[jcriswel]

Depends

It depends on the thickness of the lining and how the tie knots. All of mine seem to have a mind of their own when it comes to knoting. If it has a thin lining and does not knot well, I'll go half-Windsor. If it has a thick lining, I'll go with a Four-In-Hand. It all depends on how the knot strikes me when I'm done. Sometimes the FIH knots look too skinny and don't have the right dimple. When that happens, I switch over to the half-Windsor. I have a broad face so the collars on most of my dress shirts are straight point. All of my knots seem to come out "tight" so a tie with a thick lining tightly tied in a half-Windsor looks good with the straight point collars. It all depends on how it looks after I finish tying the knot.

I hope I never have to go for a job interview with Manton. He would eat me alive!

 

[Acct2000]

I will agree that a Windsor with the wrong tie (or apparently tied deliberately a certain way) will produce a mega-knot that usually does not look good.

However, I usually tie my tried and true half Windsor, but do FIH or Full Windsor when the collar and shirt work best that way.

 

[Sator]

Sator, I am amused that you, of all people, are playing the populist card. :biggrin2:

The problem is with make-believe Royalty. The genuine thing is a different matter:

Call it poncey if you will but there is no doubt about it: no puny RTW FIH here.

 

[JRR]

Only use FIH for myself, way too lazy to do anything else.

Don't really care what others do, though don't care for the full Windsor at all, looks caddish.

Half Windsors are ok, so voted no.

 

[dfloyd]

supercilious perspective

I look with disdain on all who wear a fih, a button down collar, and who haven't read the "History of the Peloponnesian War".

 

[JRR]

I look with disdain on all who wear a fih, a button down collar, and who haven't read the "History of the Peloponnesian War".

Did you like your history profs?

 

[Pipps]

My feelings precisely. A well crafted and correctly proportioned half-windsor is always acceptable and proper.

I personally find a four-in-hand to look outdated and inappropriate in a modern business setting. I will assume that is the setting we are more topically concerned with here.

The photo of Prince Harry makes him look like a school boy with that tiny knot. With a half-windsor, not only would he look like he can actually tie his own tie, but he would also carry rather more gravitas.

Therefore, the only setting for wearing a four-in-hand is greeting school children. And as this is something which I do not partake in my spare time, I cannot say that I will ever have any inclination to resort to the rather childish four-in-hand.

 

[Acct2000]

I hope you were tongue in cheek and having fun with it.

We should be working together to promote tie wearing, not having a tie-wearers civil war, you know!!

 

[Mitchell]

I personally find a four-in-hand to look outdated and inappropriate in a modern business setting. I will assume that is the setting we are more topically concerned with here.

Jeepers. In some modern business settings it's difficult to find a guy wearing socks.

 

[iammatt]

In all seriousness, I don't usually notice what other people are wearing, and when I do, I generally don't bother to care.

The only exception to this is when I see a windsor or half windsor knot, in which case I am generally a bit put off, but more than anything I sort of chuckle at the person.

 

[radix023]

I'm apparently an outlier.. my father taught me the windsor knot and no other. Only once I started building my wardrobe and appreciation did I learn the half-windsor and four-in-hand (and me a Boy Scout and all!).

Since I still have a fair number of ties that are not exact fits for me, I choose knot based on a combination of the length of tie and type of collar. It's dreadful to tie a FIH, have the tie tip right down to the buckle and the other end of the tie sticking out below.

(braces for withering replies)

 

[Will]

Since I still have a fair number of ties that are not exact fits for me, I choose knot based on a combination of the length of tie and type of collar. It's dreadful to tie a FIH, have the tie tip right down to the buckle and the other end of the tie sticking out below.

(braces for withering replies)

I'll take the heat off you. I'm wearing a FIH today with the small end an inch longer than the large, and tucked into my trousers.

 

[Mark from Plano]

Only once I started building my wardrobe and appreciation did I learn the half-windsor and four-in-hand (and me a Boy Scout and all!).

Hmmm...gives me an idea. Anyone ever try tying their tie with a bowline knot? :idea: Then if you need to rescue someone from drowning in the lake you're all set.

 

[JLibourel]

I look with disdain on all who wear a fih, a button down collar, and who haven't read the "History of the Peloponnesian War".

Well, I'm wearing my new Balliol tie (the crested version) tied in a FIH and a BD shirt at this very moment, but in my younger days I did read Thucydides three times in the Greek in conjunction with Gomme's commentary, so I hope that redeems me somewhat! One out of three still ain't good, I know!

 

[whistle_blower71]

The problem is with make-believe Royalty. The genuine thing is a different matter:

Call it poncey if you will but there is no doubt about it: no puny RTW FIH here.

Sator,

I can't believe you are a fan of The Dook!?!
He hated formal clothing, particularly stiff boiled shirts and tails. He had his lounge suit trousers made with belt-loops and wore loafers with them. I would have put you down as more of a George V kinda guy or that other chap..The Duke of Clarence...now he was more your style.

W_B

 

[DougNZ]

I tie the knot that suits the tie and the situation.

At work I tend to tie a half-windsor or full windsor if the tie is lightweight. Most of my work ties are small geometric foulards or occasionally stripes. I pair them with a pocket hanky with TV fold and find the neat, symmetrical look to be more fitting to my job.

In the weekends, however, I break out the paisleys, tie them four-in-hand or Albert, and puff the hanky.

 

[DocHolliday]

I tie the knot that suits the tie and the situation.

At work I tend to tie a half-windsor or full windsor if the tie is lightweight. Most of my work ties are small geometric foulards or occasionally stripes. I pair them with a pocket hanky with TV fold and find the neat, symmetrical look to be more fitting to my job.

This is my answer too. All depends on what looks best with the tie. I don't like an excessively large knot, but a microscopic one can be just as bad.

 

[idler]

Never trust a man in...

I voted no, becuase I'm not prone to looking down on people. But you would only rarely catch me in a Windsor knot and only as a practical solution to a difficult tie/shirt problem.

But I do remember as a boy, my father telling me never to trust a man who wears grey shoes or a Windsor knot. I must try to find out what experience of his led to this view!

 

[Jolly Roger]

But I do remember as a boy, my father telling me never to trust a man who wears grey shoes or a Windsor knot. I must try to find out what experience of his led to this view!

Funny. My father told me never to trust a man whose name ends in a vowel.

 

[idler]

A wise man...

Funny. My father told me never to trust a man whose name ends in a vowel.

Err, surname or given name?

If you mean given name, a quick glance through my address book indicates that all but one of my friends and closer acquaintances meeting that criterion are French. Being an Englishman myself I would take that as sufficient evidence that your father was a wise, wise man. :icon_smile_wink: Any other nuggets to share from this astute gentleman?

I should perhaps own that one of these Frenchmen was trusted enough to be best man at my wedding, though!