Loose tie problem

[bandit]

I use a half-windsor knot. My ties are consistantly pulling loose so it looks as though I am ready to unbutton my top button and relax for the evening. Most of my ties are BB. I have checked and double checked directions on the propper way to tie the half-windsor knot. Throughout the day I will pull the small end and push the knot back where it belongs. Then I will pull the large end as I hold the knot to tighten it more in hopes that it will quit falling down. It doesn't seem to get any more "bite" on the small end and what I end up with is a knot that starts to look too small and is tied really really tight. The super tight knots leave my ties pretty wrinkled and I am sure aren't really good for the ties. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[huy]

pics would be helpful

 

[ChicagoJohn]

I mean...not too sound crass because I want to help...but are you actually tightening the KNOT and not just sliding it up? I haven't heard of this problem before.

PULL IT, MANG!

 

[FidelCashflow]

Pulling it won't do anything. The answer is even simpler than that.

When you're putting on your tie in the morning, before you pull it up to your neck, carefully pull at the top edge of the tie knot that keeps sagging. Adjust the knot so the top edge of the tie knot is horizontal rather than slanted slightly slanted. If you fix the knot just once in the morning, it won't give you any trouble all day.

 

[bandit]

I could try and get a pic sometime but basically it just looks like you have loosened your tie a little at the end of the day to unbutton your collar and relax. (I will try and get a pic tomorrow before I take my suit off)

Yes I am definately tightening the knot in fact the knot is getting very tight. It just doesn't seem like it is getting any "grip" or "bite" on the small end. It seems like no matter how tight I get the knot, it will slided up and down the small end of the tie without much resistance.

I have noticed that with a couple of ties that are a little "fuller" than my BB ties the problem doesn't seem to be quite as bad.

 

[bandit]

Originally Posted by FidelCashflow

Pulling it won't do anything. The answer is even simpler than that.

When you're putting on your tie in the morning, before you pull it up to your neck, carefully pull at the top edge of the tie knot that keeps sagging. Adjust the knot so the top edge of the tie knot is horizontal rather than slanted slightly slanted. If you fix the knot just once in the morning, it won't give you any trouble all day.

I will give this a try tomorrow. Thank you.

 

[huy]

I think I see the problem. Make sure that you are keeping everything tight the whole way through, not just at the end. http://www.tie-a-tie.net/halfwindsor.html During steps 3 and 4 pull the tie so that it is tighter and hold it tight until the end.

 

[holymadness]

I have this problem as well; let us know if Fidel's solution works.

 

[bandit]

Originally Posted by huy

I think I see the problem. Make sure that you are keeping everything tight the whole way through, not just at the end. http://www.tie-a-tie.net/halfwindsor.html During steps 3 and 4 pull the tie so that it is tighter and hold it tight until the end.

Those directions are slightly different than the ones that I have been using. At step 4, mine show to come down through on the other side of the narrow end and then across the front. I am not sure that will make a difference but I am going to give it a try.

 

[bandit]

Well I think my tie problem might be solved. I didn't address the problem scientifically and kinda used the "shotgun" effect so I'm not sure what the key ingrediant was but at least I know something worked.

First, I wore one of my fuller ties (zegna) that I usually don't have as much trouble with as my BB ties.

Second, I used the new instructions on tieing the half-windsor knot that were slightly different than the method that I had been using.

Third (and I think this was the key) I followed Fidel's advice about keeping the top of the knot straight while tightening. I had noticed that the wide end tended to go to one side when I tightend the knot because I would have to put the dimple over to one side so that it would end up in the middle when I pulled the knot tight. Today I was very careful to keep the top of the knot straight and not pull cockeyed. The knot had a firm hold on the narrow end all day and I only had to make one very small tightening all day long.

Thanks Fidel and others who took time to give me some help!