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How to Tie a Tie: The Four-in-Hand Knot Step by Step

The four-in-hand is the most commonly taught necktie knot because it works with almost any tie and shirt collar, and it only takes six simple moves once you have done it a few times.

  1. Drape the tie around your neck

    Put the tie around your collar with the wide end on your right, hanging about 12 inches lower than the narrow end. Getting this starting length roughly right is what determines whether the finished tie ends at your belt buckle.

  2. Cross the wide end over the narrow end

    Bring the wide end across to your left, over the top of the narrow end, so the two ends form an X in front of your chest.

  3. Wrap the wide end behind, then across to the front again

    Bring the wide end back underneath the narrow end from behind, then bring it across to the front one more time, so it crosses over the narrow end a second time.

  4. Pass the wide end up through the neck loop

    From behind, feed the wide end up and through the loop around your neck, letting it fall forward.

  5. Thread the wide end down through the front loop

    Hold the forming knot loosely against your chest with one hand, and with the other, pass the wide end down through the horizontal loop that sits just in front of the knot.

  6. Tighten the knot and slide it up to your collar

    Hold the narrow end steady while gently pulling the wide end to snug the knot, then slide the whole knot up to your collar using both hands. Adjust the small fold (the "dimple") just below the knot for a sharper finished look.

Why the four-in-hand is the default first knot to learn

It uses fewer wraps than knots like the Windsor or half-Windsor, which makes it slimmer and slightly asymmetrical in a way that suits narrow ties and button-down collars particularly well, and it is generally considered the easiest knot for a beginner to learn by feel.

Getting the length right on the first try

The most common beginner mistake is starting with the wide end too short or too long relative to the narrow end. If the finished tie ends up too short or too long, it is almost always faster to simply undo it and adjust the starting drape length than to try to fix it partway through tying.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my tie end up too short?

The wide end almost always needs more starting slack than seems intuitive β€” if the finished tie is too short, start over with the wide end hanging noticeably lower before you begin crossing it.

Does the four-in-hand knot work with any tie?

It works well with most standard and narrow ties and most collar styles, though very wide ties or spread collars sometimes look more balanced with a bulkier knot like a half-Windsor.

What is the small fold under the knot called, and is it necessary?

It is commonly called the "dimple," and while it is not required, it is widely considered a mark of a neatly and deliberately tied knot rather than a rushed one.