There are certain tendencies among stylish men that never make it into the lists of rules. They are not as intuitive or easily explained, perhaps, as covering your waist when wearing black tie or matching your socks to your trousers. But they are almost universally acceded to, through some common realisation that inevitably comes when you care what you wear every day.
I offer three examples, in the hope they are helpful.
30oz foulards from Drake’s. With four in hand, of course
1 Ties should be worn with a four-in-hand knot
Scores of men in the past century have been held up as style icons. They all tied their ties in a four-in-hand knot.
The Windsor knot was named after the Duke but he never wore one – his ties were simply made thicker. Even Prince Michael of Kent, with his bulbous knots, ties extra thick ties in a four-in-hand – mostly made by Turnbull & Asser. I’ve seen them.
Other knots are cheaper ways to achieve this effect, or simply gimmicks. I offer no rationale other than the fact that a four-in-hand is pleasingly asymmetric and has a length more reflective of the blade below it. The fact is, everyone wears one.
Long green socks from Mes Chausettes Rouges
2 Long socks to be worn with anything above jeans
It can be hard to explain how much more satisfying long socks (calf length, to just below your knee) are until you’ve worn them. Most men find them fussy and – more importantly, to them – effeminate.
I felt very sorry for Welsh comedian Rob Brydon who, on British TV quiz show QI last year, proclaimed his love of “the long sock” only to be mercilessly bullied by the other panelists. Such is men’s fear of unusual clothing.
Long socks are not hot, particularly cotton ones: there is too little blood in your calves. They are more comfortable, because you never have to adjust them: short socks are as annoying, and almost as unattractive, has having trousers that constantly fall down. And long socks look a lot better, certainly with any trouser approaching smart: you don’t let your trousers puddle around your ankles, so why would you do so with your socks?
The superiority of calf-length socks has long been acknowledged by every stylish gent. Cost-cutting industry and lazy consumers are to blame for the rise of the short sock.
Huntsman house tweed
3 Bigger patterns, weaves and colours are less formal
Obviously a bright-red tweed is less suitable for a business meeting than a navy suit. But it bears consideration that the tweed’s colour, texture and check all contribute to this informality, and the same principle applies on a much smaller scale.
The smaller the check on a suit, the more formal it is; the darker or weaker the colour, too; and worsted wool (what most suits are made out of) is smarter than cashmere, even if the latter feels more luxurious. Black tie is the smartest outfit most commonly worn today and it has no colour or pattern, usually, just the tiniest contrast between matte and shiny, shoe and suit.
The same principle applies to every item of dress, from ties to shoes.
Why consider formality? Because what you wear reveals a lot about what you think of the person you are meeting. It is thought and consideration, time taken and therefore compliment given.
Good post! I am just starting to get into long socks and agree with everything you’ve written here; they’re lovely.
I would add though that not only are they unnecessary with jeans: they are actively uncomfortable. The denim catches on the wool when sitting and just feels awkward. I expect a smooth cotton might not do this.
Thanks Richard – not my experience, but perhaps I wear jeans that aren’t as narrow.
Simon
Thanks for the good post!
I think, many men who tie their ties with a Windsor or even a bigger knot assume the more complicated it is the better it is. How wrong.
Kind regards form Germany
I have bought several pairs of long socks and I would like to wear them, but having rather thick calves I find they are either uncomfortable (if they stay up) or they don’t stay up !
I think the half-Windsor a rather practical solution for when a tie is a little narrow in the middle for a 4-in-hand, or when the tie is too long.
Since I converted to a Shelby knot I could never go back…
Four-in-hand. Personally I do not favour it over the Windsor variations. Hence your assertion that it is better as it is “Universally acknowledged truth” falls as a logical consequence…
😉
Thanks guys. Can anyone point out a style icon that wore anything else, out of interest?
Simon, you do a mistake by telling people how to wear things and how not to wear things. I am a supporter of the four in hand, but i would never dare to say its the only knot that a stylish men should wear.
There shouldn’t be any rules to follow, except for formal clothing.
Not too long ago, yourself had been a novice in mens apparel and made a couple of mistakes (like the missing cummerbund or west while wearing black tie).
But thats the beautiful thing, everyone has a different style. It would be real bad if everyone of us woukd run around uniformally like roboters. Different people, different style.
But I like your block, its good.
short socks are wretched for anything but sport, where they are to be worn with trainers, also only to be worn for athletic purposes. but only four-in-hands? a perfectly triangular half-windsor, really not much larger than a FiH if tied on a narrower tie, lifting cleanly away from the neck, with a resulting tiny dimple is a beautiful knot. so called style icons may like the intentional ‘just off’ effect of the FiH, but as stolid and reserved a tailor as Henry Poole puts half-windsors on most of its show pieces and website splash pages.
Here you go:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000001/
I’m not sure what Fred Astaire’s standard knot is but this is either a windsor or half-windsor, certainly not a four-in-hand. I’m not a big fan of the four-in-hand, partly because they are SO common. To me it’s too common and boring. If I wanted to be like others, I wouldn’t even wear a jacket, let alone a tie. Simply wearing a tie sets you apart in today’s world. Also, I think a four-in-hand looks silly in a wide spread collar. A winsdor variation fills the space of a spread collar beautifully, and fits a fuller or wider face of a man who wears this collar.
Nice post.
Here you go:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000001/
I’m not sure what Fred Astaire’s standard knot is but this is either a windsor or half-windsor, certainly not a four-in-hand. I’m not a big fan of the four-in-hand, partly because they are SO common. To me it’s too common and boring. If I wanted to be like others, I wouldn’t even wear a jacket, let alone a tie. Simply wearing a tie sets you apart in today’s world. Also, I think a four-in-hand looks silly in a wide spread collar. A winsdor variation fills the space of a spread collar beautifully, and fits a fuller or wider face of a man who wears this collar.
Nice post.
Tom, it’s a good point but i still disagree. Besides, you say there should be rules with formalwear and those mistakes were made with formalwear. And I wish I had known at that young age how and why it was wrong.
Tim, great photo thanks. I remain convinced of the four in hand but at least there’s one exception that proves the rule.
Anonymous, I’m not sure I would take the stylings of most Savile Row tailors as a firm guide in putting outfits together.
There ARE and SHOULD BE rules, and people who are truly well-versed in those rules can and should break them. There are always exceptions and room to maneuver, but the framework is needed for most. One learns to solo over the rhythm changes before “Giant Steps.”
I do agree with Tim that a four-in-hand looks strange with an extreme spread collar. The answer for most men, I think, is to choose more moderate collars.
I disagree, however, that “simply wearing a tie sets you apart.” Even in this day and age I see a ton every day, and most of them never amount to more than signifiers of class and group. An understanding of the aesthetics of dress is what makes people take notice. -WDM
Not sure that old photos of Hollywood stars of the past should be held up as “Style Icons”. Clothes tend to look good on those guys mainly because they are good looking and recognisable. I see a lot of this in the media currently, it is validation by association.
Know the rules -but for goodness sake break the rules
I totally agree with the concept of over the calf socks,however I believe that each variation of tie knots have their own place (half-windsor for spread collar,full-windsor for cut away collar,etc.)……………anyhow,nice article Simon……..
Interesting how many people still like the windsor and other knots. When I referred to style icons, I was more thinking that I don’t know a single person I admire for their style today who wears anything other than a four-in-hand.
“I always like to use the Windsor knot,” he says.
From GQ’s interview with Fred Astaire: http://www.gq.com/entertainment/celebrities/195708/fred-astaire-gq-interview-style-fashion#ixzz1qwY4pcLM
I find the four-in-hand unattractive, but then again, de gustibus non disputandum est.
P.S. to Anonymous 10:36: Since so few modern men have any sense of style in the classic sense, many men admire the clothes of style icons of the past, including Astaire, Gary Cooper, and the Duke of Windsor.
I agree with you on deploring Windsor and half windsor knots, their symmetry is revolting. I do think however that the double four in hand and the Old Bertie knot both look better than the regular FIH. The regular FIH produces kind of a measley knot in most cases it seems. I find the double FIH or the Old Bertie look much better, still asymmetrical but with a strength to them as well. As for style icons they claim Agnelli wore a double FIH and I know Hugo Jacomet, Kirby Allison, and Marc Guyot wear the Old Bertie as well. As well as King Edward VII, the original Old Bertie!
It depends a little on the tie of course – thickness of silks and of interlinings varies. With a thicker tie, a double four in hand may be too thick.
Personally I like the slimness of a regular four in hand, and don’t particularly want that to be thicker.
Interestingly, it also remains the case years after this post was written, the people I admire most for their style all wear a four in hand.
Who are some of your style icons? I happen to think Agnelli is one of if not the most stylish people ever, but of course taste is personal. Lino Ieluzzi while not a person I want to dress exactly like is certainly one of the most stylish men around today, personal style being the best kind of style. And Lino is an avowed double FIH wearer. I myself find the Old Bertie suits me best, the shape is near perfect and works with almost every tie, it also functions to create the perfect length, a tie that goes below the very top of the waistband is abhorrent to me. Curious who your personal paragons of good style are that you reference as regular FIH wearers. Cheers!
Maybe have a look at our ‘How to dress like‘ series. A lot of my contemporary icons are in there. Lino makes some nice things, but he certainly wouldn’t be in my list
Hi, Simon. For a stylish four-in-hand, where should I construct my dimple? Right in the middle or follow the asymmetry theme and apply them on one side? And could you share your views on a double-dimpled tie knot. Is it a by-product of the number of folds and lengthier width?
First of all, I wouldn’t stress too much about something very minor! Any nice dimple will look great. I think you’ll also struggle to put a dimple on one side or the other of a knot and keep it there or do it consistently.
I’d go with one dimple, and be happy if it’s in the middle vaguely, or multiple ones. As to how to do multiple ones, it helps if the tie is fairly light in construction, but it’s possible with most. Just fold up the edges of the tie as you’re tightening into the knot, rather than folding them down (towards the body)
I can do a video at some point if that would be helpful
That’d be nice! I have observed that a single dimple is the standard for men considered to have good taste. How do you feel about the appropriateness of a tie with more than one dimple, Simon?
I can see how it could be considered a little dandy, but again I think it’s a very small point to be honest. I wouldn’t think it would ever be inappropriate