How important is a belt?

[The farqcom]

I like wearing a belt, having worn one for so long that items just don't feel right without. I do wear my two wool kilts without just for drill. Two belts are both soft leather, one brown in buffalo, w/matching sporran belt; black in elk, soft finish, chrome, brass, or pewter waist plates for now, very pleasant to wear. Another is a medium shine, stiffer medium brown with square brass prong buckle. All 2 1/4". A soft, old military surplus, low sheen black with double prong roller buckler in a brass/coppery material works for my charcoal grey "canvass". My "fashion advisors", now including 15 yr old g-daughter, like belts between shirt and kilt most of the time.

[Father Bill]

A related question somewhat off the intent of the original post.

I've read all the suggestions of when to wear a belt, type of buckle, and personal choices, and I think I even read a comment that the belt is not supposed to go through the loops. My question is why doesn't the belt go through the loops? Or did I misread something?

Distorts the kilt after a few bend-over-and-pick-ups.

[Peter Crowe]

A related question somewhat off the intent of the original post.

I've read all the suggestions of when to wear a belt, type of buckle, and personal choices, and I think I even read a comment that the belt is not supposed to go through the loops. My question is why doesn't the belt go through the loops? Or did I misread something?

The loops are primarily designed to keep the sporran straps in place, and some kilts come without them as they are not absolutely necessary for holding the sporran up. If you put your belt through the loops it sits to low showing kilt sticking over the top. One of the reasons why folk often wear a belt is to create a break between the tartan fabric of the kilt and their shirt.

[Paul Henry]

The loops are primarily designed to keep the sporran straps in place, and some kilts come without them as they are not absolutely necessary for holding the sporran up. If you put your belt through the loops it sits to low showing kilt sticking over the top. One of the reasons why folk often wear a belt is to create a break between the tartan fabric of the kilt and their shirt.

The top edge of the kilt will show above the belt line whether you use the loops or not. Traditional kilts are actually made with a slight outward taper at the top edge in order to slightly "cinch" the kilt when the buckles are done up, this means that the belt, to an extent, sits in this part. I think it looks much better that a little of the top edge of the kilt does show over the belt, visually it creates a much smarter look.

In answer to the original post, I think a belt isn't required , but it really does help to add that little bit of "punctuation", I have occasionally gone without a belt, but I always feel slightly un- finished without one.

[Elf]

A related question somewhat off the intent of the original post.

I've read all the suggestions of when to wear a belt, type of buckle, and personal choices, and I think I even read a comment that the belt is not supposed to go through the loops. My question is why doesn't the belt go through the loops? Or did I misread something?

Whether with a kilt or with trousers, historically the belt was for suspending gear; not for holding the garment up.

[DrCelt]

It's not what the loops are for, and of course some kilts don't even have them. I generally will wear a belt if I have a shirt tucked in; if not, I don't. If you don't have something covering the top of the kilt where the belt goes, it just looks bad to not have one on, IMO; sort of looks like you're wearing a plaid towel. Whether I have a belt on or not, I always wear a sporran.

[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.

[Ryan Ross]

The top edge of the kilt will show above the belt line whether you use the loops or not. Traditional kilts are actually made with a slight outward taper at the top edge in order to slightly "cinch" the kilt when the buckles are done up, this means that the belt, to an extent, sits in this part. I think it looks much better that a little of the top edge of the kilt does show over the belt, visually it creates a much smarter look.

In answer to the original post, I think a belt isn't required , but it really does help to add that little bit of "punctuation", I have occasionally gone without a belt, but I always feel slightly un- finished without one.

Those are my thoughts on the matter, 100%.

Also, I'd like to mention that is seems to me that using the loops for the belt CAN distort the hang of the kilt in the back, but doesn't always. I think it has to do with the build and bodily mechanics of the wearer; I say this as a person who has had VASTLY different phisiques during his kilt wearing years, and different results when wearing a belt through the loops.

[Seanmadra]

Thanks to all for the pros/cons of to thread or not to thread, the belt through the loops...I for one have found all my custom fitted kilts keep sliding south without one. I like the visual break too.