The Christiansen or the Cross knot is a long narrow knot. These characteristics make it perfect for shirts with narrow collars. The knot is formal looking but still has a touch of flare. It looks good with most necktie widths and patterns but I prefer how it looks with narrow ties. If you are interested in other knots that are also long and narrow check out the Van Wijk and the Four-in-Hand.
Knot Dossier
Difficulty: Med
The double loop in the front make it more difficult to than the average knot. Despite that, it is only a few moves and the length is forgiving.
Fabric Consumption: Med
The Cross consumes about as much fabric as a Windsor. If you an average sized person you should have no issues.
Symmetry: Med
Although the knot’s shape has symmetry, the way it is layered still makes it asymmetric. It strikes an interesting balance.
Style: Any
The front of the knot is flat and presented with confidence, there are no lines or folds to disrupt patterns and stripes. Anything will look perfectly fine when worn with a Cross.
Venue: Any
It looks formal and symmetrical enough for formal events, but still interesting enough to hold it’s own at parties and wedding events. It is also a good knot to wear loose which is a bonus for more casual working environments or nights on the town.
Tips
- Wear with narrow collar shirt
- Great with vests
- Looks best on skinny men
- “Traditional” exotic knot, accepted at most venues
Diagram
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I love this knot. Most versatile of all knots. Easy to tie too.
The diagram picture doesn’t look anything like the other pictures or the video knot!
A nice subtle knot, but I must admit to being slightly disappointed by the name – I came across this via Google while checking if the knot I “invented” (looking like this) had already been created by anyone else…
That is original indeed!