Pratt Knot

If we were to put together a ‘Top 4’ of classic knots, then this would certainly be one of them. It is an all-time favorite tie knot that you will enjoy once you have mastered it. It is versatile (almost every tie comes into its own with this knot) and it is relatively straight forwards. Invest a few minutes of your time to practice this knot variant and you will enjoy it for the rest of your life!

Pratt Knot (Shelby Knot)

1. Hang the tie around the collar with the back facing forward, the wide part on the right and the narrow part slightly above navel height. The exact height depends on the stature and thickness of the tie. Only the wide part is used when tying the tie.
   
2. Cross the wide part horizontally behind the narrow part of the tie.
   
3. Pull the wide part up.
   
4. Insert through the opening along the neck, then pull to the left.
   
5. Cross the knot in front to the right side.
   
6. Pull the wide part up along the neck.
   
7. Pass through the loop at the front of the tie.
   
8. Tighten the knot by pulling the wide part down and position the knot as desired.
   
   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1fM7NNL9Xc

• Result: It is the same size as the Half Windsor. It is a beautiful, classic knot with an almost symmetrical shape.
• When to wear: Actually, this knot is suitable for almost all ties and occasions. Only with very thick ties would we advise against this knot.
• Difficulty: ***

Background Pratt Knot

The Pratt Knot (also known as the Shell or Shelby knot) is named after Jerry Pratt (an inventor and member of the American Chamber of Commerce), who made this knot popular and wore it almost daily. In 1986, the then 92-year-old, Jerry Pratt saw that television reporter Don Shelby had tied this knot so badly that it became popularly referred to as the Shelby Knot. The knot was first publicized in the New York Times and the Daily Telegraph in 1989 and gained worldwide fame. Before Pratt became prominent, this knot was already worn under the name of Inverted Half Windsor during the Second World War. A misleading term, because this knot is anything but the opposite of Half Windsor.