In my life, I had only ever owned a single tie before this year. It was a special giveaway tie from the Toronto Blue Jays at a Father’s Day game years back. They were giving them out to all the male fans. So, um, yeah. I got one.
With the new suit I got tailored, my Blue Jays tie wouldnt be classy enough, so I ordered a couple online that would go with my shirts. I was hopeful that I’d be able to teach myself how to tie them when I saw the instructional diagram on the box. That is, until I tried to follow the steps.
The twists and turns on that diagram had me puzzled for at least 15 minutes. I know I’m directionally challenged when I go into furniture stores, but I thought I had a relative grasp on 3D imagery. At least, I always felt confident when answering those types of questions on those IQ tests you can take online. Maybe I’m not as good on those problems as I thought.
I really started to doubt my abilities, and I was quickly losing faith that I’d ever be able to figure out how to tie this fancy new tie I bought. And then it happened! The knot looked horrible, all disheveled hanging loosely below my clavicle. But it at least had the semblance of a necktie.
It took another 5 more successful knots, interspersed with a handful of failed attempts, before I was convinced I had acquired the skill.
Now when I tie my tie, I think it actually looks good! Memory achieved.
I think I’ll need to plan a nice dinner somewhere, so I have my first excuse to get all dressed up.
My Memory List 
Looking nice! I recently learned the double-windsor knot, so I now know two different knots – the half-windsor and the double-windsor. The half-windsor is nice for thicker ties, and the double-windsor for thinner ties. When learning the double-windsor I watched some youtube videos, and there was one tip which I had not though of before – to help get the right length, put the tie around your neck, with the wide side on your right, and then extend your right arm down. The tie should be 1-3 inches longer than the tip of your fingers. This seems to work quite well for most ties. Even after many years of tying ties, I would say that I average around 2 tries before getting it looking the way I like.
I suggest wearing a tie for your next Zoom meeting. It’s definitely a conversation starter, and wearing nice clothes at home makes me feel more professional.
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Thank you for the tip! I’ll keep that in mind the next time I get knotty! 😉
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