MacLeay's Highlanders' belts

[Troglodyte]

Those who are familiar with Kenneth MacLeay's portraits of Highlanders respresenting the different clans, will have noticed the style of waist-belt a good proportion of them are wearing.

The belts themelves are slightly broader than we like to consider standard these days, and the buckles tend to be vertical oblongs, rather than horizontal, with matching keeper and belt end-tip. There appears little diference between waist-belt and the across-the-body sword belts, apart from length.

My pictures are of one of these belts, which I have had in my collection (more an accumulation than a collection, really) which shows the detail of the buckle, as well as showing a hook-fastening buckle of a similar style and age but attached to a modern belt.

The lack of difference in size can be seen immediately.

The interesting thing about the old belt is that the 'tail' that passes through the buckle is a about quarter of an inch narrower either side than the rest of the belt - an element not obvious in the portraits. But the portraits give the impression of the buckles as being larger than they really are.

Other than on the likes of regimental pipe-majors in full-fig, I have never seen the MacLeay-style of belt beiing worn. Perhaps we should revive the fashion.

Or maybe not...