What’s in a Name?
Four-in-Hand Tie

The popular four-in-hand knot has subsequently become synonymous with the style of tie itself.

The term is derived from the four-in-hand carriage that is drawn by four horses with their reins rigged to be driven by a single driver with one hand. Various authorities ascribe the tie knot to either the knot used for the reins or the knot used by the drivers for their neck scarves.

(Not So) Well Suited

One of the ways that the English aristocracy used to maintain class distinction was to require clerks to incorrectly combine the formal wing collar with the informal long tie. Today, legions of similarly attired Americans seem oblivious to their resemblance to Edwardian barristers.

Contemporary Neckwear

The Basic Rules: black bow tie in silk to match jacket facings

The Classic Details: self-tie models only

• Colors and Patterns

Even during the heinous sartorial experimentations of the sixties and seventies the black bow tie remained sacrosanct in semi-formal wear. Paradoxically, when classic styling returned to black tie in the eighties and nineties the bow tie would often be treated as the sole exception to the rules.

The most common transgression was the matching of the tie to the waistcoat or cummerbund and this remains a staple of rented formal wear today. In fact you won’t even find a bow tie category on the menus of many of the rental Web sites – you have to search under “vests” or “cummerbunds” instead. Just like the wearing of identical long ties and pocket squares with business suits, this juvenile practice is best left to actual juveniles.

Even when not paired with a waist covering, a colored bow tie should still be avoided. Discreet black and white patterns, on the other hand, may be successfully executed in black-tie neckwear. See Contemporary Personalization for more details.

• Style

The current trend among some designers is towards bow ties that are distinctly undersized. While such changes in fashion do not technically affect an outfit’s formality, the fact remains that extremes in tie, shoulder, lapel and trouser width are never flattering to the average man. See the Classic Neckwear section for practical guidelines in choosing a tie size.

Alternatives

Four-in-Hand Tie (Beginner Black Tie)

Although it is not legitimate black-tie attire, the long necktie has become an increasingly popular alternative to the bow tie among young formalwear renters and trendy celebrities. Since it is made of the same color and material as evening bow ties it would stand to reason that it also shares the same level of formality. However the reality is that the bow tie offers a distinctive appearance and century-old tradition that the alternative cannot match.

Consequently the “formal” four-in-hand actually lowers the status of a tuxedo to that of an informal black suit, particularly when worn with a notched-lapel jacket and plain-front turndown-collar shirt. Attempting to raise the level of formality by pairing the tie with a pleated wing-collar shirt is oxymoronic and only succeeds in transforming the overall look from bland to disjointed. Like the pre-tied bow tie, the four-in-hand is a training tie for men not yet confident enough to tackle the grownup version.

For those occasions when a dressed-up suit or a dressed-down tuxedo is appropriate - Black Tie Optional events, for example - the same rules should be applied to the four-in-hand as the bow tie: The material should be black silk, the satin or grosgrain finish should match the lapel finish and the tie should be self-tied. Patterns will only make the tie even more informal and colored neckwear is strictly for the prom.

A peaked-lapel jacket and a black waistcoat are an excellent counterbalance to the informality of the four-in-hand provided that the waistcoat is a higher-cut model because the low-cut classic was not designed to be worn with this style of tie. Shawl collars, on the other hand, have an Old World air that does not suit the modern long tie and it should go without saying that cummerbunds are completely incongruous with four-in-hands.

Continental Tie, Western Neckwear

Introduced in the 1960s, continental ties are rarely seen today. The crossover style is simply a strip of satin fabric that overlaps under the throat where it is held together by a pin or snap. While it lacks the personal panache of a self-tied bow, its understated and unique design makes it passable at less formal occasions.

Even less common is the V-shaped continental tie which is basically a pointed satin choker that fastens behind the neck. Decorated with a small white pin in the center of the exposed front, it can be as elegant as the crossover style. Embellished with a more elaborate pin or broach, it approaches the worst excesses of the New Wave look.

Crossover continental ties are primarily found at western-themed formal shops today, along with formal string ties and bolo ties which should be reserved for black-tie rodeos. And even then, stick to black colors and turndown collar shirts unless you're serving fried chicken at the concession stand.