Necktie Basics

Tying a necktie
Contrary to popular opinion, lunchtime is not the point during the day when the majority of silk neckties are damaged. Accidents are actually most common during the knot making process. Because silk is such a delicate fabric, it’s easily damaged by hands that aren’t clean and sharp-edged fingernails. The stains unclean hands can cause are obvious. An unfiled fingernail is a sneakier but no less dangerous menace because it can snag, then pull out a single thread – which ruins the tie. Also, try not to tie your knots unnecessarily tight. Knots that are too tight put strain on the fabric and may cause permanent crease.

Untying a necktie
Always unknot your neckties when you're not wearing them, because leaving them knotted will cause permanent creasing. Of course, unknotting it means you’ll need to tie it again the next time (which may violate the teachings of “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”). But remember, the longer your tie is left knotted the harder it is to remove the crease.

The easiest method for untying a necktie is to simply pull the small end (the tail) out of the knot. But this is also a good way to significantly decrease the longevity and crease your necktie. The only way to properly unknot your necktie is by reversing the knot itself. First, loosen the tie a little and then slip the large end through the knot. This method will untwist the silk fibers and wool lining and help alleviate light creases.