Belt through loops or over?

[Brian F]

Matt and I have posted many times on this forum about "loops". Matt has written a lot on the history of loops, and kilts 50 years ago had no loops at all. Loops started to appear as small loops to carry the sporran strap so that it wouldn't feel like it was going south. Over time, the loops evolved to be be big enough to force a belt through, and then people expected to be able to put belts through them, so they've gotten bigger yet. I've seen some that are 6"' deep.

As a kiltmaker, I don't like to see people put a belt through these loops. The minute you sit or bend over, the belt pulls on the bottoms of the loops and distorts the horizontal line of the kilt. If you go to a Highland games and look a kilt that's been worn a lot (lots of band kilts are this way) with a belt through loops, the kilt is permanently distorted right at the loops, and even the kilt bottom pulls up.

That said, a lot of guys are aware of this but still make the decision to use the loops for a belt because they feel that the belt stays put better. I'm of the opinion that a well-fitting kilt doesn't need loops to put a belt through, but, having said that, I do put loops on if someone asks for them, although I try to discourage them.

Now that's a convincing argument if I've ever heard one!

~Yeti