The Detail lies in the Knot!

The Art of Dressing is indeed an art… and perfection lies in the finer details of dressing.

Matching a tie with a suit or a shirt is something most men are favorably inclined towards, but what many give a miss is the perfect harmony a tie & its knot are also expected to be with the shirt collar.

Most of us men follow the age-old, standard way of tying the tie, some due to paucity of time, some due to mere laziness and majority because they know no other way.

As a result, the sheer mismatch of the knot vis-a-vis the collar leaves them with an appearance which is a far cry from the understated elegance that was being aimed for. Either the collar or knot looks too small or big, or there seems to be discord in the way the tie knot and collar need to fall.

At Vitrurvien.com, we understand that life can get hectic… which is why, we say leave the tailored shirts for men and the art of dressing to us.

Here is what we think you must know in getting that perfect tie-knot & collar Duo!

The Four Commandments for the Neck Tie-Knot

1. Collar: These calls for different notch sizes & angles… for instance a wide-spread collar would best fit a neck-tie knot that was large and triangle-shaped, while a straight point collar will be perfect with a knot that is narrow and long.
2. Your body frame: Large men need larger tie knots, while tall skinny men longish and smaller knots.
3. Tie Pattern
4. Tie Style

The last two calls for the tie styles and patterns…A silk tie will be a perfect match for a triangular-shaped tie-knot, while a

What you need to know, is that the tie has to fit the collar spread. A small knot for a small spread and wide for a wide spread. Once we have that understood, here are the knots we ought to know with the collars we sport.

1 – Four-in-hand Knot: This is the most basic of basic knot, which most men sport and follow as a thumb rule.

A classic Knot with British lineage, it is one of the oldest knots hailing from the late 19th century. It has an interesting origin, being, that it was born out of an attempt by British horseman, to tie their scarves with one hand, while at the same time holding the reigns to four horses with the other. Hence the name – Four-in-Hand Knot. This knot is the easiest given its wide acceptance, it’s small.

The Four in Hand knot is one of the easiest tie knots to learn. The knot has a smaller, slightly longish shape that is perfect for narrow/small spread collars as well as for button down & point collar dress shirts. And looks perfect for tall men and men with round or square faces.

If you’re intending to go for a boy’s night, sporting a skinny tie, the Four-in-hand knot is your go-to paired with a narrow spread collar. Also silk ties are a great option to wear with this knot.

2 – The Pratt Knot: The baby brother of the Four-in-hand knot , it is also called the Shelby knot and it’s a lot like the Windsor knot due to its bulky shape. It goes well with medium-spread or a button down collar that’s wide, and a face that’s oval, round or square.

3 – The Windsor Knot: A very formal knot, it is triangular-shaped and very easy to work with. Sometimes, also called the Double or Full Windsor, it’s a perfect knot for men with wide necks or slim faces.

They go well with cutaway collars & wide-spread collars, patterned ties such as stripes, and are perfect for formal dos like weddings, gala fundraiser or even an interview! An important thing to remember, because it’s a double knot, it requires a longer length tie.

4 – The Half-Windsor Knot: This is the actual Double Windsor knot, which is nothing but a smaller version of the Windsor. It fits perfectly with medium spread collars & wide-point collars and thick ties. This works well with shorter ties and therefore the ideal choice for big and tall men. This in fact is the most versatile knot and enhances oval faces.

And while the list is endless from twisted to braided tie-knots, what you need to remember are the 4 basic go –to –knots and you’ve gotten yourself out of a knotty situation!