Pratt knot
Encyclopedia
The Pratt knot is a method of tying a tie
around one's neck
and collar
. It is also known as the Shelby knot and the Pratt-Shelby.
The knot was invented by Jerry Pratt, an employee of the US Chamber of Commerce. He had been wearing his tie in the Pratt knot for some twenty years before it became popular after TV personality Don Shelby
wore it on air. The New York fashion press then promptly (and mistakenly) attributed the invention of the knot to Shelby.
The Pratt knot is unusual in that its starting position is 'reverse side out', like the Nicky knot, a self-releasing variant of the Pratt. It uses less length than the Half Windsor
or Windsor
knots, and so is well suited to shorter ties or taller men. Unlike the Four in Hand knot, the Pratt method produces a symmetrical knot. It is of medium thickness.
Although these "reverse side out" knots have been attributed to various recent "inventors" ("Pratt", "Shelby") or given fanciful "dedicatory names" ("Nicky" is supposed to derive from the visit of Nikita Kruschev to Milan), the Pratt knot has actually been quite commonly used among Milanese tailors since at least the 1920s, having the advantage of being quite easy to tie a perfect knot on a shop-window mannequin. In Italy, it is simply referred to as the "nodo alla milanese" (Milan style knot).
According to The 85 Ways to Tie a Tie
, the knot is tied
For an explanation of the notation used, see The 85 Ways to Tie a Tie
.
The Nicky is tied
Necktie
A necktie is a long piece of cloth worn for decorative purposes around the neck or shoulders, resting under the shirt collar and knotted at the throat. Variants include the ascot tie, bow tie, bolo tie, and the clip-on tie. The modern necktie, ascot, and bow tie are descended from the cravat. Neck...
around one's neck
Neck
The neck is the part of the body, on many terrestrial or secondarily aquatic vertebrates, that distinguishes the head from the torso or trunk. The adjective signifying "of the neck" is cervical .-Boner anatomy: The cervical spine:The cervical portion of the human spine comprises seven boney...
and collar
Collar (clothing)
In clothing, a collar is the part of a shirt, dress, coat or blouse that fastens around or frames the neck. Among clothing construction professionals, a collar is differentiated from other necklines such as revers and lapels, by being made from a separate piece of fabric, rather than a folded or...
. It is also known as the Shelby knot and the Pratt-Shelby.
The knot was invented by Jerry Pratt, an employee of the US Chamber of Commerce. He had been wearing his tie in the Pratt knot for some twenty years before it became popular after TV personality Don Shelby
Don Shelby
Donald Gilbert "Don" Shelby is a former American news anchor on WCCO-TV in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is regarded as an experienced investigative journalist, as his work has earned two Peabody awards and an Emmy Award....
wore it on air. The New York fashion press then promptly (and mistakenly) attributed the invention of the knot to Shelby.
The Pratt knot is unusual in that its starting position is 'reverse side out', like the Nicky knot, a self-releasing variant of the Pratt. It uses less length than the Half Windsor
Half-Windsor knot
The half-Windsor knot, also known as the single Windsor knot, is a way of tying a necktie which produces a neat, triangular knot. It is larger than the four-in-hand knot and Pratt knot but smaller than the Windsor knot. The half-Windsor is derived from the full Windsor in that it is only brought up...
or Windsor
Windsor knot
The Windsor knot, also referred to as a Full Windsor or as a Double Windsor to distinguish it from the half-Windsor, is a method of tying a necktie around one's neck and collar. The Windsor knot, compared to other methods, produces a wide symmetrical triangular knot. The knot is often thought to...
knots, and so is well suited to shorter ties or taller men. Unlike the Four in Hand knot, the Pratt method produces a symmetrical knot. It is of medium thickness.
Although these "reverse side out" knots have been attributed to various recent "inventors" ("Pratt", "Shelby") or given fanciful "dedicatory names" ("Nicky" is supposed to derive from the visit of Nikita Kruschev to Milan), the Pratt knot has actually been quite commonly used among Milanese tailors since at least the 1920s, having the advantage of being quite easy to tie a perfect knot on a shop-window mannequin. In Italy, it is simply referred to as the "nodo alla milanese" (Milan style knot).
According to The 85 Ways to Tie a Tie
The 85 Ways to Tie a Tie
The 85 Ways to Tie a Tie is a book by Thomas Fink and Yong Mao. The authors were research fellows at Cambridge University’s Cavendish Laboratory...
, the knot is tied
- Lo Ci Lo Ri Co T (knot 5)
For an explanation of the notation used, see The 85 Ways to Tie a Tie
The 85 Ways to Tie a Tie
The 85 Ways to Tie a Tie is a book by Thomas Fink and Yong Mao. The authors were research fellows at Cambridge University’s Cavendish Laboratory...
.
The Nicky is tied
- Lo Ci Ro Li Co T (knot 4)