How important is a belt?

[GMcNab]

I have taken to wearing an old Sam Browne belt with my kilts...with out the cross strap, of course.

Having got myself a decent kilt belt (plain smooth brown leather), I've beeswaxed it and it has come up a treat. As someone who has always worn a belt, whether it's in uniform, kilt or casual trousers, I feel only partially dressed if I'm not wearing a belt (or a watch).

[John_Carrick]

I like the look of them either when one is trying to be smart without a jacket and/or waistcoat or to hold your dirk. I just can't get one to look right on me: it distorts the shape of the kilt or you see the bright red inside. i don't bother and don't miss one.
John

[Dale Seago]

Unless I am wearing a waistcoat, I always wera a belt. I've never thought of a belt as being uncomfoartable; I just like to have on a belt. IN the Southern US, it's often too hot for a waistcoat, so I'm usually belted.

Ditto. This picture (public link) was taken at my workplace Saturday, showing off a new kilt by Matt Newsome. No belt loops but no waistcoat either, so. . .

Apologies if my expression appears to indicate I woke up with a hemorrhoid.

I did.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?p...&id=1199617140

[OC Richard]

Ok, I admit it, I do not own a kilt belt or buckle.
For day wear purposes, is a belt & buckle really necessary? How about if I plan on removing my jacket at some point during the day, and the weather is too warm to wear a waistcoat?

For many years I didn't own a belt either. I've developed a rather anti-belt attitude because 1) I see people wearing them under waistcoats all the time, the waistcoats usually being too short and/or the belt being too low and it looks terrible...



and 2) when I started looking at a huge number of vintage photos and paintings and collecting vintage Highland Dress catalogues I came to the realisation that our notion of a "kilt belt" is recent. In the old days it was called a "dirk belt" and was worn to support a dirk but rarely otherwise.

Note the dirk/belt connexion here, and also note you'll see no belt peeking out from under a waistcoat, or a waistcoat's bottom button unbuttoned...









and 3) a dirk belt is just another thing to put on and it does add weight and bulk. I prefer the comfort of the kilt without a belt.

However if you're not wearing a waistcoat and going jacketless a belt DOES dress up one's outfit! For many years I didn't wear a belt in such situations, but as of late I've begun wearing one sometimes. (It's a modern Glen Esk celtic deer head motif buckle in polished pewter which blends nicely with my 100-year-old sporran cantle.)

[Jack Daw]

What the OCR says.

[creagdhubh]

Greetings!

I agree with many of the valid points in which many of you have stated previously in regards to the wearing of a waistbelt and buckle with the kilt, or the option of simply leaving the waistbelt and buckle at home.

I believe that the kilt does not require a waistbelt and buckle in order to sufficiently keep the kilt from becoming too lose, or perhaps because the kilt is not fitting correctly - this is obviously all done by the initial tailoring of the kilt and the kilt straps and buckles - that is an aspect I am sure we can all agree upon. I do own several waistbelts and buckles in which I do wear with my Highland attire when I so choose, but it is definitely not often.

I own a patent leather waistbelt restricted for evening wear, when I choose to wear the fullest of formal dress, complete with a Highland dirk - that is the soul purpose of wearing a waistbelt with evening attire for me. I wear a silver plated buckle with the 'evening waistbelt', which I also restrict for only evening attire. I also own a brown leather waistbelt with a brass buckle from McRostie, but purchased from Kinloch-Anderson. When I choose to wear a belt with my Highland day attire (not often), I will wear this belt with no waistcoat if wearing a tweed day jacket. I also own a smooth black leather waistbelt in which I wear a silver plated buckle with the personal crest of Cluny encircled by a belt and buckle. I do wear the preceding for only daywear and usually with darker coloured tweed day jacket (charcoal and other grey tweeds). When I choose to wear no jacket or waistcoat for daywear, typically when it becomes too hot for heavy tweeds, I do not wear any waistbelt and buckle at all.

Naturally, everyone who wears Highland attire will have their opinions, preferences, and tastes when it comes to the wearing of a waistbelt and buckle for either day or evening attire, and that is just fine. I agree with the point that the waistbelt and buckle is strictly for additional ornamentation and not entirely functional (it wasn't designed to 'hold up' the kilt, that's superfluous) - unless of course one wears it to hold the dirk frog and dirk for formal occassions, like I do.

It's a wee bit difficult to see the entire waistbelt and buckle, but here I am wearing the smooth, black leather waistbelt with the silver buckle containing the crest of my Chief.


A warm, sunny day in Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri. No waistbelt and buckle required.


Slainte mhath,

[creagdhubh]

You look quite smart Richard! Love your sporran molach!

[Newfoundlander]

Wow, quite a lot of smart looking lad in the pictures here!

I find myself in between the two camps of bet or no-belt. If I'm wearing formal attire than I always wear a belt with my price charlie, but that's largely because I think it adds to the look nicely. Now if I'm in a rugby shirt, or even in a nice shirt and knit sweater on a date or something, I never wear a belt because of the bulge the buckle makes. So, I guess I usually only wear it for the look more so than the functionality.

That being said, the belt I have is plain smooth black leather, and the buckle is a pewter buckle from L&M Highland, and my sporran is a plain black leather with celtic engraving. So it's kind of an understated look anyway since there's no gleaming chrome.

As for the wedding your attending. Unless you feel your going to get a lot of use from the formal sporran and belt I wouldn't invest in them. I'd invest in a good bottle of Macallan instead =) One thing I've done in the past is gone to a kilt hire shop and rented a formal sporran and belt for the night for only a few dollars. If you don't need it very often, that might be a better use of your cash.

[DrCelt]

Wow, quite a lot of smart looking lad in the pictures here!

I find myself in between the two camps of bet or no-belt. If I'm wearing formal attire than I always wear a belt with my price charlie, but that's largely because I think it adds to the look nicely. Now if I'm in a rugby shirt, or even in a nice **** and knit sweater on a date or something, I never wear a belt because of the bulge the buckle makes. So, I guess I usually only wear it for the look more so than the functionality.

Glad to hear you can get away with wearing a "nice shirt and knit sweater" without a belt...

But of course I agree. I'd wear a belt with the Prince Charlie as well, unless I had a waistcoat on.

[markv]

Since we're on the subject of belts, and I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'm very close to ordering my first kilt and was wondering from where you, who have 2-inch, non-plate, belts purchased them? All I seem to be able to find are the belts with shiny silver/brass/pewter plate buckles.

Thanks and sorry for the hijack.

-Mark