How to Tie a Windsor, Half Windsor and Shell Knot

What Does Your Tie Say About You?

Many guys don’t even give their tie a second thought beyond getting it on and making sure it doesn’t have any stains on it. Every tie, after all, has dozens of different ways that it can be tied, unless you’re talking about one of those fake, clip-on ties. Different ties even come in different sizes, can be made to different lengths, and can often make or break your first impression.

If you’re in the business world on a daily basis and wear a tie regularly, here is everything you need to know about ties, but maybe were afraid to ask:

The width of the tie matters. Skinny ties are made for skinny guys. If you’re a broad shouldered fellow, you should be looking for ties that are a bit wider so that it doesn’t leave a visual ambiguity. If you’re fairly thin and skinny, then thin ties and jackets with thin lapels will leave the best first impression. If you’re wider across the chest, you’ll want to find wider ties ad wider lapels. Remember – wider doesn’t equate to “fatter.” It just means you have a different build!

The length of the tie matters. Have you ever noticed guys who wear their ties beyond their crotch? Sometimes you’ll see a guy that has a tie that doesn’t even reach his belly button too, right? When you see guys in that unfortunate situation, you know it doesn’t look right. The tip of your tie should reach your belt line, but not go any further than that. It again comes back to the visual aesthetics – the tie is complimenting your look. If it reaches further than the belt or doesn’t even reach it, then there is no compliment and no good first impression.

Don’t forget about the tie bar. Some guys don’t do anything to clip their tie to their shirt and it just flutters in the wind. Other guys will tuck the small part of the tie through the label and then hope that the tie doesn’t move around much behind the jacket. That’s still better than the guys who ruin their ties by putting pins through them to keep them in place. A silver tie bar that isn’t too gaudy will not only solve all the problems of the above situations, but with a little effort, you can add a classy touch to your first impression. Untuck the wide part of the tie from the bar just a little so that you add a bit of a bow or ribbon to the upper part of the tie. This adds depth to your look, will draw attention to yourself, and leave a stunning first impression.

When it comes to wearing a tie, not getting any lunch on it is just the basic first step. By following these examples, you’ll create the first impression that you want with very little effort every morning.