Oh Knots!

He has a thing for knots.

One of the things that makes me cringe regularly is an incorrectly chosen tie knot. It’s a shame, too, because its such an easy thing to fix. You need to realize that your collar dictates the knot(s) that you can use. And there are really only a few knots that you should be choosing from:

• Four In Hand – This is the most classic knot there is. It fits neatly into any type – or spread – of collar as well. One of the best things about it is the slight asymmetry, which gives just enough sprezzatura and ensures that you never look like an anal-retentive perfectionist.

 

• Half Windsor – If you’re into wearing wide spread collars this is your knot. It fills up the extra space because it’s a little beefier than other classic knots, but it won’t make you look like a sportscaster. Half Windsor knots are also good if you wear those thinly lined Ferragamo and Hermés jobs that Gordon Gekko wannabes love so much.

 

• Prince Albert – Our friend Prince Albert’s eponymous knot is a bit more narrow and symmetrical than the Four In Hand, making it ideal if you always wear a button-down collar. It’s also the perfect knot if Alex P. Keaton is your idol.

 

Note that all of the classic knots that I’ve just described are relatively discreet. The most commonly seen indiscreet knot is the Windsor (mistakenly referred to as “full” or “double” Windsor). To this knot I say two things: 1) even if your collar is wide enough to accommodate a Windsor knot, it will look either bad or obnoxious 2) this is not Italy. I see Warren Buffet (and lots of young guys who wish they were Warren Buffet) wearing Windsor knots. Our boy may be a perfect example of why value investing is the only way to go, but he’s also a perfect example of why your knot needs to work for your collar.

Pick your knot correctly; you’ll never be the butt of a Joan and Melissa Rivers joke again.