Four in Hand

The ideal, basic knot that everyone should be familiar with. It is one of the easiest tie knots to start with if you are a beginner. The Four in Hand gives a refined, elegant result and you can wear it on almost every occasion. This variant should be a standard part of your knot repertoire!

Four in Hand Knots

1. Hang the tie around the collar with the wide part to the right and the narrow part slightly above navel height. The exact height depends on the stature and thickness of the tie. We only use the wide part when tying the tie.
   
2. Slip the wide part horizontally over the narrow part of the tie.
   
3. Insert the wide part horizontally behind the narrow part of the tie.
   
4. Stroke the wide part longitudinally across the narrow part to the left.
   
5. Pull the wide part up along the neck.
   
6. Pass through the loop at the front of the tie.
   
7. Tighten the knot by pulling the wide part down and position the knot as desired.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNnJoIwecrw

• Result: A slim, tapered knot that is slightly asymmetrical. This makes it playful and contemporary. The knot optically lengthens your neck because it is quite narrow.
• When to wear? Perfect for business use but it also is also a good choice for less formal occasions . It goes perfectly with a silk tie, but it is also very suitable for a somewhat thicker tie - such as a woolen or knitted tie - because the knot gives little volume. It suits all types of collars, but we would not recommend a collar that sits wide apart.
• Difficulty: * (1 in 5)

The Origin of the Four in Hand

It was the very first knot that was used when the tie entered the British Empire around 1860. It is still unclear to what origin the Four in Hand owes its name. It is generally assumed that the name comes from the nineteenth-century London men's club of the same name -the Four in Hand Club. Members of this club were fans of this narrow knot and they may have renamed it the Four in Hand knot. There are also theories that the name comes from the four-in-hand carriage, that was a carriage pulled by four horses and driven by one courier. The reins would be tied in the same way. Some further claim that the scarves of the coachmen were tied in the same way.