easiest way to tie a tie?

[palexander]

i'm photographing a wedding on the 27th and bought my first tie. i tied it once and it was pretty crap, but am looking to improve. does anyone have tips? mtf or ftm can answer!

oh and it's a skinny tie of that matters? i've got the beginning down, but my knot tends to look funny and it gets a little twisted

[Alexthecat]

http://www.primermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/SkinnyTie/Skinny_FourInHand.jpg

[Shodan]

Here's an easy, and pretty standard one, the Double Windsor:


As much as I hate wearing ties, I found it fun to actually practice doing all the strange, intricate ties. If you get brave, some of my favorites are the Cape Knot:


And the Trinity:


It's kind of like fashion origami.

[palexander]

http://www.primermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/SkinnyTie/Skinny_FourInHand.jpg

thanks alex

Here's an easy, and pretty standard one, the Double Windsor:


As much as I hate wearing ties, I found it fun to actually practice doing all the strange, intricate ties. If you get brave, some of my favorites are the Cape Knot:


And the Trinity:


It's kind of like fashion origami.

woah... that's really cool, but also pretty intimidating. i'm going to stick to learning the basics before i try the "fashion origami" hahah, i love what you called it!

[Shodan]

No worries. I only linked them to show the kind of nifty thing you can do with a necktie. I honestly think that it's a skill worth picking up if you're going to be presenting as male professionally. Most people settle with boring half windsor or double windsor knots, but there are a ton of creative, cool looking knots out there, and sporting one is a good way to impress folks. Especially for something like a job interview.

[cathyrains]

http://www.aybsz.com/index.php?f=aW1nL1RJRS1BTEwuanBn

[Eevee]

[Lostkitten]

I gave up when I wanted to wear one last year .

[Bran]

The four-in-hand knot, http://www.tie-a-tie.net/fourinhand.html, is by far the easiest IMO and should suffice for a wedding where you're working.  It's meant to be a little assymetrical, and I think it looks great with skinny ties.  I like the half windsor, http://www.tie-a-tie.net/halfwindsor.html, and it or the full "double" windsor are wider to bulk out a skinny tie.  Those are more formal and symmetrical, but harder to tie and get arranged properly, and not necessary unless you're trying to make an impression.  Novelty knots are fun and get attention, so maybe not the best choice for an event where you're in the background.

But, now that you've got a tie, you don't have to limit yourself on when you wear it :-).   

[Shodan]

Also, if you really don't dig the whole tying it yourself thing, look up zipper ties. Unless you're looking really closely, they look and act just like real ties, but generally are cheaper and always look good.

[KimSails]

This is how I always tied my ties.  Its one of the named knots, but I'm not sure which one.  It is the easiest knot to tie.

1) Collar up!
2) Drape tie around neck, the skinny end ending a little above your pants line
    (this will depend on your height and the overall length of the tie)
3) Up high, near your neck, take the thin-end in one hand (thumb and first two fingers) and the thick-end the same way in the other hand.
4) Hold the two parts together, snugly, but comfortably, at you neck, about where you want the knot to end up, with the thick-side on top of the thin-side.
5) Wrap the thick-side around the thin-side once.  At this point, in the mirror, you should see the thick-side on top of the thin-side twice.  The second time should be next to but below the first, roughly parallel to each other diagonally.
6) This is the trickiest part: Take the end of the thick-side up, behind the mass of tie-know you are holding, and then down in front. When you bring the thick-end down in front, it actually should be brought down just behind the front layer of the knot (this layer came from you wrapping the thick-end around the thin-end). Pull it down snug, but not (knot!) yet tight.

At this point you should have a loose knot, but pretty much complete.  It just needs to be tightened and shaped.

Pulling on the thin-end tightens it around your neck, pulling on the thick-end tightens the knot.  Do a little of each at a time to get the knot right.

You may find that the thick-end or the thin-end fall too low or not low enough.  This can be changed *a little* by adjusting the knot, but bigger adjustments mean re-tying the knot from scratch.  Ideally the thick-end will just cover your belt buckle.  The thin-end will get tucked into the tie label on the back of the thick-end.  If the thin-end is too long though, you can tuck it into your shirt between buttons.

Kim

[Amadeus]

"I have never been available for a clip-on bow tie!"  [Mr Claybourne Humphries, Are You Being Served?]

[aleon515]

The easiest tie for a tie is the four in one knot. Doesn't look good with a wide tie or thick fabric but it works okay. It's very easy to learn. I have a learning disability affecting directionality and I have learned this one. I went on youtube til I found a video I can follow (one where they are standing the same direction as me makes a difference). Clip ons are nice for jails and centers for emotionally disturbed children where the inmates or students may strangle you with the tie.

--Jay

[Ayden]

Half Windsor was he easiest knot I learned. It's s scarier looking than it is to tie a tie. With about an hour of effort you can learn almost any knot. I knit and somehow ties eluded me for years. I've only recently figured them out, but I'm in love now.

[Michaela Whimsy]

The half Windsor isn't far off from what non knot tying people do to make a knot anyway.  It is easy if you don't over think it.  The full Windsor just adds a step to make it symmetrical.  If the material is thin and can be ironed iron the whole tie flat.  If it is heavier material it is not as important.  This prevents a crumpled up looking tie. 

I can't tie a tie around someone else's neck for beans,  but with really cheap ties that don't tie well I tie it and then loosen it and take it off to straighten it up.  If I am worried about it I tie it the day before and then just put it on an snug it up in the morning.  I have had ties that I have worn several times on the same knot.  I had a guy that I ran across that I knew from bootcamp 4 years previous.  I barely remembered him but he remembered me by a tie that he still had that i tied that he has saved just for inspections!

[Jill F]

1) Have someone who knows how to tie it do it for you with it in place.
2) Wear it all day.
3) When done, pull skinny end out just enough for it to come off over your head.
4) Store tie like that.
5) Next time, put over your head with the shirt collar up and pull on the skinny end until it's snug when it's in place.
6) Look awesome again next time.

No, seriously, learn to tie it.  This is the crap I did before I finally actually learned at age 23.

I kept two of my old ties, BTW.  Both by Armani.  One is eventually for the left hand and the other for the right.