The Matchmaker’s Guide to finding Mr. "Tie-the-Right-Knot" for your Collar

For every Romeo, there is a Juliet and for every Roger there is a Nadal; for every Sherlock, there is a Watson and for every Batman, there is a Robin. Similarly for every shirt collar, there is a right tie knot waiting to be embraced.

Dressing up is nothing less than an art and the right necktie knot can either make or break your appearance. When deciding upon which necktie knot to wear, one must consider four major elements: the shirt collar style, the fabric, and the length of the material, and the face type and build.

In this article, we are going to focus on four popular necktie knots and the right shirt collar to go with them.

Before we jump to the whys and the why-knots (did you see what we did here?), one must understand the basic rule of wearing a necktie: the inside border of the shirt collar should correspond to the outside border of the necktie. A necktie should not push its way out of the collar.

If your collar seems too tight or uncomfortable, you can always try wearing a COCHIC collar extender. Available in classic white or an assortment of colours, our collar extender buttons add comfort and style to any dress shirt. They're great on causal shirts too.

Anyone who said that fashion cannot be comfortable clearly haven't worn our collar extenders!

Now that you're feeling comfortable in your shirt, let's review the four types of knots for ties.

1. Four-in-hand knot

Four-in-hand knot or the ‘Simple Knot’ is one of the most common tie knots in practice. Certain knots do require some patience, but this style is a blessing for anyone who finds it challenging to tie a knot. The ease of tying and untying the four-in-hand knot makes it a popular choice.

Use a standard tie length of roughly 58" (147 cm) to tie this simple knot. Mostly worn for social outings and parties, it exudes carefree nature and sophistication at the same time.

The Four-in-hand knot is versatile and can be worn with almost all collar styles such as narrow-spread and buttoned-down collars. (A guide on different types of collars.)

Learn how to tie a Four-in-hand knot here.

2. Windsor Tie knot

The Windsor necktie knot is as formal as its name. It boasts perfect symmetry, firmness, and a wide triangular shape. You will usually find men wearing this style at weddings and business meetings.

Due to its larger knot style, the Windsor necktie knot is best suited for spread or cutaway collars. Please note that the tie length needs to be longer than the usual. As an unsaid rule, try to buy a tie length at least 4" to 6" (10-15 cm) longer than the standard size if you want that perfect Windsor knot.

Discover on how to tie a Windsor knot here.

3. Half-Windsor Tie Knot

The Half Windsor tie knot tends to appeal more to the Smart Casual crowd. Its shape is less firm than a Full Windsor but more triangular than the Four-in-hand knot. Just like a Windsor knot, it also requires a longer tie length to get that perfect knot. This is undoubtedly the most versatile of all the knots, yet it is often underutilized. The Half Windsor tie knot is best suited for light to medium fabrics.

Wear it with collars with intermediate wideness, club collars or pinned collars.

Learn how to tie a Half Windsor knot here.

4. Pratt Knot

Finally, the Pratt Knot is symmetrical and creates a perfect dimple for your necktie. Because of this, it is frequently considered as an alternative to the Half Windsor knot or a Double Four-in-hand knot. It works well on medium-spread collars, tab collars, club collars as well as button-down collars.

Discover on how to tie a Pratt Knot here.

In the end, it is all about creating harmony between your necktie and the shirt collar. With COCHIC´s patented silk ties, rest assured, you'll find your perfect match!