4 Common Ways to Tie Shoelaces for a Casual, Secure Fit

Styling Tips

If you're looking to learn or teach the basics of shoe tying, this visual guide to common lacing techniques is a great starting point.

Last updated: 14 September 2022
4 min read
How to Tie Shoelaces

You probably tie your shoes multiple times a day without a second thought. Most people have a preferred lacing approach—probably based on how they learnt as kids. But with a few slight adjustments, it's easy to optimise basic shoe-tying techniques for comfort, tighter knots and a more secure fit. Read on to learn how.

How to Tie Shoelaces: 4 Common Techniques

For most casual activities, it's important to have a knot that won't come undone, makes your shoe feel secure and features a bow that's neat and centred. Here are four common lacing techniques, each with a small variation depending on your needs.

  1. 1.Standard Shoelace Knot

    While a standard shoelace knot won't necessarily guarantee the most secure running shoe, it's perfect for casual kicks. If you need a little extra security, you can always do a double bow (see No. 4 below), but for most situations, this single-knot method works fine.

    How to tie your shoes with a standard knot:

    1. Cross the laces to make an "X".
    2. Wrap the top lace under the bottom lace and pull it through.
    3. Make a loop with one end of the shoelace.
    4. Wrap the other lace around the loop once.
    5. Make another small loop with the wrapped lace and pull it through the "hole" in the middle.

    This method is also known as the "loop, swoop and pull knot", and it's most likely how you tie your laces today.

  2. 2.Two-Loop Shoelace Knot (AKA "Bunny Ears")

    Another standard knot for casual shoe wear, the two-loop knot, alternatively known as the "bunny ears" knot, is the method many children first learn. It's easy to teach and learn, but it's not always the fastest way to lace 'em up.

    How to tie your shoes with a two-loop knot:

    1. Cross the laces to make an "X".
    2. Wrap the top lace under the bottom lace and pull it through.
    3. Make a loop with each end of the shoelace ("bunny ears").
    4. Cross them and pull one loop through the "hole".
    5. Pull tight by holding each loop at the top.

    Tip: Aside from taking more time, the biggest drawback here is it's easy to end up with a lopsided and messy bow. If this bothers you, go slowly and finish with a tight pull.

  3. 3.Better-Bow Shoelace Knot

    For a more secure tie—that isn't terribly complicated—try the better-bow knot. This style is a variation on the standard shoelace knot with one different step. Instead of wrapping the second shoelace around the loop once, wrap it twice. All the other steps are identical to the standard knot.

    How to tie your shoes with a better-bow knot:

    1. Cross the laces to make an "X".
    2. Wrap the top lace under the bottom lace and pull it through.
    3. Make a loop with one end of the shoelace.
    4. Wrap the other lace around the loop twice.
    5. Make another small loop with the wrapped lace and pull it through the "hole" in the middle.
  4. 4.Double-Bow Shoelace Knot

    This loop is another variation of the standard lacing method with one additional step for extra knot security. This is a good loop to use any time you want to avoid having your laces come undone.

    How to tie your shoes with a double-bow knot:

    1. Cross the laces to make an "X".
    2. Wrap the top lace under the bottom lace and pull it through.
    3. Make a loop with one end of the shoelace.
    4. Wrap the other lace around the loop once.
    5. Make another small loop with the wrapped lace and pull it through the "hole" in the middle.
    6. Finish by crossing the two loops, wrapping one loop under the other one and pulling it through.

    Tip: This is a great lacing method for synthetic or coated shoelaces, which can cause the knots to slip more easily.

A Brief History of Tying Shoes

People have been using some form of string to tie shoes together since ancient times. But shoelaces as we know them today have been around since 1790, when Englishman Harvey Kennedy took out a patent for the laced design. Although the concept of laces had been around for ages, Kennedy can claim the aglet, the little plastic or metal wrap at the end of each side of your shoelaces.

How Many Ways Are There to Tie Shoes?

If you crunch the numbers, there are over a trillion ways to lace your shoes up, assuming your shoe has six pairs of eyelets, the standard amount. How you lace through the eyelets impacts the look of the laces and tightness of the tie. Some of these knot options might not be the quickest, but they'll inject fresh options into your shoe look and feel.

RELATED: What Are the Parts of a Shoe?

Originally published: 10 February 2022

Related Stories

The Best Nike Gifts for Best Friends

Buying Guide

9 Nike Gift Ideas for Your Best Friend

12 Nike Gift Ideas for Basketball Players to Shop Now

Buying Guide

12 Nike Gift Ideas for Basketball Players

The Best Fitness Gifts From Nike

Buying Guide

The 8 Best Fitness Gifts From Nike

The Best Nike Gear for Lacrosse Players

Buying Guide

The Best Nike Gear for Lacrosse Players

The Best Nike Headbands for Running

Styling Tips

The Best Nike Headbands for Running