How to: Tying a Tie

Ties are an essential part of every man’s formal attire. With Mardi Gras around the corner, the time to bust out your fanciest tie is back. However, tying a tie isn’t always the easiest, so here are just a few simple steps to make it work (with a little help from my dad):

With the tie in front of you, grab the fat side in your right hand, and the skinny side in your left hand.
Place the tie around your neck, keeping your hands in position.
Move the skinny side so that the bottom is in the middle of your sternum, maybe a little higher depending on your height.
Cross the fat side over the skinny side until you have made an ‘X’.
With your left thumb, hold the ‘X’ in place. Your right hand should be free.
Using your right hand, move the fat side underneath the skinny one and flipping it over the skinny side. Do this twice.
With the fat side hanging down on your chest, lift it through the top hole, and then pull the bottom of the fat side through the loop on the top of the tie.
Holding onto the skinny side, slide the top knot up to rest comfortably against your neck.
Make sure the tips of the two sides are matching, the small side being shorter than the large side.