Q: “I absolutely loved your Eldredge knot post! I’ve been looking for more unique knots like it ever since and came across something called the “Trinity Knot” which also looks really cool. Can you please have an “Ask a Black Lapel Stylist” post teaching us how to tie this one?” – Eric K.
A: We’re glad you liked the Eldredge knot! And as much as we love the classics like the four-in-hand and Windsor knot, its always fun to mix things up once in awhile with a knot like the Eldredge. Now, the Trinity knot is not as tricky as the Eldredge so if you consider yourself an Eldredge veteran already, this should be a breeze! Let’s dive right in:
1. Set the tie around your neck, leaving the big end at the point you want at your belt loop. The Trinity knot is tied with the little end (like the Eldredge).
2. Bring the little end over and under the big end through the loop.
3. Bring it over the top of the loop and put it through on the same side.
4. Go around the back of the hanging end to the other side.
5. Bring the end over the left side of the loop.
6. Bring it behind to the right side of the loop.
7. Bring the end horizontally over the knot (keep it loose).
8. Bring the little end through the loop, over the knot and down through the horizontal loop that was created in step 7.
Break: You got through the hardest part, so take a deep breath and a sip of water. Homestretch baby!
9. Bring the end around the back to your left side (keep it loose).
10. Bring the little end through the top loop.
11. Hide the remaining little end of the tie behind your loop.
12. Congratulations! Brush your shoulder off because you just completed the Trinity knot. Now stand tall, smile and be prepared to accept tons of compliments because no one else is rocking this!
Tips:
– Remember that tie knots like the Trinity or Eldredge are extremely memorable so should be worn sparingly in the right occasion or setting (e.g. a wedding or a party). If you haven’t already, get acquainted with the classics (four-in-hand, Windsor) before indulging in the more exotic head-turners such as the Trinity.
– This tie knot works best with a classic or narrow spread (point) collar vs. a wider spread collar.
– Always be confident when wearing a unique knot such as this and remember, you got this!
What are your thoughts on the Trinity Knot? Share your comments and questions below! Need a tie to tie it with? Try the Black Lapel Solid Gray Tie!
Photo Credit: Alex Krasny
92 commentsWrite a comment
Joe Richarson says:
Jan 28, 2020
I wore my first Trinity knot at a friend’s funeral. I didnt wake the dead but I was mistaken for a minister ,,,,twice.
Nudos Corbata says:
Aug 25, 2017
I have seen a tutorial of the trinity knot in video here but yours has helped me a lot, thanks for sharing
Black Lapel says:
Aug 28, 2017
Glad we could be helpful, Nudos. For more, check out our explainers on how to tie an Eldredge Knot and, of course, how to tie the perfect four-in-hand tie knot.
Mjrowe says:
Aug 5, 2015
Worn a trinity knot twice and everyone loved it. However bith times the tie was “short” ending at my stomach. I kind of liked the short look. I am getting married in September and my wife to be is wondering what the proper length should be. Any help is much appreciated.
Black Lapel says:
Aug 24, 2015
Aim for the tie to end just below the waist of your pants regardless of what kind of know you’re making. The trick, with the Trinity Knot, is to start with the wide blade of the tie already at the desired length. It won’t be moving much once you start to tie the tie so start with the wide end where you want it to end up and you’ll get it right.
Congratulations on the upcoming nuptials. Knock ’em dead.
look says:
Apr 16, 2015
You actually make it appear so easy together with your presentation but I
in finding this topic to be really something which I feel
I might never understand. It seems too complicated and very large for me.
I’m having a look forward in your subsequent submit, I’ll try
to get the cling of it!
Kenneth says:
Apr 8, 2015
Totally adore the Trinity and Eldredge knots, and I recently mastered the Cape Knot as well! At Church recently, our newly installed deacon noticed my tie, a Trinity knot, tied with a Tommy Hilfiger tie and giving the obvious contrast, which I promptly recommended to him when he was not in vestments!
Black Lapel says:
Apr 12, 2015
The trinity may be a Catholic thing when it comes to scripture, but when it comes to what to wear to church, everybody can rock a trinity knot!
cheffamily says:
Mar 13, 2015
I have a question. When was this knot invented? Thank you.
Black Lapel says:
Mar 16, 2015
The trinity knot goes back to pre-Christian Germanic tribes and was the pagan symbol for the Norse god Odin. Suffice it to say, it’s an old idea. When did people first start tying their ties in trinity knots? We have no idea. That’s like asking who invented the book. Surely there was a first person to do it, but they didn’t make a record of it, or keep good notes so we’re left to wonder.
Juan Tabonia says:
Dec 30, 2014
Is this part of the Galvin Collection? http://instagram.com/p/w4VA1xij7D
Black Lapel says:
Jan 5, 2015
Not sure, Juan, this photo came from Alex Krasny.
We are sure that the diagram in the Galvin Instagram image you linked to is ours, but we’ll take that as a compliment.
Mike says:
Apr 19, 2014
I love reading your articles. I’m a big tie guy. I was wondering if you knew the name of when the little end is a different color than the big end? I realized Tommy Hilfiger does it sometimes but they are usually Navy blue. Then I saw Armstrong and Wilson mentioned in this post and I LOVE the contrasts and patterns they use but their ties are to expensive. Where or what else should I look for?
Black Lapel says:
Apr 21, 2014
They say the devil is in the details. We say the stylish devil is in the details. It’s tough to find stylish details like our friends over at Armstrong & Wilson put into all of their ties but there are some brands with lower price points that mix in different details you might like, Mike. For instance, our friends at Bedford & Broome (formerly Everett) makes some of their casual yet sophisticated ties with contrasting tails.
Bruce B says:
Mar 14, 2014
Wore this knot at my Dads wake & funeral, received many favorable comments such as perfectly fitting for an Irishmen. Thanks this is a great knot for special ocasion’s. going to try the Eldredge knot next
Black Lapel says:
Mar 15, 2014
This is a great example of how dressing yourself can be about so much more than superficial looks. What a nice way to pay your respects. Well done, Bruce.
Rusell Nielsen says:
Mar 6, 2014
I love these knots, however I have found another that I am wondering if you know anything about. It is called a “Truelove Knot”.
Black Lapel says:
Mar 7, 2014
We dig it. Give it a shot and let us know how it looks!
Ville V. says:
Dec 4, 2013
I love this knot, it looks very nice. Just out of curiosity, though, I would like to ask if that knot is suitable for an independence day celebration held in a school. Finland has its independence day on Friday and I don’t want to make a too fancy knot.
Black Lapel says:
Dec 6, 2013
We’re not sure how the Finns celebrate national independence but we support you celebrating your personal independence from run of the mill knots.
Therefore, we say go for it! It is a celebration after all.
Loren says:
Nov 1, 2013
I love these How to tie picture diagrams, I’d love to have a high quality prints of these into a book or a blown up version hung up on my wall. The diagrams are sharp, simple, and easy to follow. Are there any more besides the Trinity and Eldridge?
Black Lapel says:
Nov 1, 2013
Thanks, Loren. They would make some pretty cool prints (and also serve as good cheat sheets).
For more, try our Style Hack on How to BS Your Way to a Bow Tie.
James says:
Sep 17, 2013
I need more practise! It looked like I had tied the dog up when I had finished with both this and the Eldridge!
Black Lapel says:
Sep 17, 2013
Style ain’t easy James. That’s part of the fun of these knots, though. You’ll have a real sense of accomplishment when you’ve mastered them. Keep at it!
Sarah says:
Sep 11, 2013
Looks great and was really easy to do. Thanks
Black Lapel says:
Sep 11, 2013
That’s what we’re talking about! Glad we could help.
Jaymeson Lane says:
Aug 10, 2013
I found the Eldredge just in time for my senior prom and you can bet that nobody had seen anything like it. I had a ball tonight and was googling the Eldredge for a refresher when this one caught my eye. I only had 10 minutes, but as promised, after mastering the Eldredge, this one was a breeze and I got it on the first try. Everyone loved it and I even tied a friend’s with the Eldredge! Keep up the good work!
P.S. I am very curious to find out what a Cape Knot is, and if it was possible to do a four-sided version of the Trinity I would love to learn, when might we see more tutorials such as this?
Black Lapel says:
Aug 10, 2013
That’s the great thing about these knots, Jaymeson, they look complicated, but they’re really not. You can learn them in a few minutes and teach them to a friend a few minutes later.
As for upcoming how-to guides, we’re going to do show how to perfect some of the classic knots like the four-in-hand and Windsor soon, but the Cape Knot is intriguing too so we may very well add it to our list.
MarcusT says:
Aug 2, 2013
Yeah I had a oh WOW moment when I tied a Trinity with a Hilfiger and looked in the mirror. I wonder is that the purpose of them using different colors on same tie? You know?
Black Lapel says:
Aug 2, 2013
The multiple colors are a design touch that, for most wearers are for their eyes only. Just another added benefit of doing the Trinity.
MarcusT says:
Jul 29, 2013
I learned this knot elsewhere not to long ago, haven’t seen anyone say but have you guys discovered tying the Eldredge or trinity with a Hilfiger tie that has the skinny end of a different color, oh I love that!
Black Lapel says:
Jul 30, 2013
Nice idea, Marcus. We’ve been digging Armstrong & Wilson‘s ties with the contrasting color on the skinny end. We’ll have to try that.
Javad says:
Jul 22, 2013
thank U very much it was very beautiful & useful
Black Lapel says:
Jul 23, 2013
We’re here to help, Javad.
Mike says:
Jun 30, 2013
LOVE IT !!!!!!!!!! Just the knot to turn peoples neck around and the compliments don’t stop coming !!!!
THANKS
Black Lapel says:
Jul 1, 2013
Glad you like it, Mike! Just wear it in moderation. The compliments can be addictive! 😉
Braden says:
May 15, 2013
Awesome thank u
Black Lapel says:
May 16, 2013
Our pleasure, Braden! How’d the knot work out for you?
Maestraccio says:
May 14, 2013
Don’t ban me for this, as I altered the classic (but imho not holy) knot.
I tried to tie it maybe four or five times, but it looked quite fat and thick every time. So I tried to figure out if I could skip a loop here or there, and I did! If you just leave out steps 2 and 3 and swing the small end directly around the back. The result is a slightly smaller and flatter knot and leaves more small end that can easily be turned around the neck part, under the collar.
Also, I am trying to find out if I can make it four-part instead of three-part, to make it resemble more my company logo (something with suitcases). Any tips?
Black Lapel says:
May 14, 2013
How can we ban you for discovering a new variation of the Trinity knot! 😉 We’ll definitely have to give your version a try. Another way to keep the knot smaller and slimmer is to use a flatter, thinner fabric tie. Let us know if that helps!
Maestraccio says:
May 19, 2013
As announced, I have been fiddling around a bit with this intriguing knot.
The fact that the narrow end ended up somewhere under the collar (and showed up, too) annoyed me, and I figured out how to knot the tie leaving the narrow end actually behind the wide end (where it should end, I suppose). There are two varieties, one fast and casual but nice, and one classic round and decent.
Download the pdf here (sorry, text instructions only in Dutch and translated into English, hope it makes sense…): https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B75wM81nXoBCZUVNV1c0TExfM0U/edit?usp=sharing and try them both out!
Black Lapel says:
May 20, 2013
Now this is dedication! A lot of readers have been having this issue with the knot so we’ll definitely have to give your method a try! Thanks for putting this together, Maestraccio!
Maestraccio says:
May 20, 2013
It was a lot of fun, more than dedication, I guess. Thank you for the inspiration; without you I wouldn’t have known where to start for sure. Please feel free to download and publish the pdf file here on your site and let me know what you and your visitors think of them.
eTahmid says:
May 4, 2013
It is quite tough. But after tiling some times i got it. Thanks for a nice knot.
Black Lapel says:
May 4, 2013
Our pleasure! Glad it worked out for you!
SDBeachLaw says:
May 2, 2013
First time on your blog. I am a law student who used to wear a uniform for work.. so ties are new for me. I love the Eldredge knot, and want to have my ties add interest, not just hang around my neck. Great blog. keep up the good work
Black Lapel says:
May 2, 2013
Awesome to hear! Glad we can help you learn and expand your style!
LoOk•GoOd says:
Apr 20, 2013
Hey I’m also facinated by all these knots….more the Cape knot and the float knot
Please share the tutorials.
Black Lapel says:
Apr 21, 2013
Thanks for the suggestions – we’re working on it! 🙂
Shplee says:
Apr 10, 2013
Love the information! I’ve recently introduced “Why not Tie Knot Wednesdays” here at work where I will be trying a different head-turning knot each week. It has gone over quite well thus far and co-workers are already looking forward what interesting thing I’ve got planned each week.
Thanks for helping me become the center of such great attention
Black Lapel says:
Apr 10, 2013
“Why not Tie Knot Wednesdays” – LOVE IT. We might have to adopt that here at Black Lapel! Glad we could be the source of inspiration!
Broderick says:
Apr 3, 2013
Hey what t type of ties would not go well with this knot
Black Lapel says:
Apr 3, 2013
Hey Broderick! A silk solid colored tie or one with very fine and dense stripes or very small and dense geometric patterns will work best. You should avoid ties with wide stripes, patterns, or florals/paisleys and avoid ties with very thick weaves as that will create too much bulk for the knot to work. Hope that helps!
Levi Keely says:
Mar 31, 2013
I tried both this knot, and the Eldridge knot for Easter Sunday, and got many compliments. Thanks for your easy to read instructions!
I did have one question though: Do you have any more eye-catching knots like these two? I’m trying to get as many unique and beautiful knots as I can, but almost all of them seem like variations of the basic Windsor.
Any ideas?
Black Lapel says:
Mar 31, 2013
Levi, glad you put it to good use! And yes, we have a few more of these head-turners in store for our readers so stay tuned!
JaPat Ventura says:
Mar 27, 2013
Hi BLACK LAPEL!!! i really appreciated how you showed us those exotic and beautiful tie knots. but I want to ask if there is such thing as Cape Tie Knot and on how to do it. i really want to do this kind of tie knot but I am having difficulties on making it. Can you make a step=by-step picture on how to do it? I would really appreciate if you can make one. Hoping for your reply as soon as possible. Thanks and more power to you!!! =)
Black Lapel says:
Mar 27, 2013
Glad you like our tutorials on the Eldredge and Trinity knots. We’ve gotten a few requests on the Cape knot so we’re definitely looking into it. Hope to have something for you soon so stay tuned!
Marie says:
Mar 25, 2013
Just sent the link for this knot to my husband – I think it’s just perfect! Thank you so much
Black Lapel says:
Mar 25, 2013
Marie, your husband is lucky to have a wife with such fine taste in menswear! 🙂
Qui says:
Mar 25, 2013
Thanks for the guide, was very helpful. However when I tried it the re was something a bit off, for some reason I didn’t like the look of it on me. Maybe it was the tie I as using, what sort of tie do you find works best?
Black Lapel says:
Mar 25, 2013
Qui, we find that a solid colored tie or one with very fine and dense stripes or very small and dense geometric patterns will work best. You should avoid ties with wide stripes, patterns, or florals/paisleys. Hope that helps!
Clayton says:
Mar 24, 2013
Awesome! I tried and it looked very handsome! For sure I’ll use it here in Brazil… Thanks a lot!
Black Lapel says:
Mar 25, 2013
Excellent Clayton! We’ll hoist a caipirinha in honor of your achievement! Saúde!
Clayton says:
Mar 27, 2013
hahahaahahahahahaha terrific! invite me when you guys do that =D
jwetle says:
Mar 22, 2013
Can you post the process for tieing a CROSS KNOT? I have had excellent luck with the Eldridge and this Trinity, that you have posted, now I want to learn The Cross Knot…thank you
Black Lapel says:
Mar 23, 2013
We’ll see if we can work that into a future ABLS post for you!
Dave says:
Mar 21, 2013
This took a long time to do. I have to try it a few more times. It’s fun! Thank you.
dave says:
Mar 21, 2013
Hmm, can you show a picture of what to do for the remaining bit? I can’t seem to hide it nicely.
Black Lapel says:
Mar 21, 2013
Hi Dave, hide the remaining end behind the loop and under the collar. Make sure the loop is tightened to keep the loose end in place. Hope that clears things up a bit!
Maestraccio says:
May 19, 2013
Check out this one, it solves all your problems (except the other ones):
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B75wM81nXoBCZUVNV1c0TExfM0U/edit?usp=sharing
Black Lapel says:
Mar 21, 2013
Glad you liked it Dave! It takes a little getting used to at first but the end result is definitely worth the learning curve!
Matty says:
Mar 15, 2013
My tie doesn’t seem to be long enough to do this. Am I doing something incorrectly or do I need to get a longer than normal tie?
Matty says:
Mar 15, 2013
Nevermind, I got it! 🙂
Black Lapel says:
Mar 16, 2013
Nice! That was fast. 🙂
mmcanes says:
Mar 12, 2013
I enjoyed it, this doesn’t work with paisley ties though and it seems that dark colors don’t work well either. Maybe my gold and blue tie will look better for the other graduation I attend. Directions are spot on which made it easy to learn.
Black Lapel says:
Mar 12, 2013
Glad you enjoyed it and found it helpful! The Trinity knot doesn’t work too well with very busy ties. It seems to work best with bright solids and ties with small, consistent patterns. The gold and blue tie sounds like the right choice! Let us know how it works out! 🙂
jwetle says:
Feb 28, 2013
I mastered the eldredge knot, now this is going to be my new stunt….
Black Lapel says:
Feb 28, 2013
Good luck! There are some similarities so this one should be a breeze for you.
Seth Southwell says:
Feb 27, 2013
I love it! Im totally using this at my intern job!
Black Lapel says:
Feb 27, 2013
You’re thinking like a true super intern. 😉
Jackson C. says:
Feb 24, 2013
I love it! Gonna wear this bad boy to church tomorrow and see what rave reviews it gets!
Black Lapel says:
Feb 24, 2013
We’re glad you’re putting it to use so quickly! Let us know how many compliments you get!
Jesse Hernandez says:
Jan 31, 2013
Love, think is aweaome n looks great n gonna try it out tonight
Black Lapel says:
Jan 31, 2013
Sounds like you’ve got a good event planned to debut this bad boy. Let us know how it goes!
DLee says:
Jan 24, 2013
I just wanted to say that this is my first time on your blog and I love it!! Keep up the good work, I’ve learned a lot of interesting and essential information. Your writing is well written and easy to follow. Pictures are always provided in each and every post (a big bonus), and the site is very well laid out. Keep up the good work!
Black Lapel says:
Jan 24, 2013
Thanks DLee! We’re really glad you like The Compass! We aim to help our readers maximize the utility of their wardrobe and hope to inspire them to develop their own sartorial voice!
Jackie says:
Jan 22, 2013
I love it. It’s just the right amount of visual interest without over doing it. I posted a pic on Facebook and Pinterest, and I’m getting asked where people can find the actual tie featured. Can you help me?
Black Lapel says:
Jan 22, 2013
Jackie, we don’t have that specific tie, but we encourage you to explore our tie selection, as well as other great online tie shops such as theknottery.com, thetiebar.com and mrporter.com.
Jackie says:
Jan 22, 2013
Fabulous! Thank you! My husband wears a suit to work every day (he’s in Marketing at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas). So every day is an exercise in looking dapper!
Black Lapel says:
Jan 23, 2013
How exciting! In that case, guess what else we make that might suit his interests?? 😉
Jackie says:
Feb 7, 2013
I am just now seeing this comment (sorry). I’m guessing suits? Ties? Shirts? I am in the market for something “different” for him for Valentine’s day…
Black Lapel says:
Feb 7, 2013
No worries! We were just obnoxiously hinting at our collection of amazingly awesome custom suits and shirts for your dapper man! 😉 Good luck hunting for the right V-Day gift! We’re hoping he read our V-Day guide for your gift. 🙂