Step Up Your Suit Game: 10 Great Tie Knots You Need to Try

Out of the 177,147 ways to tie a tie, only a handful will assert themselves in the bold, pristine way any tie should.

Some have that perfect shape, some are flashy and daunting, while some are wild and flirtatious. The best tie knots should be appropriate, fashionable, and confident.

Picking the knot that knocks their socks off can be a hassle. You may even decide to generate a random tie and go for it.

Don’t roll the dice. We’ve got it figured out for you. In this article, we’re going to discuss ten fancy tie knots for every occasion.

Pratt Knot:

The Pratt Knot is a clean knot bound by a firm top. This one uses less length, meaning it’s good for short ties and tall folks.

CBS Anchorman Don Shelby popularized this style in the late 80s, although he didn’t invent it.

We give thanks to former US Chamber of Commerce employee Jerry Pratt for fixing Shelby a better look.

Since then, the knot’s been a big hit in casual business or social events. The best part is how easy it is to dimple.

How to Tie the Pratt Knot:

1. With the seams facing outward, drape the tie around your collar with the thick end hanging an inch lower on your left.
2. Cross over the thick end underneath.
3. Put the thick end through the loop.
4. Pull it all the way down and turn the tip around so it points to the left, with the front side facing outward.
5. Form a loop by going under the tie from the left, tucking a finger into the loop you’ve just made.
6. Pull the thick end through the loop from underneath.
7. Point that end downwards and pull it through the band. You’re done!

Trinity Knot:

Kicking it up a notch, the trinity knot tie is one of the most elegant and beautiful of all. The triquetra (medieval Latin for “three-cornered”) is an important Celtic image, with origins dating back to five millennia ago.

You may have seen the triquetra on Charmed, but its history runs much deeper than that.

Whatever meaning you ascribe to it, the simplicity and size of the trinity knot are perfect for any occasion. Not too showy and certainly not too dull, every tie lover should learn this knot.

The best way to sport this one is with a dark red tie made of a fine material which is always something you can learn more about.

How to Tie the Trinity Knot:

1. With the seams facing inward, drape the tie around your collar with the thick end on the left.
2. Cross the small end over to the right.
3. Pull it up under the loop.
4. Pulling down to the left, go rightward around the back of the wide end.
5. Go up to the middle, through the loop one more, and down to the left.
6. Cross the wide end to the right, and up into the neck loop.
7. Go back down through the loop you made.
8. Keeping that loop loose, bring the small end rightward around the back of the wide end.
9. Cross the front towards the middle, then through the loop you made in step 8.
10. Pull tight and tuck the small end behind the neck loop on the left side. You’re done!

Full Windsor Knot:

Feeling royal? King Edward VIII sported this knot, and if you’ve got a wide tie, you should too.

This tie knot is known for being the official attire of the Royal Air Force. It’s comfortable, honorable, and perfectly symmetrical.

Be sure to wear this one in a midnight black. It’s a simple debonair’s trick.

How to Tie the Full Windsor:

1. Drape the tie around your collar with the wide end on the right and the small end on the left, resting near your navel area.
2. Cross the wide end over the small end to the left.
3. Pull it up into the neck loop from the bottom.
4. Pulling down to the left, move it around the back of the small end to the right.
5. Go up towards the middle, and down through the neck loop to the right.
6. Cross the front leftward.
7. From underneath, pull it up into the neck loop.
8. Pull it down through the new loop.
9. Tighten and adjust. You’re done!

Half Windsor Knot:

The Half Windsor is a mid-sized triangular knot. Instead of tying both sides like in the Full Windsor, the wearer only loops one.

This is your ideal casual knot. Not too fancy, extremely quick, and good-looking in an informal setting, this could be your daily tie.

How to Tie the Half Windsor Knot:

1. Drape the tie around your collar with the wide end on the right, a foot lower than the small end.
2. Cross the wide end over the narrow, and pull it behind to the right.
3. Go up towards the center and through the neck loop leftward.
4. Cross the front to the right.
5. Go into the neck loop from underneath.
6. Go down through the new loop.
7. Tighten and adjust. You’re done!

Merovingian Knot:

So you’ve chosen the red pill, and you want to look clean like the Merovingian from The Matrix Reloaded?

When the film came out in 2003, everyone was twitching to find out how to tie the knot. We assumed such a sophisticated look would be an expert’s tie.

As it unfolds, this knot, also know as the Ediety, is actually a basic variation on the Full Windsor. Who’d have thought?!

How to Tie the Merovingian Knot:

1. Drape the tie around your collar with the wide end on the right and the small end further up.
2. Cross the wide end over the small end to the left.
3. Pass it through the neck loop and bring it to the right.
4. Bring it under the neck loop from underneath.
5. Bring it over and to the right, passing it behind the narrow end.
6. Take it again through the neck loop.
7. Now, take the narrow end up and pass it through the center, with the back exposed.
8. Pull it down, tighten, and adjust. You’re done!

Linwood Taurus Knot:

Are you a Taurus? Or do you run red with rage? This knot will showcase your fierce, severe character.

Invented by fashion genius Linwood Darkis, this tie literally looks like a bull. Some others say it looks like a trophy, a Greek phi symbol, or other.

No matter what it is, it’s deadly.

This is one of the hardest tie knots out there. If you’re feeling dangerous, give this one a go. You’ll be needing a long tie and a wide-collared shirt.

How to Tie the Linwood Taurus Knot:

1. Drape the tie around your collar with the wide end on your right side.
2. Cross the wide end over, bringing it up through the loop.
3. Take it underneath and bring it back down.
4. Feed the wide end through the two loops you made on your collar.
5. Grab the vertical piece in the center between the two main loops and pull it out a bit.
6. Pull the wide end around the neck loop from underneath and down through the piece you just pulled out.
7. Tighten, pull out the horns, and adjust. You’re done!

Onassis Knot:

This honorable knot was made famous by one of the world’s richest men, Aristotle Onassis. A shipping tycoon magnate and the husband of JFK’s widow, Onassis sported a clean variation on the Four in Hand.

If you’re feeling Greek and bourgeois, this knot is a stylish, symmetrical look. It’s also a great woman’s tie!

How to Tie the Onassis Knot:

1. Drape the tie around your collar with the wide end hanging lower.
2. Pass the wide end over and up through the loop.
3. Bring it to the right from the back and pass it to the left from the front, holding the tip.
4. Pass it back through the neck loop, being sure not to tighten.
5. Bring it back down through the lower wrap.
6. Take it around to the back and pass it through the neck loop.
7. Pull, tighten, and adjust. You’re done!

Four in Hand Knot:

The Four in a Hand is probably the most common tie knot, slender and simple. It’s not a seasonal or occasion-specific knot; it’s always in fashion.

If you’re in the Navy, you have two options for a tie: the Full Windsor, or this. And it’s most likely this.

Wear this one with any kind of fabric, pattern, or colors.

How to Tie the Four in Hand Knot:

1. Drape the necktie around your collar with the wide end on the right and the small end near your belly button.
2. Bring the wide end over the small end to the left.
3. Pull it under the small end to the right.
4. Cross the front leftward, and pull it up through the neck loop from underneath.
5. Pull it down through the loop you’ve made.
6. Tighten and adjust. You’re done!

Nicky Knot:

Closely related to the Pratt, the Nicky is a skinny tie with a high metabolism. It’s thin, but it eats plenty of fabric, so you’ll need a long tie.

Mid-sized and frugal, this one’s an underdog that’ll have ’em in awe. Made famous by Thomas Fink’s The Man’s Book, the Nicky Knot is great for wool ties in particular, but it works for all kinds.

The beauty of this one is that you’ll never look like a circus performer with an overdone knot below your neck.

How to Tie the Nicky Knot:

1. With the seams facing outward, drape the necktie around your collar with the wide end on your right.
2. Cross the narrow end over.
3. Bring the wide end over through the loop.
4. Pull it down to the right.
5. Bring the wide end over the knot from the right.
6. Bring it under the narrow end through the center loop.
7. Pull down through the loop you just made in the front.
8. Tighten and adjust. You’re done!

Rose Knot:

You’ve got a date tonight, and you really like this person. Thinking they might be the one? Dress to impress with this romantic knot.

The Rosebud Knot is hit-or-miss; either they’ll see your classy knot and swoon, or they’ll think you’re a pushover. Context is key.

Regardless, this knot will turn all eyes on you! Like the Linwood Taurus or the Trinity, this one takes practice.

You’ll want to wear this one with a crimson red or light pink tie.

How to Tie the Rose Knot:

1. Drape the necktie around your collar with the wide end on your right, slightly above your navel.
2. Pinch the wide end and bring it under the narrow end.
3. Pull it through the neck loop twice, down and to the left.
4. Wrap the narrow end around the knot and your finger.
5. Feed the narrow end down through the hole you’ve just made and pull.
6. Pinch the narrow end and feed it through the neck hole.
7. Wrap the narrow end around the front.
8. Twice again, feed it back through the neck hole again rightward.
9. Wrap the narrow end around the tie until you’ve used all of the necktie.
10. Tighten, pull out the petals, and adjust. You’re done!

Essential to All Tie Knots: the Dimple:

Once you’ve got the ideal knot, the finishing touch should almost always be the dimple. It’s that hint of sophistication and perfection that can make all the difference.

The Rose Knot, for example, should include the dimple by default. You squeeze the wide end, so it appears with a fine crease when it’s all said and done.

It’s simple to dimple. Grab the fabric directly below the knot and pinch it so the edges touch, pulling the fabric through the knot with your other hand.

Adjust. You’re left with a firm, slicing crease.

Tying It Up:

In this article, we’ve only given the best-looking tie knots. There are plenty of other underdogs (literally over a hundred thousand!), but most of them are less than amazing.

If you can boast any knot with confidence, you’re sure to turn some heads. But sometimes you need to be pointed in the right direction to get that prestigious look.

Don’t look any further. Orient yourself for free with our fashion guides.