How to Tie a Windsor Knot for a Professional Look

A Windsor knot is a simple yet elegant tie knot that you can use to exude confidence in your appearance. This step-by-step guide and accompanying image should help you learn to tie this knot easily and quickly.

Set-up: You'll need one tie with both a wide and narrow end and a collared shirt. Snap your collar up and button your shirt all the way up to the top. Wrap your tie (seam facing your neck) so that the wide end hangs approximately 12 inches lower than the narrow end. The wide end should be on your right side for the purposes of this step-by-step guide, though you could just as easily put it on your left side once you know how to tie your Windsor knot.

Step One: Cross the wide end of the tie over the top of the narrow end. Draw the wide end up through the loop at your neck and let it fall back down. This is the easiest part!

Step Two: Bring the wide end of the tie around the left hand side of the narrow end, behind it, and end up on the right hand side again. If you're looking in the mirror, the wide side should be "inside out," or seams facing the mirror, at this point.

Step Three: Suck the wide end back through the loop again and come out on the left hand side. Wrap it across the front of the knot you're starting to create so that the end of the wide side is pointed right again.

Step Four: Back through the loop again goes the wide side, but don't cross it all the way across this time.

Step Five: Pull the wide end of the tie through the knot in the front. Tighten by holding the knot and tugging gently on the narrow end. Snap your collar back down again.