The Everyday Scenario Survival Handbook
HOW TO TIE A TIE…
1. There are several ways to tie a tie including the old fashioned four-in-hand knot and the large Windsor knot. My favorite is the half-Windsor knot which can be used with almost any shape of collar.
2. First select a tie that is suitable for the occasion. (No hand-painted naked ladies when going to a funeral). The tie should complement the rest of your attire – jacket, shirt, socks, etc.
3. Fasten the top button on your shirt and turn the collar up. Stand in front of a mirror and loop the tie around your neck such that the narrow end hangs on your left side about half as far as the long end and the seams are facing out. Note: This distance may have to be modified and the knot tied several times in order to have it finally reach the belt buckle as described later. After doing this trial and error procedure a few times you will soon learn how long the short end should be when you are starting to tie the knot.
4. Now, cross the narrow end in front of the wide end. Bring the wide end up in front of the narrow end then down behind the knot and the narrow end so that the seam of the wide end is still facing out. Try to avoid any folds or creases where it crosses the knot. Bring the wide end loosely across in front of the knot with its seam inside and then up behind the knot, and down inside the loop formed where the wide end crosses in the front of the knot. The wide end is then pulled down to tighten the knot. Keep the crossed part of the knot horizontal and keep your left index finger in the center of the fold up close to the bottom of the knot and your thumb and middle finger on either side of the knot as it is tightened by pulling on it.
5. Adjust the knot for a neat appearance up against the top shirt button. Turn your shirt collar back down and tuck the narrow end of the tie into the little loop on the back of the wide end so that the ends will hang together with the seams facing each other.
6. The ends of the tie should be together and overlie the belt buckle for a correct length.
7. When you remove your tie, always completely untie the knot and hang it on a rack or hanger to avoid creases and keep it neat for the next occasion.
Source: Donald Petrie
