My God, I hate the windsor knot

knittieguy · Jan 18, 2010

Originally Posted by unjung

Maybe it's just the photo - the HW photo was taken in my dark kitchen versus the FIH which was taken in a bright bathroom... but the FIH actually does look better.
I don't think it does. Personally, I think the FIH looks lopsided in that picture. FIHs also often twist as the day goes on, so you may have to keep adjusting them if you are not wearing a tie clip. I wore FIHs for years, then graduated to half-windsors, and then progressed to the Pratt Shelby. My search is over. Except for knit ties, I find that Pratts Shelby knots tend to look the best. Although I do think the younger you are the more likely a FIH will look better. Prep school kids and college students look silly in anything but FIHs. Obviously this is a very subjective issue and we are never going to get everyone on SF to settle on one knot. Which is as it should be.

ferguscan · Jan 18, 2010

Originally Posted by knittieguy

I don't think it does. Personally, I think the FIH looks lopsided in that picture. FIHs also often twist as the day goes on, so you may have to keep adjusting them if you are not wearing a tie clip.

I wore FIHs for years, then graduated to half-windsors, and then progressed to the Pratt Shelby. My search is over. Except for knit ties, I find that Pratts Shelby knots tend to look the best.

Although I do think the younger you are the more likely a FIH will look better. Prep school kids and college students look silly in anything but FIHs.

Obviously this is a very subjective issue and we are never going to get everyone on SF to settle on one knot. Which is as it should be.

FIH is supposed to look lop-sided. That's one of its virtues. Perfectly symmetrical windsors are for politicians and serial killers only

Stuart

onix · Jan 18, 2010

Originally Posted by ferguscan

FIH is supposed to look lop-sided. That's one of its virtues. Perfectly symmetrical windsors are for politicians and serial killers only

Stuart

Now I know why I always wear Windsor

knittieguy · Jan 18, 2010

Originally Posted by ferguscan

FIH is supposed to look lop-sided. That's one of its virtues. Perfectly symmetrical windsors are for politicians and serial killers only

Stuart
I know a FIH is supposed to look lop-sided, but I don't think a tie looks good like that. If I wanted to look lop-sided I would tell my tailor to leave one sleeve shorter than the other. Full windsors are a bit much, but it is more the shape and bulk than the symmetricality that are the problem in my book. That's why I prefer the Pratt. Maybe it's just my upbringing. FIHs remind me of being a teenager, when I also left the top button undone on my Brooks Brothers button-down oxford and always wore a fabric belt with two rings for a buckle.

Trompe le Monde · Jan 19, 2010

ones shirt should be as trim as possible without looking like its painted on. sleeve length should terminate precisely at the head of 1st metacarpal. left cuff should be enlarged by .793 inches to allowance for wristwatch (mechanical, single function, arabic numerals). both cuff should extend 1/2" beyond jacket sleeve when supine and rested, 1" when curled. oh, but if the tie is too symmetrical it "looks affected".

RyJ Maduro · Jan 19, 2010

Originally Posted by Trompe le Monde

ones shirt should be as trim as possible without looking like its painted on. sleeve length should terminate precisely at the head of 1st metacarpal. left cuff should be enlarged by .793 inches to allowance for wristwatch (mechanical, single function, arabic numerals). both cuff should extend 1/2" beyond jacket sleeve when supine and rested, 1" when curled.

oh, but if the tie is too symmetrical it "looks affected".

Sounds about right.

RyJ Maduro · Jan 19, 2010

Originally Posted by unjung

Half-Windsor:

Honestly, the first photograph looks like a child wearing an man's tie; the knot is simply overpowering. The second photograph is quite nice.

Mute · Jan 19, 2010

Sorry, but I think a FIH with a cut-away collar looks idiotic. Meant for people with no sense.

RyJ Maduro · Jan 19, 2010

Originally Posted by Mute

Sorry, but I think a FIH with a cut-away collar looks idiotic. Meant for people with no sense.

HRH Prince Charles has no sense?

MrDaniels · Jan 19, 2010

Originally Posted by Mute

Sorry, but I think a FIH with a cut-away collar looks idiotic. Meant for people with no sense.
+1x100

rgoldstein · Jan 19, 2010

Ok, I agree this^^ looks very sharp, but not everyone can pull it off. Charles has a lean build. Most of us are probably not built like him, and our heads would dwarf such a knot. Also, a lot of us walk around an office all day. If that elegant little FIH knot shifts so much as a millimeter one way or another you look marsupialed. I like the "small knot" and the half windsor because they stay put much more willingly without a tie clip, which is a plus when dealing with clients, my boss, etc.

Big A · Jan 19, 2010

Originally Posted by porcelain monkey

Clearly I agree with the OP, and put the Ian Flemming quote in my sig a while ago to demonstrate this . . . .
I can't understand the hatred for a tie knot in general. The knot should go with your collar, which should go with your face. Easy. As a thread hijack / aside, I wonder why that Bond Windsor knot quote always pops up. Ian Fleming's Bond isn't really the go-to authority on anything outside of tricked out Bentleys, gambling, drinking, and ass-kicking. He certainly shouldn't be relied on for fashion advice, he always wore the same thing (navy suit, black knit tie, silk shirt). For fun, you should add Bond's observations about Koreans, women, and blacks to your sig . . . that would be interesting

Originally Posted by RyJ Maduro

HRH Prince Charles has no sense?
It rarely follows that British royalty and "sense" go together. See, for example: King Stephen, King James II, George IV, Edward II, Edward VIII, etc., etc., etc. Did Charles become less of a lightweight when I wasn't looking?

RyJ Maduro · Jan 19, 2010

My knots are usually either as small as that one, or close, and I don't tend to have problems with them shifting out of place during the day.

That's not really the best example of his tie knot, anyhow.

Cravate Noir's four-in-hand always looks quite elegant. Anyone who thinks these looks would be improved upon with a full-Windsor is insane.

unjung · Jan 19, 2010

Pratt-Shelby looks like the aborted love child of a HW and FIH.

Originally Posted by RyJ Maduro

Honestly, the first photograph looks like a child wearing an man's tie; the knot is simply overpowering. The second photograph is quite nice.
Damn you, I have wear a size 16 shirt!

RyJ Maduro · Jan 19, 2010

Originally Posted by unjung

Damn you, I have wear a size 16 shirt!

I have a 15" neck. I can only imagine how ridiculous I looked when I fancied myself to be sophisticated wearing a Windsor knot a few years ago.

My God, I hate the windsor knot

Distinguished Member

Senior Member

Distinguished Member

Distinguished Member

Distinguished Member

Distinguished Member

Distinguished Member

Distinguished Member

Distinguished Member

Distinguished Member

Senior Member

Distinguished Member

Distinguished Member

Distinguished Member

Distinguished Member

Classic Menswear Featured products

Similar threads

Featured Sponsor

Yes, I have a signature fragrance I wear every day

Yes, I have a signature fragrance but I don't wear it daily

No, I have several fragrances and rotate through them

I don't wear fragrance

Forum Sponsors

Forum statistics

FOLLOW STYLEFORUM ON: