Knots & Folds

Slightly asymmetric, small, and quick. The knot most men should wear most days.

1. Drape the tie with the wide end on your right, hanging about a hand’s width below the narrow end.
2. Cross the wide end over the narrow end, then bring it round behind.
3. Bring it across the front once more.
4. Pull it up through the neck loop from behind.
5. Pass it down through the knot at the front, then slide the knot up to your collar.

Best withMost ties; knitted and wool ties

Symmetrical and medium-bodied. Balanced under a spread collar without shouting.

1. Start with the wide end on your right, hanging well below the narrow end.
2. Cross the wide end over the narrow end and wrap it round behind.
3. Bring it up through the neck loop and down on the same side.
4. Pass it across the front.
5. Bring it up through the neck loop from behind, then down through the knot at the front; tighten.

Best withWoven silk ties, spread collars

Wide and deliberately triangular. Reserve it for a cutaway collar and a serious room.

1. Cross the wide end over the narrow end.
2. Bring it up through the neck loop from underneath, then back down.
3. Pass it behind the narrow end to the other side, then up through the neck loop and down again on that side.
4. Bring it across the front.
5. Pass it up through the neck loop and down through the knot at the front; tighten evenly.

Best withLighter silks, cutaway collars

Neat, narrow, and reversed at the start. The knot for a slim blade and a soft collar.

1. Start with the seam side facing out, wide end on your right, hanging just below the narrow end.
2. Cross the wide end under the narrow end.
3. Bring it up and down through the neck loop, then pull it snug.
4. Pass it across the front.
5. Bring it up through the neck loop from behind and down through the knot at the front.

Best withSlim and knitted ties

A flat rectangle, a quarter inch showing. Correct with a suit, always. Never wrong, never noticed.

Fold the square into a neat rectangle a little narrower than the pocket and tuck it in so a straight quarter inch shows.

A single peak, slightly off-centre. Business with a little intent behind it.

Fold it corner to corner into a triangle, fold the two sides in to the width of the pocket, and tuck it in point up.

Gathered and pushed in loosely. For linen, for summer, for anything unbuttoned.

Pinch the centre, lift so the corners hang down, gather it loosely and tuck the corners into the pocket, rounded side up.

Two peaks side by side. A little more flourish for weddings and evenings.

Fold it into a triangle with the two top points slightly apart, fold the sides in, and tuck it in with both points showing.