How to tie your shoelaces properly

Everybody can agree that the devil is in the detail. We usually don't evaluate the whole outfit - how well (or poorly) dressed someone is. At first glance, we rather notice smaller less obvious things. One of these details is often lacing of shoes. So let's take a look at doing it right.

Straight lacing

Best lacing for formal oxford shoes. It's neat, horizontal and elegant. European straight lacing is the most common method. It works best with shoes that have more than four eyelets. Check if your laces are long enough.

This is how you lace your shoe straight:

Criss-cross lacing

Criss cross lacing works best with less formal types of shoes. It's actually the only recommended way to lace open lace derby shoes. It looks nice and symmetrical and prevents quarters from warping, bending and number of other esthetic misbehaviours.

This is how you lace your shoe criss-cross:

Sneakers are up to you

Sneakers play well with a number of casual lacing styles. Anything that's easy to tighten and loosen. If you don't feel like experimenting, criss-cross is a great choice. If you want to be more creative, here is some inspiration.

Either way, don't forget to change your laces from time to time. Dirty and scruffed lace can't be saved even by the neatest lacing.