'Wears' your tie?

[Chase]

Kinda skewed poll don't ya think??? "Top of the buckle, only please" is a bit leading...If you wanted an accurate poll, perhaps you could have just listed the options?

[Jack Daw]

I switch knots when I can't get the tie length to fit the kilt. For example, I will use a four-in-hand knot if the tie is short, and a Windsor if it is too long to deal with by moving the knot. I prefer the Windsor and half-Windsor knots, but they don't always work too well with thick ties.

Bow ties are a different cup of tea.

In the 1970's it was the windsor with those fat ties. In the '80s, I was so sick of the fat tie and knot that I converted to the four-in-hand. With the narrow ties of those days, you'd get a very tiny knot. For work, I tie now with a half-windsor; but, when I tie a tie for the kilt, it's back to the four-in-hand b/c with the other two the knot is just too big for my taste.

[Colin]

I'm going with option 5- see how it fits and where it looks best with each outfit. If I have a waistcoat on it doesn't matter where it ends.

[Carolina Kiltman]

One of the advantages of the 4-in-hand, is that it can be used to shorten or lengthen the tie (a bit) by the number of turns used in tying it. I have to confess to getting the large end to the right length then tucking the small end into my shirt (if it were too long). I generally use a small tie-tack rather than the bar type of clip though.

[EagleJCS]

Gentlemen, the knots in your ties are intended for the different styles of shirt collar, not for lengthening or shortening your tie. The four-in-hand is a round knot designed to fill the narrow space in a straight (standard) collar shirt. The Half-Windsor is a triangular knot intended for the button-down collar. The full Windsor is a squarish knot designed to fill the space in the spread collar. Each of these knots successively takes up more tie, thus the four-in-hand takes up the least amount of material, and the full Windsor will take up the most material.

One trick to tying to the desired length is to find the seam in the tie and form the first cross-over close to that. When tying the four-in-hand, the seam shold be close to the cross-over on the narrower portion of the tie (the part that remains in the back). When tying the full Windsor, the seam will most likely be found closer to the front side, as more tie will be needed to complete the knot correctly.

It takes a little experimentation and practice to find out where to tie each knot with a particular tie. It can differ from tie to tie, as manufacturers will stitch in different places. Leaving a tie knotted will cause the material to break down faster (especially silk), resulting in a poor-looking knot.

From what I've read in various sources, the current preference for length is at the top or the middle of the belt buckle (or where the belt buckle would normally be found, if one is wearing braces/suspenders). I suggest that standard would hold for trousers or kilt.

[Barb T]

We wear ties in our band, and I'm short and have a small neck. If I tie my tie so that it comes to the top of my kilt buckle (which is where it should be, in my judgment), the tail of the tie hangs down to my sporran. I did the expedient thing and cut 8" off the tail of the tie. All ties are made on the bias, so it won't ravel. Have had it that way for 4 years and worn it countless times. It's still hanging in there.

[Bugbear]

EagleJCS, I started the discussion on switching knots if the tie just won't fit. I never said that was what the different Knots were for, just that it was a way of dealing with it. The size and shape of one's neck and face can also play a role in which knots look good on a person, in addition to the collar.
It is not so cut and dry; some people only use one knot with all their different collars and do just fine. Also, you will not be able to successfully tie a good looking Windsor knot in a tie made from a thick materieal. So, sometimes there is no choice but to use a four-in-hand knot or a shelby knot, for example.

That's a neat idea Barb. I would be afraid to cut the end off of a tie even if it worked out fine, but it's good to know.

[EagleJCS]

No problem, Ted. I hadn't seen the explanations for the different knots posted, so I wanted to be sure the information was available. They are general guidelines, as are most of the sartorial "rules". As always, it's good to know the 'rules' before one begins "breaking" them. What looks best on oneself trumps everything.

[Bugbear]

No problem, Ted. I hadn't seen the explanations for the different knots posted, so I wanted to be sure the information was available. They are general guidelines, as are most of the sartorial "rules". As always, it's good to know the 'rules' before one begins "breaking" them. What looks best on oneself trumps everything.

Agreed.