Step Up Your Tie Game

Cafe Knot 

Up first is the Cafe Knot. This knot adds a subtle flair to your tie, and is for more experienced tie wearers as it’s a complicated knot. Cafe knots are perfect for social events or casual looks, and can be a fun conversation starter. You’ll want to use this knot with a medium spread collar (point or button down) as it is a medium sized knot. 

Step 1: Lay the tie around your collar with the front side exposed. You’ll want the thicker side of the tie over your right shoulder and shorter than the skinny side. The point of the thicker side of the tie should be near the length you want it to be when you finish (abdomen, lower chest, etc.). This length will vary based on your height and the overall length of the tie. 

Step 2: Form an X with the tie by crossing the skinnier side OVER the wider side. Then, bring the skinny side UNDER and through the top opening. 

Step 3:  The thick side of the tie should be hanging in front of your chest, and the skinny side of the tie will be on the left. The top of each side is still exposed at this point. 

Step 4: The tip of the skinny side should be on your left at this point. Take the skinny side of the tie across the front of the knot (right to left). Then, bring it behind the knot and pass it under and through the neck opening again. 

Step 5: Take the skinny side and pull it under + through the neck opening again. This will leave the skinny side over the front of the knot and wide side of your tie, pointing down. 

Step 6: Fold the skinnier side behind the knot (passes from left to right). At this point, you will have the first diagonal section on the left side of the knot. 

Step 7: Bring the skinny side in front of the knot with the tip pointing up and toward your left shoulder in order to create the second diagonal section. It should mirror the other side. Then, insert the skinny side through the loop - behind the knot, coming out on the left side. 

Step 8: Arrange the center of your knot by firmly pulling the skinny side of your tie. Each side should have the same angle and meet under your chin, so adjust as needed. 

Step 9: Flip the wide side over your shoulder (or just up and out of the way) so you have access to the underside of the knot. You should see a horizontal loop across the back of the knot.  

Step 10: Fold the end of the skinny side of the tie upward and slide it through the horizontal loop on the back of the knot. Make sure to pull it all the way through the loop. Once you finish this step, the skinny side should be shorter than the wide side of your tie. 

Step 11: Bring both sides of your tie back down onto your shirt. The skinny side of your tie should be hidden behind the wider side, and you should see a triangular shaped knot. Tighten and adjust as necessary. You want the knot to be centered and snug against your neck. 

Step 12: Once it’s adjusted, slide the skinny side of your tie into the loop (possibly a tag) on the back of the wider side of your tie. If the skinny side is too short for this, use an accessory, such as a tie bar, to hold the ends together. 

Eldredge  Knot 

Step 1: Lay the tie around your neck with the skinny side on the right, wide side on the left, and the point of the wide side resting near the top of your belt buckle (or pant line if you’re not wearing a belt). The top side of the tie should be exposed. 

Step 2: Move the skinny side over the wide end and then under the wide side (from left to right). 

Step 3: Pull the skinny side upward toward the center and through the neck opening (to the left). 

Step 4: Bring the skinny tie in front of the knot and up through the neck opening from below (to the right). Then pull down and around the back of the wider side (left to right). Make sure to keep this part loose. 

Step 5: Take the skinny side, and pull it across the front of your knot (to the left) and slide it through the loop created in Step 4. Pull to tighten.

Step 6: This step may sound a bit confusing, so don’t worry if you have questions! 

Step 7: Do the same thing except pull to the right. So take the skinny side of the tie, pull it up toward the neck opening and then down through it and to the right. Keep the loop that forms loose. 

Step 8: Move the skinny side across the front of the knot and pull through the loop created (and kept loose) in Step 7. 

Step 9: Pull towards the left and tuck the rest behind the neck opening. 

Step 10: Tighten and adjust as needed. 

Trinity Knot 

Our last knot made the list because I think it looks cool (#sorrynotsorry). Its circular and asymmetrical shape is definitely different than every other knot and fun to look at. 

Step 1: Lay the tie around your neck with the skinny side on the right, wide side on the left, and the point of the wide side resting near the top of your belt buckle (or pant line if you’re not wearing a belt). The top side of the tie should be exposed. 

Step 2: Get the skinny side and pull over the wide end and then up through the bottom side of the neck opening. Pull down and to the left. 

Step 3: Move the skinny side behind the wide side and to the right. Then bring it up towards the neck opening. Pull through and down to the left. 

Step 4: Bring the skinny side back across the wider side of the tie (left to right) and up through the neck opening from underneath. Keep it loose so you can pull the skinny side through it from top to bottom. Don’t pull too tight. 

Step 5: Take the skinny side behind the wider side of the tie (to the right) and then through the loop created at the end of Step 4. 

Step 6: Pull to tighten and adjust the knot as needed. You’ll tuck the remaining part of the skinny side of the tie behind the neck opening on the left side.