What my Mom says about belt loops on kilts

**NorCalPiper** · 13th February 10, 05:19 PM

My Aunt died recently, and being kilted for the funeral in my Matt Newsome kilt. My Mother (Who is an amateur kilt maker herself) asked me why I had the kilt done regimental style regarding loops. I had said that as I had learned that belt loops had not been necessary only for sporran straps. Momma laughed a little and asked why and since she was a girl and as she could remember that non-military kilts had loops for belts. We talked about this and I told her of the stress of the pleat (As I read, and it makes sense to me) with belt loops attached. She noted that she was taught to bring the tops of the loops into the top band of the kilt before sewing on the top band. Once purled inside the weight is drawn on the top band area-Not the pleat. She noted that many makers don't do this and sew the loops on to the pleating strictly, and that is what can cause pleat stress. While conceding that a properly made kilt would not need a belt if made to measure, she felt that belt loops provided a service should one begin to slim. I actually notice that if I'm sitting down or in the car for a while, my belt will , in fact, slip up some-and I dare ANYONE to say that MAtt doesn't make a kilt spot on!

Anyway-Previous thread got me thinking on this and I remembered our conversation.

**Standard** · 13th February 10, 05:29 PM

Interesting post. Sounds like mom knows what she is talking about, but I'll leave my belt outside of the loops, and my sporran inside just in case.

**The Wizard of BC** · 13th February 10, 05:42 PM

Actually it's not where or how the top of the sporran loops are sewn, it's at the bottom of the loop. The loops must be sewn to the pleats at the bottom and when a Kilt belt is put through them it tries to ride up in the back unless the kilt is worn at the natural waist (Just under the ribs and covering the kidneys). The Kilt must also have reverse taper in the area above the top straps to stay in place properly. (Matt does do this)
So, as the belt rides up, it pulls on the bottom of the loops and not the top. This pulls up on the pleats causing the dread "W" to form in the lines of the Tartan. After a few years of wear like this the distortion of the fabric becomes permanent.

But of course there is no law stating that you can't wear your belt through the sporran loops if you so choose.

**bricelythgoe** · 13th February 10, 08:03 PM

Yes, I completely agree...

**Chas** · 14th February 10, 04:15 AM

Originally Posted by bricekolob

Yes, I completely agree...

I understand what Brice is saying and I agree with him.

Regards

Chas

**Redshank** · 14th February 10, 06:11 AM

I must admit all this talk of sporran loops and belt loops amazes me,

I was taught belt loops where a not essential item, only to be added to a bespoke kilt if the wearer wanted them, and they are for the belt, not the sporran, the sporran strap does not go through the loops.

Guess over there you do things very differently

**M. A. C. Newsome** · 13th February 10, 08:35 PM

I agree with your mother that if your kilt has belt loops, they should be sewn on before the top waist band, with the waist band covering the top of the belt loops -- and this is how I make them, when I get requests for them.

But all other arguments about "adversely affecting the hang of the pleats" aside, there is one simple reason why I do not routinely put them on my kilts. I make my kilts modeled much after the original tailored kilts, and none of these early kilts had belt loops. :-)

**Jock Scot** · 14th February 10, 06:26 AM

It is bad form to disagree with anyone's mother, but all I can say is that until I joined this website, I did not know that some kilts even had "belt" loops.

**Redshank** · 14th February 10, 06:41 AM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

It is bad form to disagree with anyone's mother, but all I can say is that until I joined this website, I did not know that some kilts even had "belt" loops.

it's all very confusing for us simple scotsfolk, I guess we live and learn