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Necktie Knots

The best part about that combo? These cufflinks I found out in Las Vegas. They fall right in with the tie.

DSCF0837.jpg
 

Orgetorix

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,241
Location
Louisville, KY...and I'm a 42R, 7 1/2
If you have the means and inclination to acquire an entire rotation of bespoke shirts that all have the same perfectly-suited-to-your-face collar, and if you also have a wardrobe of bespoke ties that are made just to your specifications (length, width, shape, thickness of lining) and always tie just the same, perfect knot every time, then maybe you only need one tie knot.

However, this isn't the London Lounge; I very much doubt that this describes more than one or two FL members, if that many. Most, like myself, probably have a hodgepodge of different ties that are different in length, width, shape, and thickness, and shirts with a variety of different collar styles--I wear button-downs, point collars, club collars, and spreads from very moderate to almost-cutaway wide. Given that fact, I use a variety of different knots--4IH and half-windsor most of the time, and even the occasional Windsor.

This isn't to say that some collars/knots don't look good on certain people. It is to say that no tie knot looks good on nobody, nor does any knot look good on everybody, all the time.
 

AlanC

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,175
Location
Heart of America
Orgetorix said:
If you have the means and inclination to acquire an entire rotation of bespoke shirts that all have the same perfectly-suited-to-your-face collar, and if you also have a wardrobe of bespoke ties that are made just to your specifications (length, width, shape, thickness of lining) and always tie just the same, perfect knot every time, then maybe you only need one tie knot.

That's why you have both the FIH and the Prince Albert. :)
 

Alan Eardley

One Too Many
Messages
1,500
Location
Midlands, UK
Tie nirvana.

This week I achieved a sort of completion - the end of journey - in terms of my tie hobby.

As a child of the 1940s I have always been a tie wearer, but habitually I never used more than two or three knots - the 4IH for everyday and the 2 'Windsors' (which are not really Windsors) for more formal occasions.

Then, about seven years ago a mathematician colleague showed me a paper by a couple of condensed matter theorists at Cambridge University that treats ties as a mathematical topology problem [Fink, T.M.A. and Mao, Y. (2000) Tie knots, random walks and topology. Physica A, 276. Pp. 109-121].

It piqued my interest, but the notation was something of a deterrent for non-mathematicians such as myself. Then I found the book 'The 85 ways to tie a tie' [Fink and Mao (2001) Fourth Estate] that adopts a simpler notation to describe the knots. Don't worry, you don't have to read it, here's the website: http://www.tcm.phy.cam.ac.uk/~tmf20/tieknots.shtml.

I set out to practice and hopefully learn all 85 ways, doing one per week, when I was able. Well, this week I finally became proficient in the 85th knot, which does not have a name but is Lo Ci Lo Ci Lo Ci Lo Ri Co in the FM notation.

Now the only difficulty I have is remembering knots 1 to 84...

Alan
 

Smithy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,139
Location
Norway
Thanks Alan, fascinating number of knots there.

Don't know if I have the patience (or time) to learn more than the 4 "classics" I know but it is interesting to know that there are so many permutations in tying a tie.

Good luck with all 85!
 

Dr Doran

My Mail is Forwarded Here
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3,854
Location
Los Angeles
Wonderful link. The notation reminds me of Rubiks cube solving notation language I learned from a book when I was small.
 

Fletch

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,865
Location
Iowa - The Land That Stuff Forgot
I can't translate the pictures easily into action, but No. 5 (Pratt/Shelby) is a useful substitute for the Windsor for those of us with short vintage ties and thick necks. It ties to a neat and compact triangle.
 

Alan Eardley

One Too Many
Messages
1,500
Location
Midlands, UK
Pratt

Yes, the Pratt knot is one of Fink's favourites, I think. It does look like a Windsor. You can tell from the table that it is large and symetrical.

My favourite knot is the Nicky.

I still like my 'The Snapper' clip on ties, though...

Alan
 

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