Tie Knot Faux Pas

Top 5 Mistakes Men Make When Tying a Tie

Tying a tie takes practice. Below are the five biggest mistakes men make when tying a necktie. Avoid these Faux Pas and you are one step closer to the perfect tie knot.

1. Wrong Tie Knot
Wrong tie knot? Yes, you read right! There are many different ways you can tie a necktie. Choose a knot that matches your collar spread. The knot should fill the gap between the collar. For more information please read our tutorial on How to Tie a Necktie

2. Too Long, Too Short
Tie your necktie to the right length. The tip of your necktie should hang down to reach the center of your belt buckle. If tying a tie to the right length has been a challenge for you then you may want to consider tying a smaller tie knot, or you may need extra long ties - neckties especially made for the man taller than 6 foot 3 inches.

3. Sloppy Finish
All too often we spot men wearing neck ties that are tied sloppy. Neither the narrow end, nor the back of the tie should be visible when wearing a tie. This is especially noticeable when in the knot area. Make sure the narrow end of the tie stays behind the wide end while tightening the knot. What commonly happens is that the narrow end slips to one side.

4. Bling and Tie Jewelry
There are many tie accessories that are supposed to "dress up" your necktie. Most common are tie pins, chains, clips, and tie bars. The only acceptable option here are tie bars. Keep the design simple and match the color to your belt buckle, cuff links, and wrist watch.

5. Stains
Most ties are made from silk - a delicate natural fiber that can not be machine washed. Make sure that your hands are clean before tying your tie. Also, your hands should be well manicured. Long fingernails and calices can pull out threads of the fabric, permanently damaging your fine silk tie. Should your tie get stained then you may also want to read our guide on How to Clean a Silk Tie.

Other Suggested Readings:
Necktie Fashion Faux Pas
More Tips for Tying a Tie

Your Bows-n-Ties.com Team