Belt through loops or over?

[Barb T]

Did anyone else notice in three or four posts above, there is Barb in her avatar. And just below is my post.

Notice how Barb is sitting there with her arms crossed and that "Teacher" look on her face. Looking down at my post, I can almost see her head shaking from side to side and her making that tsk, tsk sound.

Creepy.

Kinda like Barb saying "Steve, I write you books and I write you books and all you do is chew on the covers."

hahahhahaha - I love you, too, Steve!

[Macman]

I sometimes put the belt through the loops, depending on the kilt, but I've never put the sporran straps through them. We should take a poll on this topic.

[Tartan Hiker]

Now, if you kilt moves on your body as you move through you day, you are not wearing the kilt where it was designed to Fit. If you have a properly made Traditional Kilt and you are wearing it at the natural waist the kilt cannot move down because you get bigger below the straps and you also get bigger above the straps so the kilt can't move up. The only way I can think the kilt would be shifting is the kilt is not cinched into the waist.

Thanks for all the info. I still haven't gotten a copy of "the book" yet, and i guess it shows.

Re the above...my kilts don't move during the day, regardless of what I'm doing. My belt is the one that I can't keep at home. Maybe I'm just shaped funny?

[Ozman1944]

I usually put the Sporran strap through the loops first, then the belt (looks tidier at the back) If no loops, then still sporran first, then belt to keep sporran strap in place.

[Standard]

Thanks all, getting pretty much the answers that I was expecting. Seems like the belt-loop issue is like so many other topics a matter of taste with no hard and fast rules.

I do appriciate Barb's comments about possible longterm disfiguring of the kilt, and this is something to definately keep in mind with the replacement cost of a good handsewn tank. The kilt automatically came with two belt-loops in the back, with no mention of the option of not having them, I suppose they could be removed, however I think that I'll leave them stay for a while and not make too much fuss over them one way or another.

[Dalmore]

Interesting topic!
Barb, you make a good logical argument for not wearing a belt through the loops. Up until now, the objections I have encountered have given nothing more than "it's just not right" as the reasoning.

Anecdotally, at one kilt night at St. Andrews in NYC, a Scottish lady (don't know if she was visiting or lived here) said that a few of us in our kilt group were wearing our belts wrong (in the loops). So, there are those in the know who know...you know what I mean.

I personally always wear the sporran strap through the loops. My kilts fit well and never ride up or down so I don't really need a belt. My belt is entirely for aesthetics and the extra kilt bling factor, LOL. I think a belt does dress up my midsesction a bit for some of my kilts moreso than others. And when I wear the belt it is usually through the loops under the sporran strap.

<entering the danger zone>
Given the choice of wearing a belt over the loops or not at all...I choose 'not at all'. I think the belt over the loops looks a tad goofy for me - personally. It may be fine for others but I dunno...doesn't do thing for me.
<exiting the danger zone>

I am going to attempt to go without a belt and see how it feels and looks. I like the look of the buckles and now I don't have to cover them up - a side benefit in my book. The only time I can see absolutely needing a belt is if I plan on wearing my sporran hangers instead of a sporran strap.

We'll see, I might eat my words in a month.

[SFCRick]

Sometimes I put the belt in them, if I'm not wearing a coat or vest. Sometimes I don't If something covers up the back. I never put my sporran belt in, so that it is easy to shift my sporran to the side.

[Riverkilt]

I do so love rules....NOT....

I just went with what seems to work for me - comfort - the reason I'm kilted in the first place.

So, I've quit wearing belts with my tartan kilts and my Freedom Kilt dress model. I mean hey, they have those mini belt thingies on them already...

I do use the loops to run my sporran strap through since I'm up and down a lot. Hope it doesn't mess up my kilt pleats like a belt would.

I do wear a belt with my Utilikilts...I mean hey...I'm fat and those snaps are only so strong....don't wanna have that UK popping open like Janet Jackson at the Super Bowl...so the belt gives me some peace of mind...or rather the folks around me some peace of mind.

But no belts on tartan kilts....even them USA Kilts casuals...I figure the sporran strap will keep them together if for some reason the velcro failed.

Ron

[freddie]

I always slide my belt through the loops. If I don't I find that it rides up above the kilt (or the kilt slips down below it, I haven't been able to work it out). I also used to slip the sporran belt through the loops (over the kilt belt) as my waist has always been slightly larger than my hips, and if I didn't the sporran just fell down my legs ! Nowadays I wear sporran hangers which has solved the problem. I think the problem is that we've all got bigger since Highland Dress evolved, and the 'correct' way to wear your sporran was slung around your hips and not hanging from anything. But as I say, unless your very slim, this just can't be done on the modern man's shape.

[Nervous Jock]

just can't be done on the modern man's shape.

Which is???