How to Match Your Tie Knot with your Shirt Collar Style

There is a system for choosing the best tie knot style; simply put you should look to coordinate your necktie knot with your shirt collar’s shape. Most men know how to tie a necktie one way; out of convenience, laziness, and blissful ignorance they match that one known knot with every shirt collar type they encounter.

Although not a crime, the mismatching of a tie knot with the collar style should be avoided for two reasons.

1. It fails to capture the natural harmony between the right tie knot’s lines and the shape of the shirt collar. As any designer can expand upon, there are natural lines and proportions that appear to us as in harmony when matched – violating these rules we trigger a subconscious feeling of something being askew. Not a feeling you want to evoke when the necktie knot is so close to your face.

2. Mismatching can cause the shirt collar or tie knot to look extremely large or small; this makes you look like a clown instead of a gentleman. Example - a tight four in hand knot tied using a thin & lightweight tie mixed with a wide spread collar will over extenuate the collar’s extreme points making them look like a 1970’s flashback. This is not the message a well dressed gentleman wants to send.

What tie knot is best for you?

There are four things you should weigh when deciding which necktie knot to tie: 1) the shirt collar type, 2) your body type 3) necktie design and 4) tie construction.

How the dress shirt collar type affects what tie knot you should choose - As a general rule you want to match the knot to the shirt collar type, meaning that different shirt collars have varying notch sizes and point angles that create a range tie knot gap sizes. A wide spread collar, whose points extend out an angle greater than 90 degrees, requires a larger and more triangular shaped necktie knot while a straight point collar, whose points extend out an angle less than 60 degrees, calls for a narrow and longer shaped tie knot. Men with a larger neck size should wear a tie knot that fits proportionally. On the other hand tall and skinny men are better off wearing a slightly smaller and longish shaped knot. Finally there is the necktie itself. Thicker Italian silk ties look better with a triangular shaped tie knot, such as the Double Windsor, while more traditional patterned ties, such as British striped ties, look best with a Four in Hand knot.

Specific Tie Knot and the Shirt Collar Style's they Match

The Four in Hand Knot
The Four in Hand knot is one of the oldest tie knots that originated in England towards the end of the 19th century. It is said that British horsemen invented this type of knot when they were tying their scarves with one hand while holding the reigns of four horses in the other – hence the name “Four in Hand”. The Four in Hand knot is one of the easiest tie knots to learn. The knot has a smaller, slightly longish shape that is perfect for narrow spread collars as well as for button down collar dress shirts. The classic look of this knot is perfect for British striped, and Regimental ties. Since the Four in Hand requires less of the tie’s length, it is also a great choice knot for tall men trying to tie a regular length tie to the right length – so that the tip of the tie ends near the center of the belt buckle.

The Half-Windsor
The half Windsor knot is the smaller version of the Windsor -sometimes also called double Windsor knot. The half Windsor has a more triangular shape than the Four in Hand knot. It is a perfect choice knot for medium-width spread collars and thick designer ties.. Because the half Windsor requires less of the tie’s length than the larger Windsor knot, it is also a great choice for big & tall men trying to wear a regular length tie. Of the four main knots, the half Windsor is the most versatile yet underutilized knot. You would do well to learn to tie this tie knot.

The Windsor Knot
The Windsor knot is sometimes also called “Full Windsor” or “Double Windsor”. It is the most searched necktie knot on the Internet today, and any regular tie wearer should know it. However, out of all the tie knots described it is the one that will require the most practice and for most men is the knot they should use only on occasion (unless you only own wide spread collars!). The Windsor knot has a larger triangular symmetric shape. It is the perfect knot for wide spread collars, for modern striped and foulard patterned ties, as well as for men with a large neck. Because the Windsor knot requires two wrappings, additional tie length is needed. Therefore, tall men and men with a larger neck size will need a longer length tie. Extra long ties that typically measure 61 – 64 inches in length are needed here.

The Necktie “Dimple”
Necktie aficionados go to great length to create the perfect necktie knot; the "cherry on top" of the perfect tie knot is the “dimple”. The dimple is a purposely created crease on top of the knot. It adds a more textured look to the tie and gives the necktie a perfect drape. The dimple is created in the final steps when tying a tie. To make a dimpled tie knot, carefully fold a crease at the center of the tie. Make sure that the crease goes all the way through, and even onto the back of the tie knot. Then, carefully tighten the tie knot while holding the crease in place. Creating a dimpled necktie knot takes a little bit of practice, but once mastered, adds the ultimate touch of sophistication to any men's suit & tie ensemble.

Men's Vests and Waistcoats - An Introduction on How to Wear

The modern men's vest, like many fashionable accents, began life as a functional piece of outerwear. Servants working outside added a narrow coat across the front of their torso for extra warmth, and the waistcoat quickly evolved into a staple of every well-dressed man's winter outfits. By the late nineteenth-century waistcoats were a popular accessory both with and without jackets, and they have remained reasonably unchanged in their role ever since.

The term "waistcoat" is generally a more specific one than "vest" -- it refers, literally enough, to a sleeveless garment that covers a man's waist, hiding the top of the trousers and the bottom of the shirt. In a vested or three-piece suit, the waistcoat is made from the same fabric and lining as the rest of the suit, creating a uniform stretch of cloth from the ankles to the chest. Worn separately, waistcoats and vests are flexible pieces of menswear that can fill roles in formal or casual wear alike.

The Formal Men's Waistcoat

A black-tie waistcoat is a very specific piece of clothing. They are never meant to be worn without the accompanying jacket. Many are "backless," with only a strap to fasten them. Formal waistcoats often feature lapels, which is uncommon on most other vests. They tend to be cut much lower in the front than the waistcoats that accompany three-piece suits, leaving more of the formal dress shirt visible.

While formal waistcoats are usually made from the same black fabric as the tuxedo jacket, there is room at most formal events for a tasteful vest in a separate color instead. The gaudy colors you sometimes see at rental outlets remain novelty items, but a rich burgundy red or deep green is appropriate enough to be worn in front of the Queen of England -- and has been.

The Vest in the Man's Three-Piece Suit

The three-piece suit was standard in the early 20th century, falling out of fashion in WWII when cloth rationing limited their availability. It remains a striking piece of menswear, similar to the double-breasted suit jacket in formality and elegance. The best-looking men's waistcoats will usually be tailored to get the close fit and appropriate relation to the jacket needed for a proper look. Suit waistcoats always cover the waist and should rise just above the lapels of the jacket, spreading wide enough to fit over the shoulders without laying under the shirt collar.

Like the formal waistcoat, men's suits can incorporate an unmatched (or "odd") vest. The look then becomes more dressed-down, almost playful -- suitable for a relaxed evening on the town rather than a serious business event. Patterns are also popular in odd waistcoats, providing a cheerful contrast to the jacket above them.

The Dress Waistcoat Alone

As a stand-alone item of clothing, a waistcoat similar to those worn with a three-piece suit is an appropriate piece of business-casual wear. It serves a similar function to a casual sportcoat, adding a touch of color and style to a dress shirt and trousers without attempting to imitate the formality of a matched suit. Here an "odd" or unmatched waistcoat is preferred, as matched trousers and a waistcoat tend to give the impression of a man who forgot his suit jacket. Rolling the sleeves of the dress shirt up can help to make it clear that the vest-and-trousers outfit is deliberately chosen, but reduces the formality.

Worn casually, a waistcoat offers more opportunity for outspoken style than when it is paired with a jacket. The pattern and color may take the center stage without fear of clashing. Since men rarely wear waistcoats in modern America, the look is already an eye-catching one -- adding an active pattern will hardly make it look less striking or more out-of-place. Traditional stripes or checks are perfectly acceptable, as are more flamboyant creations with elaborate figure patterns or diamond panes. A vest on its own may have lapels or not; the former is more old-fashioned.

Even worn casually vests tend to look out-of-place without accompanying neckwear. Bow ties make particularly elegant accompaniments for the man with confidence, as do old-fashioned "straight" ties with no change in width from top to bottom and a flat tip (which will of course be hidden below the vest). For the true dandy there are many styles of cravat to experiment with, but it will be impossible to avoid looking affectedly old-fashioned in one. This may well be the desired effect for a vest-wearer, but be aware that it does border on costuming rather than fashion, and exercise some restraint.

Undress Vests

The button-fronted waistcoat is hardly the only vest available in menswear. Sleeveless jackets appear as everything from pajama tops to outerwear. Barbour of London even makes a waterproof vest version of its iconic jacket, though one has to wonder at the usefulness.

The undress vest is generally seen as a stylish flourish on whatever parent garment spawned it -- and, from a more practical standpoint, is one that can be worn in somewhat warmer weather. A sweater-vest can be worn to basically the same functions that a sweater can, but appears as a more conscious choice on the wearer's part simply by being the less common option. The same applies to fleece activewear, and so on -- these are all undress garments, made for casual day-to-day wear with friends and family. A vested style is a minor stylistic flourish and a comfortable choice for warmer weather.

Like sweaters, sweater-vests can be very casual or more dressed-up depending on the style and how they are worn. A single color or very muted pattern will always be more formal, and wearing it with a dress shirt and necktie will of course be dressier as well.

Vests in the Man's Wardrobe

Vests and waistcoats are elegant garments that add more to an outfit than most accesories. They can add formality to suits, style to unmatched outfits, comfort to casual wear, or warmth to business dress in cool weather. A three-piece suit is an excellent starting place for a man with no other vested outfits, as the vest can be worn separately with other garments - the only caution here is that any piece of a suit will, if worn too frequently, wear and become lighter in color than the other pieces. Rotate the wardrobe to keep everything matching properly.

After a first waistcoat, the decision of how often to wear vested garments is really every man's choice. Any style worn without variation gets boring, so don't be "the vest guy" -- but have at least a few standing by for days when a little extra flair is called for. The versatility and unusual style of waistcoats and vests is too good for a well-dressed man to pass on entirely.