How To Tie A Shoe

Pattern library / 6 patterns

Dress Shoe Lacing

On a dress shoe the lacing is part of the design. Closed-lacing Oxfords and open-lacing Derbys want different patterns, and the wrong one is visible from across a room.

AD SLOT — TOP LEADERBOARD728x90 / responsive · above the fold · highest viewability on desktop

The footwear

Oxfords have closed lacing: the facings are stitched under the vamp and meet when tied. Derbys have open lacing, with the facings sewn on top, so they accommodate a higher instep. Both usually carry 4–5 eyelet pairs.

The laces

Thin waxed round or flat cotton, 2–4 mm, 60–90 cm (24–36 in). Waxed round is traditional on Oxfords; flat waxed cotton on Derbys and brogues. Never use athletic laces on a leather dress shoe.

All 6 patterns

schematic

Straight Bar Oxford Lacing

Medium5 eyelet pairs

Straight bar lacing is the correct pattern for a formal Oxford. Only horizontal bars show, the facings sit flush, and no diagonal breaks the clean line of the vamp.

Best for: Formal Oxfords with closed lacing

Steps

  1. Thread the lace down through both bottom eyelets so the ends run underneath.
  2. Take each end up two eyelets inside the facing and out.
  3. Bar it straight across and back down the opposite eyelet.
  4. Alternate ends to the top and tie a small flat bow.

Tip
On a five-eyelet Oxford, start one end a row higher so both finish at the top pair.

AD SLOT — IN-ARTICLE 1336x280 / fluid · after first pattern · strongest CTR position on mobile

schematic

Straight European Dress Lacing

Medium5 eyelet pairs

Straight European lacing gives the same visible bars as straight bar but handles odd eyelet counts cleanly by running all hidden diagonals up one side.

Best for: Odd eyelet counts on formal shoes

Steps

  1. Bar across the bottom pair, ends underneath.
  2. Run one end diagonally up under the facing to the opposite side, one row up.
  3. Bar it straight across and back down.
  4. Repeat with the second end, one row higher each pass.

Tip
The pattern seen on most Northampton and Italian factory-laced shoes.

schematic

Criss-Cross Derby Lacing

Easy5 eyelet pairs

Criss-cross lacing is entirely correct on an open-laced Derby, where the visible diagonals suit the more casual construction. It also adjusts more easily for a high instep.

Best for: Casual Derbys and brogues

Steps

  1. Bar across the bottom pair with ends emerging on top.
  2. Cross the ends and thread down into the next pair.
  3. Continue crossing to the top.
  4. Tie a bow that sits parallel to the bars.

Tip
On a Derby, criss-cross lets the facings spread wider, which is the whole point of open lacing.

schematic

Hidden Knot Lacing

Hard5 eyelet pairs

Hidden knot lacing tucks the knot underneath the facing so the shoe shows nothing but clean horizontal bars. It is used on evening shoes and on display footwear.

Best for: Formal shoes with no visible bow

Steps

  1. Lace straight bar to the top pair.
  2. Thread both ends down through the top eyelets so they emerge under the facing.
  3. Tie a flat square knot underneath the tongue.
  4. Tuck the ends alongside the tongue.

Tip
The shoe becomes slip-on. Lace it to your foot once, then leave it.

AD SLOT — IN-ARTICLE 2336x280 / fluid · mid-scroll · second-highest RPM position

schematic

Latigo Lacing

Medium5 eyelet pairs

Latigo lacing finishes by wrapping each end around the vertical lace runs and tucking them, giving a secured shoe with no bow at all. Common on formal boots and monk-style laced shoes.

Best for: Shoes without a bow

Steps

  1. Lace straight bar to the second-from-top pair.
  2. Run each end up its own side without crossing.
  3. Wrap each end twice around the vertical run below it.
  4. Tuck the ends under the wraps and pull snug.

Tip
Holds well on waxed laces. On smooth nylon the wraps will creep loose.

schematic

Two-Eyelet Formal Lacing

Easy2 eyelet pairs

Two-eyelet lacing is a single bar and a knot. On shoes with only two or three eyelet pairs there is nothing to gain from complexity, so the entire craft is in the bow.

Best for: Opera pumps and minimal-eyelet shoes

Steps

  1. Bar the lace across the lower pair.
  2. Cross once and thread up through the top pair.
  3. Even the ends carefully.
  4. Tie a small, flat, horizontally-seated bow.

Tip
A bow on a dress shoe should sit across the shoe, not point up the leg. Retie until it lies flat.

AD SLOT — NATIVE / MATCHED CONTENTresponsive native unit · sits below the last pattern

Gear that goes with these patterns

Disclosure block required above or below this rail. See affiliate-disclosure.html.

Questions about dress shoe lacing

How many dress shoe lacing patterns are there?
This library documents 6 distinct patterns for this category. Across the whole site there are 104 named lacing patterns and knots.
Which pattern should I start with?
Start with the first pattern listed, Straight Bar Oxford Lacing. Straight bar lacing is the correct pattern for a formal Oxford. Only horizontal bars show, the facings sit flush, and no diagonal breaks the clean line of the vamp.
What shoelaces do these patterns need?
Thin waxed round or flat cotton, 2–4 mm, 60–90 cm (24–36 in). Waxed round is traditional on Oxfords; flat waxed cotton on Derbys and brogues. Never use athletic laces on a leather dress shoe.
Will a different lacing pattern really change how the shoe fits?
Yes, within limits. Lacing moves where pressure lands and how firmly the heel is held, which resolves most minor fit complaints. It cannot make a shoe that is the wrong length or width fit correctly.

Other pattern libraries

AD SLOT — STICKY FOOTER320x50 mobile anchor · set to dismissible