Tired of the shirt-and-tie look? An Ascot or knotted scarf can add a special flair. This knot should be easy for anyone who knows the Four in Hand.

And even if you don't know the Four in Hand, this knot is pretty simple: Over, Under, Around, and Through.

Step 1: Ready?

First, find an Ascot. That's probably the hardest part of this whole process. I wanted a silk one for a holiday party, and couldn't find one to my taste at any of the shops downtown. I ended up ordering one over the Internet from Italy.

If you can't find a pre-formed Ascot, this style of tie will work with a thin scarf.

Unbutton your collar and a few buttons. Place the cloth around your neck, with one side slightly longer than the other.

Step 2: Over

Grab the longer end of the tie and cross it over the shorter end.

Step 3: Under

Bring the long end back under the short end.

Step 4: Around

Loop the long end around the front of the knot.

Step 5: Through

Bring the long end through the Y at the neck, but not through the loop you just made. Unlike in the Four in Hand, you want the top piece of cloth in the knot to be loose. The actual knot will be hidden by this piece.

You'll probably want to pull the sides of the top piece of cloth so that the Ascot is not too narrow.

Step 6: Tuck and Tighten

Tuck both ends of the ascot into your shirt.

Move the knot upwards by grabbing the knot (under the top piece of fabric) and pulling it up, while you pull gently downwards on the back piece of fabric.

As you make the knot tighter, close buttons on your shirt until you achieve the look you want. You may choose to wear the ascot tightly, or to show a bit more skin around it.

Step 7: Adjust

You can make the tie more puffy by pulling the top further out of the collar. The tight shirt will hold it in place. You can make the tie less puffy by reaching between your buttons and pulling down on the fabric.