Beer Gut + Traditional Kilt = Barrel? Help!

[Phogfan86]

Macmillan, can you provide a link to the item on those web pages? Sorry, but I can't find the belt keepers.

[ccga3359]

The belt shouldn't be considered decorative as much as part of the kilt, although yes a quality kilt should hold itself up. It depends on where you hold the extra weight, if it's mostly lower down the kilt may tend to migrate up not down. Much as I like SWK they tend to be cut for some with no hips. Wear your Stillwater and enjoy but treat yourself to bespoke kilt next time a USA Kilt or Canadian Casual Kilt in a quality PV is surprisingly not that much more than a wool SWK, and it's made for you in your size.

[The Wizard of BC]

I hope I can help a little with this problem.

I don't do a "Beer Gut Cut" as that is a technique used by the Utilikilts Co. What I do is slope the waistband of each and every Kilt I make.To understand what Slope is look at yourself in a mirror while wearing jeans. Stand sideways and you will see the waistband is lower in the front than it is in the back. This is Slope. Everyone has Slope and the lower you wear the waistband of your clothes is the more Slope will be appearant.
Slope is also be greater the more of a belly you have.

Now, here is how I am now trying to get "Gentlemen of Substance" to measure for their Kilts.

FORGET using the naval or any other reference in the front of your body. Use where the waistband would fit at your back.

Here is my description;

Spread the fingers of your hand and reach around placing your hand on your back with your fingertips on your spine and your thumb just under your ribs. Just under your hand you will find your "Love Handles". Just above them you will find an indentation that is about at the level of your Kidneys. If you bend from side to side you will feel your thumb go into an indentation at your side just below your ribs. This is your Natural Waist. It is where the top Straps of a Traditional Kilt will cinch into.

Now take a belt. Any sort of belt will do as long as it will go around you at the level of your Natural Waist. Place the belt at the place your hand was and tighten it till it is snug but not overly tight. Then move around a little. Bend and sit. The belt will find its own natural place to sit in the front but stay tucked into the Natural Waist.

This is where a Traditional Style Kilt should be measured at. Depending on your individual shape the belt may end up at your Navel, as much as three or four inches above your Naval or almost anywhere. Don't worry about it. If the belt settles into a place where it naturally wants to sit then that is also where a Kilt will naturally sit.

[Colonel MacNeal]

A black (or other dark color) waistcoat over the top of the kilt can be very slimming. You wouldn't have to wear a belt then. The waistcoat could even cover "kiltspenders".

[ccga3359]

I don't do a "Beer Gut Cut" as that is a technique used by the Utilikilts Co.

My apologies Steve, and to think you've corrected me on this before. My mind is slipping as my age progresses, something you know all about... or do you?

[The Wizard of BC]

They say that the first thing to go with age is memory.

I can't remember what the second thing is.

[The Wizard of BC]

I have found and tell all my customers who are Gentlemen of substance that the higher you wear your Kilt the more slimming it is.

It's amazing how many eyes I have seen wide with surprise when a Natural Waisted Kilt is tried on the first time.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Macmillan, can you provide a link to the item on those web pages? Sorry, but I can't find the belt keepers.

I don't know how to do that BUT go to New London Regalia and click on Knight Templar in the menu bar on the left hand side of the page. Now click on BELTS AND ACCESSORIES, and there you are. Belt hooks are the first item on the page.

[ccga3359]

I don't know how to do that BUT go to New London Regalia and click on Knight Templar in the menu bar on the left hand side of the page. Now click on BELTS AND ACCESSORIES, and there you are. Belt hooks are the first item on the page.

Please allow me:
Belt hooks

[Cavebear58]

...As ForresterModern has suggested, if your kilt keeps giving in to gravity (and remember, it should be snug around the waist) then you need to consider using suspenders/braces.

I'd second this. A few weeks ago I stopped wearing the belt with my kilt and started using braces (as we call them here), and the comfort improvement was extraordinary. I wish I'd thought of it years ago!

The next question is what to wear to cover the gut and braces... waistcoats, v-necked sweaters, fleeces and sweatshirts all come to mind.

Cheers, Graham.