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Clothes, Fit and Grooming

How to tie a tie: four-in-hand, Windsor and bow tie

To tie a tie, learn the four-in-hand first: wide end on your right hanging well below the narrow end, cross it over, wrap it around behind, bring it across the front, push it up through the neck loop and down through the front band, then slide the knot up. Add the half-Windsor for spread collars and the bow tie for black tie events. Each has step drawings below.

The four-in-hand, for every day

This is the knot for interviews, the office and most weddings. It uses the least length of tie and takes about 10 minutes to learn. Stand at a mirror and follow the steps.

  1. Put the tie around your neck with the collar up, the wide end on your right, hanging about a foot lower than the narrow end.
  2. Cross the wide end over the narrow end to the left.
  3. Bring the wide end around behind the narrow end, back to the right.
  4. Bring it across the front again to the left, forming a horizontal band.
  5. Push the wide end up through the neck loop from underneath.
  6. Pass it down through the front band you just made.
  7. Hold the narrow end and slide the knot up to your collar, pinching a small dimple under the knot as it tightens.
  8. Check the tip reaches your belt buckle; if not, untie and change how far down the wide end starts.
Four-in-hand knot, step by stepFive panels. One: the wide end hangs on your right, well below the narrow end. Two: cross the wide end over the narrow end. Three: bring it around behind and across the front again, making a band. Four: push it up through the neck loop from underneath. Five: pass it down through the front band and slide the knot up.1Wide end long2Cross over3Wrap and across4Up through loop5Down through band
Wide end long on the right, cross over, wrap behind and across, up through the neck loop, down through the front band.

The half-Windsor and full Windsor, for spread collars

The Windsor family makes a wider, more symmetric triangle that fills a spread collar. The half-Windsor is the practical one; the full Windsor adds a pass through the neck loop on the second side and suits thinner ties and wide collars. Start with the wide end lower than for a four-in-hand, because the extra wraps use more tie. The full steps are on the Windsor page; the short version:

  1. Cross the wide end over the narrow end to the left.
  2. Turn the wide end back underneath the narrow end, to the right.
  3. Bring it up to the neck loop and down through it, so it hangs on the left.
  4. For a full Windsor only, take it behind the knot to the right, then up and down through the neck loop on that side as well.
  5. Wrap the wide end across the front of the knot, from left to right.
  6. Bring it up through the neck loop from underneath and down through the front band.
Half-Windsor knot, step by stepFive panels. One: the wide end hangs on your right, lower than for a four-in-hand. Two: cross it over and turn it back underneath. Three: bring it up and down through the neck loop on one side. Four: wrap it across the front. Five: up through the neck loop and down through the front band. A full Windsor adds the same pass through the loop on the other side.1Wide end longer2Over, then under3Through the loop4Across the front5Up and down through
Cross over, turn under, through the loop on one side, across the front, up and down through the band. Full Windsor: add a pass through the loop on the other side.

The bow tie, for black tie

Black tie means a tuxedo and a black bow tie, and a self-tied bow looks right because it is never perfectly symmetric. Adjust the tie to your collar size before you start, and practice a few times before the day. The bow tie page has every step; the drawing shows the shape of each move.

  1. Cross the longer end over the shorter end at your throat.
  2. Bring the longer end up behind and out through the neck loop, and let it hang down in front.
  3. Fold the shorter end into a bow shape, flat and horizontal, sitting at your collar.
  4. Drop the long end straight down over the center of that bow.
  5. Fold the long end back on itself into a bow shape of the same size.
  6. Push that fold through the loop behind the front bow, between the front bow and your collar.
  7. Tighten by pulling gently on the folded ends in turn, and straighten until both sides match.
Bow tie, step by stepFive panels. One: set the size and let one end hang about an inch and a half longer. Two: cross the long end over and bring it up behind the neck loop. Three: fold the short end into a bow shape at the collar. Four: drop the long end down over the middle of that bow. Five: fold the long end into a second bow and push it through the loop behind the front bow, then tighten.1One end longer2Over and up3Fold short end4Long end down5Fold through, tighten
Long end over and up, fold the short end into a bow, drop the long end over it, fold it and push it through behind the front bow.

Getting the length and the dimple right

Length is set before you start: the more the wide end hangs below the narrow one, the lower the tip lands. If the finished tie stops above your belt, untie it and let the wide end hang an inch or two lower next time. The dimple is the small fold just under the knot. Make it by pressing your index finger into the tie under the knot while you pull it tight, and pinching the sides around your finger.

A worked example: the morning of an interview

You are wearing a white shirt with a point collar and a medium-width tie. That calls for a four-in-hand. Button the collar, raise it, and drape the tie with the wide end about a foot below the narrow end. Tie the knot, slide it up so it closes the collar gap, fold the collar down and check the tip touches your buckle. If you have a button missing, the button page fixes that in fifteen minutes.

Common mistakes

Not sure which dress code you are dressing for? Black tie, cocktail and business casual are explained on their own page, and how a suit should fit covers the rest of the outfit.

Sources

Last checked September 28, 2026. Everything here is in our own words. Where a professional who can see your situation, or current official guidance, says something different, follow them.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the easiest way to tie a tie?

The four-in-hand. It has the fewest steps, works with almost every collar and tie, and makes a slightly narrow, slightly uneven knot that looks relaxed and correct.

How long should a tie be?

The tip should just touch the top of your belt buckle. If it lands high or low, untie it and start again with the wide end hanging a little lower or higher.

Which knot goes with which collar?

A four-in-hand suits point and button-down collars. A half-Windsor suits most collars. A full Windsor is wide and best with a spread collar and a thinner tie.

Is a pre-tied bow tie acceptable?

It is fine, but a self-tied bow looks slightly uneven in a way that reads as real. Practice a few times before the event; it takes about twenty minutes to learn.