I am a sucker for a good looking necktie. The problem is, I only wear one a few times a year. But I love the look of a nice shirt and tie.

When I was a kid, my dad taught me how to tie a tie. He taught me how to tie a small knot, what he called a Half Windsor. He never taught me how to tie any other knots. He probably didn’t know any others. So I went through life tying the Half Windsor all the time.

A few years ago, a friend showed me how to tie a Full Windsor knot. I was hooked. That knot was symmetrical and very snappy looking. That’s the knot I use now every time I tie a necktie.

When I received a copy of How To Tie A Tie, by Ryan Tristan Jin, my first though was, “How can there be an entire book about this?” But I was surprised and amazed at the variety of styles and the information that was out there on how to tie a necktie and make it look as good as it possibly can.

Jin begins with the fundamentals, such as fabric choices and matching ties to the rest of your clothes. From there, he moves to tying classic knots, to easy knots, and then finally to some bold looking knots. Some of these I may never use, but it’s good information to have handy in case I do.

The final two chapters cover such things as collar styles, cuff links and jackets, along with information about such wardrobe details. He also covers some final accessories, like pocket squares, watches and shoes.

The best part about Jin’s work is that his illustrations are very easy to follow. I was able to tie a large variety of unfamiliar knots easily, and many of them were very appealing.

Although I skimmed through this in an evening, this is a resource that I will keep handy. I’m sure it will see much use, both as I strive to look my best, and as I teach my sons how to tie a tie.

If you tie a tie frequently at all, you need this resource handy. I suggest you pick up a copy for yourself.

Question: How many different ways can you tie a tie? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

I received this book free from Waterbrook/Multnomah Media as part of their Blogging For Books blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.