Things Guys Should Know, Vol. 1: How to tie a necktie

Business casual, with its short-sleeve shirts and chinos, is gaining ground at offices these days.

But let’s not bury the necktie just yet.

Teenage guys applying for a summer job, interviewing for a college scholarship or dressing for prom need to know how to tie a necktie. It’s an essential skill of being a guy.

After graduation, tons of careers — bankers, lawyers, salesman — still consider the necktie a part of their office uniform. And they might frown upon a new hire bringing his dad to work to help him tie it properly.

So today, in the first of a new series, I’ll share this Thing Guys Should Know: How to tie a necktie.

Step 1

Put the tie around your neck with the wide end to your right. This end should hang about 12 inches lower than the other end.

Step 2

Lay the wide end across the narrow one and wrap it around the back.

Step 3

Go across the front of the narrow end a second time.

Step 4

Bring the wide end up and under the narrow end next to your neck.

Step 5

Guide the wide end forward and down through the loop in front of your neck.

Step 6

Adjust the shape of the tie as you slide the knot comfortably against your collar.

From the Scout handbook

Like much of what guys should know, tying a necktie is covered in the Boy Scout Handbook. Here’s the relevant page (click to enlarge):

About this series

Things Guys Should Know is an ongoing series about those essential life skills every guy should have in his arsenal.

Cool thing is, everything in the series is a skill a guy learns in Scouting. Maybe he picks it up while spending time outdoors with his troop, team or crew. Or maybe he learned it while earning a merit badge or reading the Boy Scout Handbook. Either way, Scouting helped him learn this skill that helps him become better Prepared. For Life.

See all of the Things Guys Should Know here. And leave a comment if you think of a skill guys should know (and learn in Scouting) that I should cover in a future edition.