Where should the belt ride?

[dougez1]

I wear a 2' 3/4" belt with my kilt. My question is, is it ok for the adjustment straps of my kilt to be visible below my belt, or should the be hidden. It seems that if I try to hide them, me belts sits way to low, and I do have my kilt at around navel height. Thanks for any help.

[Liam]

Most kilt belts are 2 1/4". A 2' 3/4" belt wow... I suspect a typo.... However generally a kilt belt would cover the top straps/buckles imho.
Cheers....

[MacEanruig]

Why don't you post a photo so we can get an idea of how it all looks?

[The Wizard of BC]

A lot is going to depend on what type of kilt you have and where you are wearing it.

If you have a full traditional kilt it is meant to be worn very high. All traditional kilts are designed to be worn at the anatomical natural waist.
Strange as it may seem most guys today do not know where their waist is. Do not reference the navel. The navel will be in a different place on each guy. A guy with a belly will have a navel much lower than a thin guy. You must reference the skeleton. The anatomical natural waist is right under the ribs. In the back, up at kidney level, and in front three or four fingers below the bottom of the breastbone.

If you have a traditional kilt the smallest part of the kilt will be where the top straps are. The kilt will taper in from the hips to the top buckles and then flare out above them to fit up, over the bottom of the ribs.

The decorative Dirk Belt will settle naturally at the smallest part of the kilt. It should be centered over the top straps and buckles.

It sounds from your description that you have one of those kilts with no flare above the top straps. They are becoming more common. This type of kilt will not sit at the natural waist. It will slide down until the smallest part of the kilt fits at the smallest part of your body. This often causes the belt to ride up, above the top of the kilt. This is why many guys feel that must use the sporran loops at the back of the kilt as belt loops. This is actually wrong and will permanently distort the kilt over time. This is also one of the reasons you see so many guys with the hem so low and the bottom of the Fell below the crest of the hips resulting in the dread 'shower curtain' waves in the back of the kilt.

So yes, a photo of your kilt and belt would help us a lot.

[dougez1]

Ok, here is a photo that I have. Maybe this will help.

[Finistere]

Tradition says it should be level with the top of the kilt, not showing any tartan, but I'm sure someone will disagree with me. Kit

[slothead]

Ok, here is a photo that I have. Maybe this will help.

I can't tell exactly where the kilt top or the belt are in this photo because both are dark and in the shade, but it looks to me (from Steve Ashton's description and the barely visible 'step' on the viewer's right side of the torso) like this kilt is being worn a little too low.

[Father Bill]

*snip*
Strange as it may seem most guys today do not know where their waist is. Do not reference the navel. The navel will be in a different place on each guy. A guy with a belly will have a navel much lower than a thin guy.

*snip*

Of course, the theological question that goes with that is, "Did Adam and Eve have belly-buttons?"

[freddie]

To my eye your belt is being worn a wee bit too low. Try running it level with the top of your kilt or just covering it. Of course you may have to cinch it in a bit as it will have a tendency to slip at the front.