Tie the perfect four-in-hand knot with our step-by-step video
Perhaps the simplest knot to master (and it's for this reason that it is sometimes known as the 'schoolboy knot'), the four-in-hand knot is slightly asymmetrical and produces a smaller knot than either the full or Half-Windsor.
Though not suitable for the most formal of occasions, this knot's simplicity makes it the most common way to wear a tie in the Western world. For best results wear with one of our cutaway, narrow or rounded collars.
The start
First off, with your collar up, pass the tie around the neck band. The wide blade of the tie should hang below the narrower tail by about ten inches.
The hard part
Fold your collar down. Then take the wide blade and pass it over the narrower tail twice before passing it through the loop and tuck it inside the knot you've made. Pull the blade through to tighten and as you're tightening, put your index finger in the centre of the tie beneath the knot. This creates an attractive dimple.
Finish the job
Tighten the knot by pulling on the narrower tail. Just before it reaches the top of the shirt, fasten your collar button and tighten again until the knot is comfortable on your neck. The result is a fairly triangular but very smart knot.
How to wear it
The four in hand tends to suit narrower and more angular faces. If you're in any doubt as to what tie to wear, you can't go wrong with a solid silk tie - it will compliment any design of shirt, plain, striped or checked.
