Tie knots - does it really matter?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

As long as it isn't a pre-tied, or clip on tie, the knot doesn't really matter....

[Bugbear]

As long as it isn't a pre-tied, or clip on tie, the knot doesn't really matter....

My father never learned how to tie a neck tie, and always wears clip on ties. This inspired me to learn how to make a few knots and especially tieing a bow tie when I was a kid.

I like the asymmetrical aspect of the four-in-hand knot, and use it on ties made of thick material, or some wide ties; otherwise I might use a half Windsor.

[EHCAlum]

I personally hate a four in hands and use a pratt or a half windsor. I will use a full windsor on a spread collar or for an interview.

[madmacs]

Since i had to wear a tie to school, and I was too tall for most ties to lose the extra with a windsor, it ended up with a four in hand... Which is in my experience a fairly typical tie knot in the UK... This also ended up being used when I went to work (the knot not the tie)

Currently I dont have to wear one, but wore one to dinner a few weeks ago and tied it as a half windsor (just because i could).

I have also been kmown to tie a proper black silk bow tie in the past... Albeit the very distant past...

[AFS1970]

I do not wear ties very often, but I am now beginning to get more into them. This is mostly because much of my previous tie wearing has been uniform (or non uniform but on duty) related and thus clip on. I began to hate one thing about clip on ties and that it the habit the older ones have of popping out on the sides and exposing themselves. I found a relatively new style that was pre tied and attached with Velcro in the back of the neck. That still only really worked for uniform wear but such ties do have their place.

Oddly enough this year has seen me acquire quite a nice start to a tie collection, even though I still do not have as many chances to wear them. However this has lead me to look into different knots. I tend to vary them up based on no real criteria, although I did discover that some knots go better with some shirts, I never knew the names of the collars in question. I never knew that a knot could be a sign of the formality of the occasion.

[Zardoz]

I've always gone with the notion that the shirt collars drive the knot choice. Narrower point styles get the 1/2 windsor, spread collars the full windsor. I don't care for spread collars, so basically always use the 1/2 windsor.

One other thought about tie lengths, many alteration shops can alter the width and/or length of neckties.

[crash]

Tobus,
When I tie my Colquhoun tartan ties I always use a full Windsor. I just like the symetry better I guess. I have the oposite problem. I'm on the tall side and tend to run out of tie. Maybe 1/2 Windsor for the modern and full for the ancient. ha ha

[O'Callaghan]

I learnt to tie a tie when I was four years old. I had to wear one every day to school, and later had some jobs where I had to wear one. Consequently, like Jock, I only know one knot, and wasn't sure what it was, although I thought it was probably either a half or full Windsor.

Having learnt how to tie a tie at such a young age, I am entirely useless when it comes to instructing anyone else, except by standing behind them and tieing it around their neck myself. Come to think of it, though, that is probably how I was taught.

After looking at the videos on the web site that was linked (and retieing the tie I had on several times, which I was only wearing because I went to an Xmas party today), the knot I use appears to be a half Windsor.

So, I can tie a half Windsor in my sleep, but other knots not atall. No decision process is ever needed or possible, rendering any advice in this thread redundant!

I'm afraid if I need to wear black tie I wear a pre-tied bow tie, as I never learnt how to tie a bow tie, but at least I don't (and never would) wear a clip-on bow tie.