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A tie is a small decision with a large effect. Learn the four knots worth knowing — and find the one that becomes yours.
Where it begins
Four knots. One quiet language.
There are dozens of ways to tie a necktie, but only a handful are worth committing to memory. Each one shapes the silk differently — a touch wider here, a little more relaxed there — and the right choice depends on your collar, the occasion, and the kind of impression you want to leave.
Our silk is woven in China, home to one of the oldest silk traditions in the world, and finished with a hand-rolled edge that gives the knot its quiet body and lasting shape. Below, we walk through the four knots we return to most.
“The knot is where intention meets silk.”
SILKAVO
[ FOUR-IN-HAND KNOT — see prompt #2 ]
01
The Four-in-Hand
Also known as · Régate / the Sailor's Knot
Difficulty
Easy
The everyday classic. Slightly asymmetric and beautifully understated, it adapts to almost any tie and collar — and reads especially well on button-down and point collars. Its slim, slightly elongated shape flatters most face shapes and is the knot many well-dressed men wear nearly every day.
Collar: Point, button-downOccasion: Everyday, businessShape: Slim, tapered
Drape the tie with the wide end (A) on your right, hanging about 30 cm below the narrow end (B).
Cross the wide end (A) over the narrow end (B).
Wrap (A) fully behind (B) and bring it back across the front.
Pass (A) up through the neck loop from underneath.
Bring (A) down through the front loop you just created, and tighten gently toward the collar.
[ HALF-WINDSOR KNOT — see prompt #3 ]
02
The Half-Windsor
Also known as · Single Windsor
Difficulty
Moderate
A neat, symmetrical triangle that sits comfortably between the slim Four-in-Hand and the broad Windsor. Versatile and polished, it suits medium-spread and point collars and is at home in both business and evening settings. A dependable choice when you want a little more presence without going bold.
Collar: Medium spread, pointOccasion: Business, eveningShape: Balanced triangle
Drape the tie with the wide end (A) on your right, well below the narrow end (B).
Cross (A) over (B), then bring (A) up and behind, passing it under the neck loop.
Bring (A) down and around the front of the knot from right to left.
Pass (A) up through the neck loop again.
Slide (A) down through the front loop, then draw the knot up snug to the collar.
[ WINDSOR KNOT — see prompt #4 ]
03
The Windsor
Also known as · Full Windsor / Double Windsor
Difficulty
Advanced
Wide, symmetrical, and quietly commanding. The Windsor was popularised by the Duke of Windsor in the 1930s and remains the knot for formal moments — weddings, ceremonies, and occasions that ask for a little gravity. Its broad triangle is built for spread and cutaway collars, where smaller knots would look lost.
Drape the tie with the wide end (A) hanging well below the narrow end (B).
Cross (A) over (B), then bring (A) up through the neck loop and down on the right.
Wrap (A) behind to the left, then up through the neck loop again, draping down on the left.
Bring (A) across the front from left to right.
Pass (A) up through the neck loop a final time, then down through the front loop. Tighten evenly for a balanced triangle.
[ PRATT KNOT — see prompt #5 ]
04
The Pratt
Also known as · Pratt-Shelby
Difficulty
Moderate
A refined middle ground — medium-sized, tidy, and symmetrical, without the volume of a full Windsor. The Pratt begins inside-out, which keeps the seam hidden and the finish clean. A favourite of those who want a polished, proportionate knot that works with most collars and most days.
Collar: Most, esp. spreadOccasion: Versatile, day to eveningShape: Medium, symmetrical
Start with the tie inside-out, wide end (A) on your right, crossed under the narrow end (B).
Bring (A) up and pass it down through the neck loop.
Bring (A) across the front from left to right.
Pass (A) up through the neck loop from underneath.
Slide (A) down through the front loop and tighten gently to the collar.
Watch & Learn
The knot, in motion
Sometimes a single, unhurried demonstration says more than any diagram. Watch each knot tied slowly, in natural light, on SILKAVO silk.
[ TUTORIAL VIDEO — see video brief below ]
Find Your Knot
Which knot is yours?
Answer two quick questions and we'll suggest the knot that suits your collar and the moment.
What's your collar?
And the occasion?
Your knot
The Four-in-Hand
A slim, understated classic that flatters most collars and faces — the knot to wear when you'd rather not think about it.
