning.

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