Tie Knots Changing/Evolving Over Time

[david_ord]

Tie knots change over time. It is an unspoken, unwritten rule; yet one that seems followed to the letter by those who pay attention to style. In the Mid-70’s to early 80’s, it was the large/huge, tight double Windsor. In the Late 80’s to about mid-90’s, cool was the very small, tight single Windsor knot that flared to a large, colorful tie—think Pat Riley of the LA Lakers back in the late 80s to early 90’s. In the late 90’s to about 2006, it was the tight normal sized single Windsor tied very tight (found one with a dimple-- 2nd pic-- although most seemed to be a ridge in the middle). From about 2007 to now, the cool thing is a very large, loose double Windsor reminiscent of the 70’s. Hip ESPN commentators and athletes wear these very well. To what extent to Members here notice and follow these trends?

[jcm212]

Everything you need to know...

http://www.amazon.com/Dressing-Man-M.../dp/0060191449

[Tri-Tip]

I'm just happy when the wide end is longer than the narrow end.

[jatco]

..No longer in touch with the 'trend' but rather what suits me, my wardrobe and the shirt I'll be wearing for the evening..whether it be a button down collar w/medium spread or medium spread w/no buttons or a small flare with 'stays.' - it all depends on whatever compliments my overall attire for the evening/event.
Some of my ties are heavier in material, while others are not, so I usually do my knot, in the traditional manner, ie the Windsor, the Half-Windsor...and sometimes the Prince Albert...All depends on the tie...!!

[GradyPhilpott]

The effect here is not so much the knot as the width of the ties.

Those wide ties are really way to wide to use a full Windsor knot and they should have been tied with a half Windsor or more probably a four-in-hand.

Everyone who thinks enormous watches are here forever should take a look at these ties.

[jatco]

...Agreed. Bigger is not always better. A wide tie requires a smaller knot.. but again, depends on the material.. A wide silk tie will tie a slimmier knot than say a polyester tie or a satin tie, so the material makes the difference...!

[77T]

In the day - when I cared about knots - I always bought ties for "tall" guys so I had enough length in the narrow section to do the double windsor and still come out looking OK.

Now the 4-in-hand is the easy thing to do

[MoBe]

A silk tie with a double Windsor works for me.

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by jatco

...Agreed. Bigger is not always better. A wide tie requires a smaller knot.. but again, depends on the material.. A wide silk tie will tie a slimmier knot than say a polyester tie or a satin tie, so the material makes the difference...!

Very true and the reason to always wear silk ties.

There's nothing better.

[Dan Pierce]

I've tied the same knot since I was a kid. Don't even know what it's called.
dP

[Andad]

Well David, I have never claimed to be a rocket scientist but as Jatco has said can you show me how to tie a small Windsor knot with a wide tie or a big Windsor knot with a narrow one.
Seems to me that ties went through major changes in width over the years and the knot sizes move with them.

[BarkMaster]

I am using the double-windsor. The thickness of the material makes a big difference in the knot as well. I still dimple the tie out of habit..

[GradyPhilpott]

http://www.brooksbrothers.com/tieknots/tieknots.tem

[david_ord]

Originally Posted by directioneng

Well David, I have never claimed to be a rocket scientist but as Jatco has said can you show me how to tie a small Windsor knot with a wide tie or a big Windsor knot with a narrow one.
Seems to me that ties went through major changes in width over the years and the knot sizes move with them.

You're right, the major determinant is the width of the tie and the thickness of the underlayment material-- at the midsection of the tie. The width of the bottom of the tie doesn't change as much.

The huge double Windsors worn by those ESPN commentators are custom-tailored to be extra wide and extra thick. There's no way you can construct a knot as big as Chris Webber's using a $25 standard sized tie from Nordstrom.

[MP5]

Espn isnt the place I turn to for tie style. nttiawwt

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by david_ord

YThere's no way you can construct a knot as big as Chris Webber's using a $25 standard sized tie from Nordstrom.

[Ed Rooney]

Rather than evolving by themselves, tie knots tend to follow both the width of the tie and the style of collar. Currently, spread and cutaway collars are in style, so you should match it with a larger knot like a full windsor. Regular collars look good with a half-windsor, and button down or tab collars work well with a four-in-hand. Wearing a skinny four-in-hand with a cutaway is about as bad as wearing a belt and suspenders at the same time.

The Brooks Brothers link above nails it.

The ESPN guys above don't need to worry about their tie reaching their belt, so they tie the know with the thickest part to get the size, but it barely reaches their navel. Merrill Hoge should be fired for excessive Pittsburgh ballwashing.

[azguy]

My grandfather loved Ronald Reagan and said he loved the way he knotted his ties

[EchoBlueUK]

Classic sized windsors and half windsors never go out of style. Most silly big knots and slim tight knots can and are found on footballers these days.

[figbo]

Originally Posted by MoBe

A silk tie with a double Windsor works for me.

That is what works for me.

[Oyster1982]

Depends on the shirt collar and suit lapels, in the 70's suit lapels were the size of an individuals head and so the tie knot had to be wide. Thank god today suit jacket lapels are narrower than that of the 90's.

[capote]

Nothing is worse looking than the oversized tie knots sport commentators loves to wear where I'm from.

[rr-nyc]

I do notice tie knots on everyone I come into contact wearing a tie.

My knots vary based on the collar I'm wearing, as they should.

[z32turbo]

Originally Posted by Tri-Tip

I'm just happy when the wide end is longer than the narrow end.

Amen!!!

[rodrob59]

Always have been, always will be a four-in-hand man. And spend the extra time to get the dimple right.

[Paladin]

Originally Posted by MP5

Espn isnt the place I turn to for tie style. nttiawwt

+1.

The style collar of your dress shirt should dictate the appropriate tie knot...

[tranny]

That full windsor in pic #3 is ridiculous, even #4 is pushing it. I go for something between #2 and #4 in size.

[SPARTAN2161]

Originally Posted by BarkMaster

I am using the double-windsor. The thickness of the material makes a big difference in the knot as well. I still dimple the tie out of habit..

X2 the dimple is a classic too. That;s how i learned as a bo and continue to practice it.

[Xenophon]

I still use the same single knot that I did at school. If I try to do a double windsor the tie length is never right as I'm 6'3'