The Half Windsor Knot: The “Shortcut Windsor”
The Half Windsor knot, similar to its close cousin the Double Windsor knot, is a large, triangular and symmetrical knot.
With its distinctive shape, the Half Windsor knot projects a certain refinement and confidence for the man wearing it. Though it is not as large as the Double Windsor and not as widely used.
Like the Double Windsor, the Half Windsor will generally work better for men with larger proportions; the wider knot may look a little unwieldy on a smaller man. However, because it is slightly smaller than the Double Windsor, it can be used with a slightly narrower collar.
The name is a bit confusing: you might expect the Half Windsor to be half the size of the “Full” Windsor, when it’s actually about 75-80% of the size. The math gets even more confusing since the the “Full” Windsor is the same as the “Double” Windsor. So by that name, you might even expect the Half Windsor to be 1/4 the size of the Double Windsor…
Point is, don’t pay too much attention to the names. You can just think of the Half Windsor as the “shortcut Windsor” since it allows you to nearly replicate the shape of the Full Windsor with slightly fewer steps.
I actually really appreciate the Half Windsor since it does create a fabulously shaped knot compared to the relatively thin and shapeless 4-in-Hand (standard) tie knot. And it often requires less monkeying around than the Double Windsor. Getting the length right for a Double Windsor can be tough—less so with the half Windsor since there are fewer loops and steps.
In the video above, I show how easy it is to tie the Half Windsor.
If you end up giving it a try, please leave a comment below and let me know how it goes!
Also, you may want to check out these video posts on the related knots:
How to Tie a Necktie: Double Windsor Knot
How to Tie a Necktie: 4-in-Hand Knot
Weekly Inspiration on How to Become a Better Man
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