How to tie your shoes the correct way!

Many people don't know there is a strong version and a weak version of the simple bow knot to tie up shoes. Most likely you've been tying your shoes incorrectly your whole life!

Back to preschool for shoe tying lessons.. (or back to highschool if you're like me and rocked the velcros as long as possible)

Make the cross - easy

Make your loopdyloop

Putting the other loose lace around the front of the loop then towards the back of the loop (towards yourself)

Make the loose end lace into a loop and pull it through to make your bow :)

congratulations! this is the wrong way. If you pull the lateral strings (stained red in the picture) and they orient themselves as shown - you've been wrongly tying your shoes for god knows how long

Now the correct, strong version of the knot. Start with the cross again...

Make your half-bow

Now this time, go the OTHER way around the bow... Behind the bow (nearer to yourself) then around the frontside of the bow towards the toe of the shoe.

Pull the loose-end lace through the hole and pull to tighten

Now when you pull the lateral laces, the bows remain straight across, perpendicular to the direction of the shoe - the strong bow! Enjoy never having to go Velcro again :)