AVOID These Tie Knots If You Want To Look Stylish!

Not all tie knots are created equal, so which ones do we think are better left undone? As always, we’re approaching today’s topic from the perspective of classic style, so don’t consider our condemnation of the tie knots on this list to be a condemnation of you and your personal style. In other words, if you’d like to wear them, more power to you. But if you’d like to dress in accordance with classic style, know that these knots won’t be your best choice.

We’ll be discussing both how to tie–or not tie–knots and how to pair them with elements of your outfit in addition to discussing some specific knots, so if you’d like to see me attempt the Lovecraftian horror of the Eldredge knot, stick around.

Necktie Knots You Should Avoid

1. Knots Not Suited to Collar

With all that said, then, we’ve assembled a list for today, and we’ll start with the first type of knot that you should avoid, which is a knot not suited to your collar.

Tie knots should be selected to properly suit your collar type and its dimensions, meaning that they shouldn’t be bulging underneath the leaves of your collar or minutely cowering between them. Ideally, then, they should be proportional to the amount of space between your collar points, commonly referred to as the tie space.

Popular and easy tie knots like the Four-in-Hand or slight variations of the Four-in-Hand, like the Kelvin knot, are good middle-ground knot choices that will harmonize with a wide array of collars. But if you are wearing a spread collar, then something like a Pratt or Shelby knot would be a better choice, and for the more extreme cutaway collar, you’re definitely going to want a larger knot, like the full Windsor.

On the other hand, if you’re wearing a narrow collar or something like a spearpoint collar, then either of these two knots are going to look large and disproportionate in this case.

In general, just remember that you don’t want your knot to be deforming the leaves of your collar or for the neckband portion of the knot to be openly visible. But for even more information on how to properly pair necktie knots with shirt collars, you can consult our full guide on that subject.

2. Knots Not Suited to Face Shape 

The next necktie knot to avoid is one that isn’t properly suited to your face shape. Knot size and density should reflect and complement your face shape and size. This means that if you select the right tie knots and shirt collars for your face, it will make your face look better. This may require you to experiment beyond just the basic medium-sized knots.

If you have a square face, for instance, then picking longer and narrower collars with smaller knots like the four in hand will be a good choice. Meanwhile, oblong faces will often benefit from a spread or cutaway collar with a Half Windsor or Full Windsor knot.

A good rule of thumb, then, is to aim for a knot and collar pairing that is generally opposite to your overall face shape to create balance. Obviously, your face is a complex feature with many different elements, so you’ll get the most benefit not just from listening to these tips but actually directly experimenting with different collars and knots.

Sometimes, doing things a bit differently and breaking the “rules” can still have a pleasing effect, so don’t be afraid to try out a variety of knots and collars to see what works best for you and your face.

3. Knots Unsuited to the Necktie

The next type of knot we dislike is a knot that’s not suited to your necktie. There’s nuance behind the material and dimensions of the fabric in a tie that makes some knot choices better than others. For example, if you have a chunky knit or thick grenadine tie, then a Full Windsor knot is probably going to create too much bulk at your collar; while something like a Four-in-Hand knot will create more balance; and conversely, a wide 1970s necktie of over five inches in width is going to look disproportionate if the small Oriental knot was used to tie it.

In simplest terms, your tie’s materials and construction should be counteracted by the knot you choose to tie for a balanced effect. Is your tie made from a heavy fabric or with a thick interlining? Then choose a smaller knot. Is your tie made from a lighter fabric with a thin interlining or no interlining at all? Then go for a larger knot. And make sure that the knot you tie is also harmonious with the tie’s overall width. 1960s skinny ties, for instance, tend to tie Full Windsor knots that look rectangular and just somewhat odd.

So, leveraging the natural qualities of your tie’s materials and construction is a great way to take your outfits to the next level.

4. Poorly Executed Knots

Sloppy, half-hearted knots give the overall impression that you’ve only put on your tie begrudgingly. We should note though that this is different from a well-knotted tie that’s just been loosened a little, which can—under the right circumstances—give off an air of nonchalance or “Rat Pack” cool with an unbuttoned top button. But, an outright sloppy necktie knot was definitely not Frank’s way.

An asymmetrical tie knot can work for you under the right circumstances, as plenty of tie knots are naturally asymmetrical. But, as with many things in classic style, you should thoroughly understand the so-called “rules” before you can be confident in breaking them.

In most cases, and certainly in business or other formal settings, tie your chosen knot firmly, keep your collar button buttoned, and make sure your knot sits snugly between your collar leaves with no gapping.

By the way, a sloppy appearance can also be caused by ties that are left knotted all the time. You can avoid this simply by untying your tie when you’re finished wearing it to tie a new knot the next time you’d like to wear it.

5. Obviously Affected Knots

There are more casual ways of tying your necktie that ironically contribute to more of a statement look that has become popular among those going for a sprezzatura method of dress. Think of things like slightly crooked or angled necktie knots or narrow back tie blades worn longer than the front blade and hanging free of the keeper loop.

If you choose to break these rules intentionally, that is acceptable and sometimes even encouraged. But, don’t adopt unusual styling conventions just because you’ve seen people like celebrities or fashion influencers do so. This can come off as affected and look like you’re trying too hard to be part of the “#menswear community.”

Instead, as with any other element of dressing, just do it because you like to and you think it looks good on you—not because you’re trying to fit in with anybody else.

6. Novelty Knots

Finally on our list today, we come to our sixth type of tie knot that we’re not the biggest fans of, which are novelty knots.

These knots are meant to supercharge your creative expression and really bring it to the forefront.

They peaked in popularity during the 2010s and were seen all over social media and even on TV. Some were even spawned by mass media with examples seen in The Matrix films or, more recently, the John Wick films.

For some men, these fun, unexpected knots were their entry into menswear, and getting more men into menswear is always a good thing in our book. So, for that reason, we can’t dismiss them entirely and, if your personal style does include knots like these, we’re not opposed to you wearing them if you like them. But, again, be aware that they’re not really compatible with classic style in most cases and are best suited for a costume party or an outfit that’s more whimsical than truly formal or dressed up.

With that said then, let’s get a little “knot-y” and run down some of these most popular novelty knots and the few edge cases where you might consider wearing them.

The Onassis Knot

We’ll start here with the granddaddy of novelty knots: the Onassis knot. This one actually predates the novelty knot craze, worn occasionally in the mid-20th century by business magnate Aristotle Onassis.

I’ve even seen people use safety pins with this knot so that the overall shape more closely mirrors that of a conventional necktie knot. But, this seems to somewhat defeat the purpose of the knot.

Still, if you happen to be jet setting on the Riviera, perhaps you could give this one a try.

The Trinity Knot

Next is the Trinity knot, which attempts to add visual interest to the conventional shape of a necktie knot, but the effect is very affected. The intricacies of the folds in this knot draw the viewer’s eye directly to the knot itself and not to your face. This, by the way, is a consequence of most novelty knots.

You could perhaps wear it at a St. Patrick’s Day party or a Celtic or Renaissance Festival; but otherwise, we’d avoid it.

The Eldredge Knot

As promised, we now come to the Eldredge knot. For many men, just figuring out how to tie this thing is an eldritch horror.

The appeal of a knot like the Four-in-Hand or Windsor is that they come across as effortlessly put together with only one panel of fabric holding the knot. Meanwhile, this knot almost goes out of its way to show how difficult to tie it is, meaning that it would be more at home in a sci-fi outfit than one for conventional menswear.

But, if you’ve got an HP Lovecraft-themed party to attend, then give this one a shot.

The Rose Bloom Knot

Finally here, if you thought a Full Windsor knot was too bulky, well just wait until you see the Rose Bloom knot.

It even puts the mighty Balthus knot to shame. While florals in menswear are underutilized, there are certainly better places that you can incorporate them into your outfits than in your tie knot. We’ve got an article directly on this subject, or, for the simplest solution, you could just opt to wear a boutonniere.

This knot, on the other hand, is quite messy and isn’t going to play nicely with most collars to begin with. You could maybe try this one if you’re riding on a float in the Rose Bowl Parade.

Conclusion

So, with neckwear—as with many other things—the tried and true conventions of classic style exist for a reason. Avoiding the mistakes we’ve outlined today will help keep you and your ties looking their best and prevent you from looking like one of the Merovingian’s lackeys. 

Still, we’d like to know, do you feel differently about any of the novelty knots we mentioned here or have times and places where you’d like to wear them? Let us know in the comments and we’ll do our best to tie up loose ends.

And as mentioned previously, you can find all of the Fort Belvedere accessories I’m wearing today—including my tie, pocket square, boutonniere, and socks, as well as a wide array of other classic men’s accessories, corduroy trousers, and fragrances from the Roberto Ugolini collection by visiting the Fort Belvedere shop.