The Official Uppity Handbook

Tie One On.

By Mr. Write

Went to a wedding last weekend and stopped in at Brooks Brothers to get a formal shirt and bow tie since I was the best man (irony intended) and bought one you had to tie. Clip-ons? Wrong.

So for all of you who may want to dip a toe into the art of self-reliance, and not have your wife standing behind and over you like your mother, I'm including this handy illustration to practice in your free time:

Had to wear a regular tie to the rehearsal dinner and got to talking to the sales guy about ties and shirts and collars etc. and it proved to be educational and inspiring. For example, I've been tying my ties the same way for over forty years and didn't know the technique I use is called 'Four-in-Hand'.

Here's the official word from the Brooks Brothers website: "Also known as a simple knot, the four-in-hand is believed to be the most popular method of tying ties due to its simplicity. The knot dates back to England in the days of the coach-and-four where the men driving the coach knotted their ties in this manner to help prevent them from flapping in the wind. The knot produced by this method is on the narrow side, slightly asymmetric, and appropriate for all occasions. It works best with wide ties made from heavy fabrics and should be worn with a tab, button-down or regular spread collar. It's a classic knot for any occasion and is most widely used."

He taught me another method called the 'Prince Albert' (no snickers please) and I thought I'd try to tie my tie this way for a while just to shake things up a bit and see if anyone notices. Here's how:

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