Advice on Kilt

[neloon]

... this is the way "they" say to wear it.

Not sure who "they" are! I would never dream of putting the sporran strap through those loops. Whether you use them for a belt is really a matter of individual choice as is the choice of wearing a belt at all.

Alan

[TheGratefulNed]

I have no practical advice but USA Kilts is in PA
I suggest visiting Rocky and seeking his advice, all the gentleman here on the board highly recommend him and his business.

I definitely plan on making a trip down to see Rocky at USA Kilts when I'm ready (and able) to buy a nice, high-quality kilt, but at ~7 hours driving time for the round trip, it's unfortunately not a simple afternoon jaunt. The kilt belt and buckle that I wear with my utility kilt came from USA Kilts and I'm going to order my sporran hangers from him (wish I'd seen the flash sale last evening). I love the knotwork embossing on my belt and the leather work on the hangers looks just as nice.

The jacket, shirt and tie issue (considering your beard) may be your only snag. I'd think that gold or rust colored hose, green flashes and gold/rust kerchief would work. This will distract from a simple solution of white shirt, turn down collar and thin straight (I'd choose an emerald color, solid or slightly patterned) tie.

The first high quality kilt I get is going to be either Ireland's National or Irish National tartan. I like your idea of the gold/rust hose and think they'd look quite nice with the Irish National, but I wonder how they would look if I got Black Watch or some other generally-permitted tartan that doesn't have gold/yellow in it. I think you might be onto something with the thin straight emerald green tie since you can't really see the knot behind my beard. Probably a 3-button waistcoat would be best with that.


This is the first I'm hearing that the belt loops in a kilt aren't for a kilt belt or that a kilt belt wasn't originally intended for keeping the kilt in place. I always assumed it was a byproduct of the Feileadh-mhor, where, if I understand the wearing of it correctly, the belt was specifically for keeping the kilt closed and in place. I learn at least one new thing every time I come on this forum.

[Tobus]

Not sure who "they" are! I would never dream of putting the sporran strap through those loops. Whether you use them for a belt is really a matter of individual choice as is the choice of wearing a belt at all.

Alan

I had to search way back to remember the discussions we had. I found this one from 2011. It was actually a quote from a co-author of the book The Art of Kiltmaking (see post #19 in that thread) where it was recommended not to put the belt through those belt loops, but to reserve them for a sporran strap if the wearer fears the strap slipping down. So I suppose it was not a traditionalist viewpoint at work there, but practical advice from a kiltmaker. Barb Tewksbury posted some photos in that thread to show why it's not a good idea to use the belt loops for a belt, as they will distort the kilt over time.

I find myself not wearing a belt most of the time these days, but I still put my sporran strap through the loops out of habit. I don't necessarily think the strap would slip down out of place, but it does ensure that it's high enough at the rear not to interfere with my lower hip buckle/strap on my kilt as it comes around the side.

[Tarheel]

I find myself not wearing a belt most of the time these days, but I still put my sporran strap through the loops out of habit.

I have the same habit of putting my soprran strap through the two loops closest to my sides. I ignore the rear and front loops for the strap.

[ThistleDown]

I have the same habit of putting my soprran strap through the two loops closest to my sides. I ignore the rear and front loops for the strap.

The tab straps on the side were originally intended for kilt hanging. The rear loops probably came about with the one-size-fits-all demands of the for-hire trade because a kilt really doesn't need a belt if it has been properly fitted, but can you tell us a bit more about the 'front loops'?

[Tarheel]

but can you tell us a bit more about the 'front loops'?

I see now that the word front was not a proper choice. There is one loop in the rear of my kilt, There are two loops on side and two more just in front of those but not quite to the apron. Those loops fall just in front of my ilium or hip bone.

[tpa]

All my kilts have come with loops and the oldest is over 60 years old. I have never used them for the sporran straps because I find it much easier to buckle the strap at the front then swivel it round to the back without it catching on loops. If the strap is a chain on which the sporran cannot slide, then swivelling the sporran round to the side is much easier if the leather ends of the chain do not have to pass through loops.

If I wear a belt it is to hold things other than the kilt so does not need to be very tight and I do usually thread it through the loops as they prevent whatever is hanging off it (pouch, camera, penknife, etc.) disappearing around my back.

[Jock Scot]

All my kilts have come with loops and the oldest is over 60 years old. I have never used them for the sporran straps because I find it much easier to buckle the strap at the front then swivel it round to the back without it catching on loops. If the strap is a chain on which the sporran cannot slide, then swivelling the sporran round to the side is much easier if the leather ends of the chain do not have to pass through loops.

If I wear a belt it is to hold things other than the kilt so does not need to be very tight and I do usually thread it through the loops as they prevent whatever is hanging off it (pouch, camera, penknife, etc.) disappearing around my back.

I suppose I have worn the kilt for just a wee tad longer than the age of your oldest kilt TPA and within a fairly large kilt wearing family too. I have to confess that until I joined this website I had no idea that there were such things as belt loops on kilts! Suffice to say that the family, past and present, has managed perfectly well without belt loops on the kilt. Each to their own.

[YOJiMBO20]

All my kilts have come with loops and the oldest is over 60 years old. I have never used them for the sporran straps because I find it much easier to buckle the strap at the front then swivel it round to the back without it catching on loops. If the strap is a chain on which the sporran cannot slide, then swivelling the sporran round to the side is much easier if the leather ends of the chain do not have to pass through loops.

My kilts have all had belt loops that I use for the sporran belt only. My band, like most, uses chain belts, and I found the easiet way to put mine on is to unclip the chain from the sporran on one side (keep the belted part fastened) and pass it through the loops then clip it back into the sporran.

I make sure to unclip one side for putting it on and the other side for taking it off to stop the belt buckle from snagging on the loops.

[jthk]

I had to search way back to remember the discussions we had. I found this one from 2011. It was actually a quote from a co-author of the book The Art of Kiltmaking (see post #19 in that thread) where it was recommended not to put the belt through those belt loops, but to reserve them for a sporran strap if the wearer fears the strap slipping down. So I suppose it was not a traditionalist viewpoint at work there, but practical advice from a kiltmaker. Barb Tewksbury posted some photos in that thread to show why it's not a good idea to use the belt loops for a belt, as they will distort the kilt over time.

I find myself not wearing a belt most of the time these days, but I still put my sporran strap through the loops out of habit. I don't necessarily think the strap would slip down out of place, but it does ensure that it's high enough at the rear not to interfere with my lower hip buckle/strap on my kilt as it comes around the side.

Despite my fondness for belts and belt buckles, I have found that the more I wear a kilt, the less I want to wear a belt. I know it looks strange to some modern western sensibilities (it, indeed, looked strange to me at first, too) but I find a kilt more comfortable without a belt.

I simply wrap my sporran belt over the belt loops and find that I use those loops less and less to the point where I may remove them.