Q&A for How to Tie a Tie

Yes, you can use a scarf as a tie.

The four-in-hand knot should work fine for school.

The four-in-hand knot should work. Doesn't take more than a minutes with practice.

It should be touching the front of the shirt for all knots except the Pratt knot.

The four-in-hand knot is easy and pretty informal.

My son always uses a double Windsor knot for his tie when he goes to school and it has not presented any problems.

If you keep forgetting it always helps to write it down. Each step in order neatly will help you remember. Read it a couple times, and practice over and over until you don't need the directions.

I think half windsor knot and traditional windsor knot should work well, because they are more official and formal.

The type of knot should really depend on the size of your collar. If the shirt has a small collar, use a smaller knot like the four in hand. If it's a standard collar, use a Windsor knot.

Then you look at the instructions on this page and keep practicing. There are also other pages that explain how it is done. Use your favorite search engine.

You will almost certainly have to ask someone to help you with your tie if you have a broken arm.

Try to make the wider part around twice as long as the narrow part before you begin tying.

Hold the bottom of the knot when tightening. You may find that the full Windsor is best for holding this shape.

I usually wear a tie bar to keep my tie in order. It can be used to secure the narrow end and also hold the tie to your shirt. Ties also typically have a small loop on the back of the wide end, which can hold the narrow end.

It doesn't take much longer than the four-in-hand knot, so about a minute once you know the steps by heart. Spend some time practicing until you're comfortable with the knot before whatever event you'll need it.

Undo the knot and make the skinny side longer by sliding it further down a few inches.

The tip should be about to your belt buckle. If you are not wearing a belt, make the tip touch about to your pant line.

Most people use a more formal knot, such as a Windsor. If you are wearing a skinny tie, the best knot is a four-in-hand.

As with any skill, you'll gain speed the more you practice. You could, however, also tie it beforehand and leave it slack enough to slip your head through, then just put it on and tighten it when you're getting ready.

No, it is a scarf, not a tie. However, for practicing tying, a silky scarf should be fine. Of course, if you wish to be different, you can use a silky scarf this way for everyday wear, that's up to you.

4-in-hand is easiest and looks good. A marginally easier knot ends with the narrow end facing the 'wrong' way and is rarely used in Western countries - known variously as the Oriental, the Kent Knot, the Petit Noeud or the "Simple Knot". It is popular in China but is not covered here but is very much like the 4-in-hand.

Try a simple knot such as the 4-in-Hand. The Windsor, Half-Windsor and others use up a lot of the length of the tie.

Just make the skinny side a little longer before you start to tie the knot.