How to Tie a Full Windsor Knot

Named for—you guessed it!—the dapper Duke of Windsor, the Full Windsor Knot is the kind of knot that's large and in charge.

Step 1: Lift collar
Lift up the collar of your shirt.

Tip
The Full Windsor Knot is ideally suited for wide, spread-collar shirts.

Step 2: Button top button
Button the top button of your shirt.

Step 3: Drape tie
Drape the tie around your neck with the wider end of the tie on your right. It should be dangling about 12 inches below the skinny end of the tie. The seam should be facing your shirt.

Step 4: Cross ends
Cross the wide end toward the left over the front of the skinny end of your tie.

Step 5: Direct wide end through loop
Direct the wide end around behind the skinny end and up through the loop around your neck, letting the wide end fall down the front.

Step 6: Face wide end out
Take the wide end with your left hand and bring it to your left and then behind the knot—passing it off to your right hand. The seam of the wide end should now be facing out.

Step 7: Bring wide end through loop
Bring the wide end up and through the front of the loop, pulling it down and to the right. The seam should now be facing out.

Step 8: Drape wide end
Drape the wide end of the tie to the left across the front of the knot.

Step 9: Bring wide end through loop
Bring the wide end behind the knot and up through the loop.

Step 10: Thread wide end through knot
Thread the wide end through the top of the knot and pull it down to tighten.

Step 11: Tighten tie
Tighten the tie around your neck by holding the skinny end of the tie and sliding the knot toward your neck.

Step 12: Put collar down
Put your collar down, make any final adjustments, and let your friends call you Duke.

Did You Know?
The debonair Fred Astaire often wore a silk tie as a belt.