There are such a wide range of tie styles, knots, designs and colour its can be quite overwhelming when it comes to choosing a tie to wear.
Ties can come in a wide range of length and widths. The width of the tie is normally around 3.5" inches across, however some come as big as 5" while the smallest can be anything between 1.5"-2.5" inches. The smaller width ties are called skinny ties and have become increasingly popular amongst people wanting a formal look with a twist of style. Skinny ties have recently emerged thanks to stars such as Justin Timberlake, Bradd Pitt to name a few who have adopted the skinny tie look.
In the 50's and 60's skinny ties were adopted by icons of that time. Both the beatles and Sinatra's rat pack would all be sporting skinny ties. Skinny ties can come in a wide range of styles and colours and have recently become a staple fashion item of man's wardrobe.
Depending on your need will depend on your knotting style. With over 85 different ways to tie a tie, some are more suitable for tying skinny ties than others. For instance one of the most popular ways to tie a tie is the four in hand knot. This knot is favoured by the spy James Bond in the 007 movies, and is actually one of my favourite knots, probably because its the only one I can do without frustration. This basically involves crossing the longer end of your tie, over the shorter end, Flipping the longer end over both side of the tie to make a V shape, Sliding through the longer end of the tie under the loop that is now formed and tightening. I mastered this with practice, and the length of the tie, will always decide how short the shorter end of the tie should be.
Another favourite knot is the half-windsor, and for those really wanting a challenging knot for their skinny tie the oriental knot is great to master. However since this one locks in place, adjusting it is impossible meaning, if you get stressed and like to adjust your collar you will find this impossible to do.
Regardless of the knot your approach it is always best to turn the colllar's up before attempting to tie your tie, for the first couple of times you make a knot, it is also advisable to place yourself in front of a mirror, so you can make sure you are following all the correct steps.