Tie knots - does it really matter?

[zirrow]

might make for a good way to screw with people though

[Jack Daw]

Frankly, I don't like the full-Windsor because the large knot reminds me of the horrible fashions of the 1970s. Luckily, I made it out of that decade without ever having worn a leisure suit.

[thescot]

Jack Daw: hahahahahahahahahahaha. I can't say the same since I got one as a gift and had to wear it to family functions. I made sure that no photos were taken, so there's no embarrassing proof.

But I must say to Burly Brute: a full Windsor won't work with a wool tie. the material is too thick, at lest it is on the 4 or 5 I own. But the, those military ties with no liining might work; haven't tried it.

[Tobus]

Heh, I can see how a full Windsor could be reminiscent of '70s fashions... and not in a good way. Like thescot said, I would imagine this is a function of the material. I have some wool ties (as well as other woven ties in similar thicknesses) that would look awful with a Windsor knot. I only use the full Windsor when I have a relatively thin silk tie that I can still get a nice, tidy, triangular knot in. Fortunately, that's the majority of my ties.

A tightly-tied Windsor can look just about the same as a medium-tight half-Windsor, with the added benefit of using up a little more material so the length isn't an issue for me. Plus, with a nice tight knot, it makes it easier to pull the 'dimple' just under the knot when I finish it up. I'm very meticulous about the dimple!

[creagdhubh]

Heh, I can see how a full Windsor could be reminiscent of '70s fashions... and not in a good way. Like thescot said, I would imagine this is a function of the material. I have some wool ties (as well as other woven ties in similar thicknesses) that would look awful with a Windsor knot. I only use the full Windsor when I have a relatively thin silk tie that I can still get a nice, tidy, triangular knot in. Fortunately, that's the majority of my ties.

A tightly-tied Windsor can look just about the same as a medium-tight half-Windsor, with the added benefit of using up a little more material so the length isn't an issue for me. Plus, with a nice tight knot, it makes it easier to pull the 'dimple' just under the knot when I finish it up. I'm very meticulous about the dimple!

I agree. I wasn't find it a wee bit comical when I see a chap with a huge Windsor knot, and I'm talking so large that is almost looks obnoxious! Like people have eluded to before, I think some knot types lend themselves better to a person's face (round, long, square, etc) and collar type (spread, forward point, English, tennis, Ainsely, etc).

Gotta have that dimple!

Cheers,

[BoldHighlander]

...and while on the subject (& just for fun ).

You might need to turn up your audio....

[CDNSushi]

I learned to tie the full Windsor in the forces and the reason given to us was that a "Half knot makes for half a man". The knot on the Windsor can be made smaller by slight readjustment of it's location or by how tight you snug it up. A great big sloppy knot never looks good. As to the Four in Hand, personally I've never liked it, it looks like a poor attempt at tying a knot by someone who wasn't willing to take the time to leanr a proper knot. Just my oppinion.

Even when I was in air cadets, we caught ROYAL sh*t for not tying a full Windsor knot... I've done it ever since, except for those situations where the tie itself is just too thick for it to look nice...

Funny how such things stick with you. To this day, I press my clothes a certain way, and polish boots a certain way... Lol. I bet you can tell a lot about a man by the way he polishes his boots.

[Joshua]

I tied a 4-in-hand knot my whole life, my dad wasn't a tie-wearing man, so I learned how to do it myself. Now I tie a half-windsor, it looks more symmetrical without looking like an apple between my collars.

The 4-in-hand still comes out when I'm in a hurry.

[CDNSushi]

Quite honestly, now that I think about it... Seeing that the Cthulhu tartan has recently been unleashed upon the earth, you may wish to consider tying The Lovecraft knot.



(Which, by the way is kind of funny. Because it was THAT post that actually started the whole madness)....

[LANCER1562]

I learned to tie a half Windsor when I was in High School ROTC and when I went into the Army I had to teach half of my platoon (about 15 guys) how to tie a tie. The half Windsor is the only knot I know how to tie but I'll be looking at the instruction videos on how to tie other knots just so I have other options.