How to Tie a Bow Tie: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

Learning how to tie a bow tie looks harder than it is. The knot is the same one you use to tie your shoelaces, worn at your collar instead of your feet. Most men get it on the third or fourth attempt, and after that it takes under a minute. Here are the six steps, then how to get the bow even and when to wear one.

Before You Start

You need a self-tie bow tie, not a pre-tied one. A pre-tied bow clips on and never quite sits right, and the slightly imperfect bow of a self-tie is part of the point. Adjustable self-ties have a sliding clasp at the back; set it to your collar size before you begin so the finished knot sits snug without pinching.

Tie it with the collar up and your shirt fully buttoned, and stand at a mirror. It is easier to learn on a silk or cotton tie than a thick wool one.

How to Tie a Bow Tie in 6 Steps

1. Drape and offset. Hang the tie around your neck with one end about an inch and a half longer than the other.
2. Cross. Cross the longer end over the shorter end, just below your chin.
3. Tuck up. Bring the longer end up and under through the neck loop, then pull it snug against your collar. This is a single simple knot.
4. Make the front bow. Take the shorter end hanging down, fold it back on itself at its widest point, and hold it horizontally across your collar. This is the front of the bow.
5. Drop the long end. Let the longer end fall straight down over the middle of that horizontal bow.
6. Fold and push through. Fold the longer end back on itself into a matching bow shape and push its folded middle through the loop behind the front bow. Pull both folded sides gently to tighten.

How to Get the Bow Even

The first finished bow is usually lopsided, which is normal. Even it out by pulling on the folded loops, not the loose ends, since tugging the ends loosens the knot. Tighten a little at a time, alternating sides, until both wings match and the knot sits flat in the middle.

Do not chase perfect symmetry. A hand-tied bow that is very slightly uneven reads as genuine, which is exactly why men choose a self-tie over a clip-on.

The tuxedo is what the bow tie is built for

Black tie means a black bow tie with a tuxedo, and nothing reads more correct. Get the jacket fit right at the shoulders and the bow tie finishes the look.

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How to Wear a Bow Tie

For black tie, wear a black silk bow tie with a tuxedo and a formal dress shirt, ideally one with a turndown collar that covers the band. Our tuxedo guide covers the rest of the outfit.

Outside black tie, a bow tie in a color or pattern works with a dark suit at weddings and cocktail events. Keep the rest of the outfit quiet and let the bow carry the personality. Our wedding tie guide explains when a bow tie suits the occasion better than a necktie.

Skip a matching pocket square. Coordinate a color instead; our guide on how to fold a pocket square covers which fold to use.

A dark suit takes a bow tie well

For a wedding or a cocktail party, a patterned bow tie with a navy suit is relaxed and confident at once. It is the easiest way to wear one outside black tie.

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Once the bow tie feels natural, the four-in-hand and Windsor are worth learning next. Our guide on how to tie a tie walks through them.