From my first kilt, made by my Grandmother when I was a teen back in the 1970s, to the various Army kilts I wore in the late 70s, to the kilts I've had made for me from around 1980 to a few months ago, none have had loops.

Kilts aren't trousers, and I don't think the right course is to try to get an improperly fitting kilt to stay up by cinching a dirk belt around it. Properly fitting kilts stay up on their own.

These belts were called "dirk belts" in the old days and were worn to support a dirk, but rarely otherwise.

I rarely wear a belt when I'm out piping:



though I know it's the modern tradition to wear kilt jackets open with a dirk belt showing.

I especially dislike it when I see belts peeking out from under waistcoats (vests). It looks slopply to me. You don't see that in the old days.

End of rant.