Belt through loops or over?

[Brian F]

I only have belt loops on my X-Kilt, but I do wear both my sporran and belt through them. I plan to put loops on my next two kilts, for sporran/belt purposes, also.

However, I've got two kilts with not belt loops...a little trouble sagging in the back, but not enough to fuss over.

~Yeti

[berserkbishop]

All my kilts have belt loops that are very wide so I run my belt through them. I used to put my sporran strap through as well, but I don't now because it would get hung up when I slid my sporran to the side for various things like playing guitar and what not.

BB

[Gryphon noir]

It depends how big the belt loops are relative to the width of the belt.
I've experimented with the various combinations mentioned, and I find that putting the belt through the belt loops keeps everything in place quite nicely.
Even though it is a bit of a pain, I feed the sporran belt through the belt loops as well. I find it keeps the sporran at a comfortable height, and there is nothing sticking out that could catch on any other clothing [a consideration, if you wear your kilt to a dance]. Most recently, I tried a pair of Stillwater sporran hangers, and I find it even more convenient.
"Correct?" Well, what is correct?

[Nervous Jock]

If your kilt is made to measure there should be no requirement to use belt loops as the kilt should sit correctly on you. I have 2 kilts one with one without and I've never used the loops on the one with.

[Phil]

I,m the same as Nervous Jock, one kilt with loops and one without. I've heard it said to put the sporan strap through the loops but you really shouldn't need them, certainly not for your belt.

[JRB]

I prefer to run my kilt belt through the belt loops on my 8yd. tank. When I tried to wear the kilt with the belt over the loops, I found that all the extra yardage in the back pulled my kilt down just enough to cause the belt to slip up over the top. My 4yd. box pleated kilt (which has no belt loops) is much more evenly balanced and doesn't sag in the back. I wear my sporran over the belt loops. I find it much easier to put on, take off and slide it around my waist when I need to.

[McClef]

Very few of my kilts do not have belt loops but I often don't use them for either sporran or belt.

Just think it's nice to have the option.

[graham_s]

I put my belt through the loops (there are two at the back), I don't put the sporran strap through the loops to make it easier to move the sporran to the side when driving.

[beowulf67]

Most of the time I use the belt loops for the belt and sporran strap. But sometimes I just put it on over the top without even thinking about it. I haven't noticed that it makes much difference, though sometimes the belt rides up a little when it's not in the loops

[Barb T]

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.