Tie a Full-Windsor Necktie

By Rain Blanken, About.com Guide

The Windsor knot is a wide, symmetrical knot worn on a dressy tie that is usually reserved for special business meetings and formal occasions. This is a slightly more complicated knot than the half-Windsor and four-in-hand, and requires a longer necktie.

1. Hang the tie around your neck. The wide end of the tie should be on your right side, the narrow end at your left. Extend the wide end a foot below the narrow end.
2. Cross the wide end over the narrow end.
3. Wrap the wide end around the narrow end at your neck and pull up. The tie should be flopping in your face.
4. Now point the wide end down again.
5. Wrap the wide end under the narrow end.
6. Cross over the narrow end again. We are making a ‘bridge’, here, for the tie to cross under later. Tuck a couple of your fingers in here to keep it from flattening, so we can get the tie in here.
7. Pull the wide end up into the neck loop so that it’s in your face again.
8. Bend the wide end down and tuck it through the ‘bridge’ that we made before.
9. Pull the tie taut by sliding the knot. Before you draw the knot up, pinch the top of the wide end to create a dimple on the front of the tie.

The Windsor knot is said to have been the invention of the Duke of Windsor, who preferred the look of a wide tie to a small one. He reportedly had his ties special ordered to be made of a thicker fabric. The Windsor knot is a way to emulate his large necktie knots on a smaller tie. If oyu are looking for a smaller version of the full Windsor, try the Shelby knot.

Examples of the full Windsor knot:

• Will Smith
• David Beckham
• Jeremy Piven
• Brad Pitt

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• How to Tie a Full Windsor
• Will Smith
• David Beckham
• Jeremy Piven
• Brad Pitt

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