Braces with kilt?

[CDNSushi]

Oh dear, Sushi, my friend, we've been spending all too much time together. Words out of my mouth (and Jock's and others' too, I suspect), but in this case the braces are keeping his kilt at a height required by polite society, and the belt is being used to dangle things from, don't you know?

Indeed. I don't deny the utilitarian purpose of the braces AND kilt... But I do maintain that to my eye, it just doesn't look right... Call it personal preference if you will, but if I were to require a belt (for suspending dirks and cellphone cases, or doohickies), I'd probably omit the braces... And if I needed the braces in order to not scare the ladies when my kilt hits the floor because it's too big, then I suppose I would either omit the dirk and doohickies, or simply reconsider my choice of wardrobe for the day...

[Clockwork]

Generally, I agree that the two being worn simultaneously is redundant, but something to keep in mind is that a man of his age has seen a lot of mileage, and with that comes a lot of wear and tear on the vehicle. It may be unlikely, but there could be age or illness related reasons preventing him from tightening anything around his waist (colon-cancer, for instance). Or, maybe he just finds the braces more comfortable and likes the convenience of the utility attachments which can be added onto the belt. You know the saying....form follows function.

Cheers,
-Jake

[ThistleDown]

flairball, wear them both if they make you comfortable. The braces will be prescribed to hold your kilt up (until you can have it modified) and the belt will be an acccessory. You would be best not to display them both. Hide the braces. I think you are referring to a waistcoat when you say a "tweed" -- yes? Tweed is actually a fabric and is used primarily in the making of jackets, waistcoats, greatcoats, trousers and, sometimes, kilts.

[flairball]

Yes, I intend to hide the braces. When I say tweed I mean I will be wearing a tweed braemar style jacket (lovat green). I will not be wearing a waist coat with it.

If by the weekend I can find a charcoal tweed waist coat I will go with that, but as of now my only waist coat is a brown herring bone. While I don't have an issue coordinating the brown waist coat, with the lovat jacket, the event I'm attending is indoors, and I'll get too hot.

I should also add, because of my weight loss the sporran strap cause a few wrinkles in the apron. If I distribute them evenly across the front they are only noticeable near the waistline, so I wish to wear a jacket, or waist coat to help hide the wrinkles as well.

Who would have thought getting healthy would have caused so many problems.

[ThistleDown]

Be comfortable, flairball. Forget the waistcoat. Don't worry about the braces; don't button the jacket in some effort to hide them, in other words. Your sporran should lie a hands-breadth below the buckle of your belt, and the belt should be at your natural waist. I'm not sure what you mean about wrinkles in the apron and a need to distribute them, but I think you worry needlessly. Relax and enjoy the occasion.

[neloon]

Kilted soldiers in the First World War were supplied with braces (and, of course, buttons on the kilt) because it was seldom possible to find a kilt of a perfect fit from stores. Of course, the braces were hidden by the tunic.

[madmacs]

That's a lot of fabric (thick) to hold with clip on ones, so I'm guessing you're talking buttons...

It might also be worth looking at the positioning of the buttons on a pair of trousers... They tend to be fairly far from the center which helps with them being hidden when your coat/jacket is worn open

[Kennedy]

I looked at this topic with interest. I just purchased a new kilt at the Stone Mountain Highland Games in Atlanta. I wear braces. I don't wear suspenders. I wear braces on my legs not on my waistband (post-polio). I was wondering if someone had some advice to cover up the lumpiness of the hooks and laces on the front of the braces. Then I found out that you were discussing suspenders! It is too bad that the man didn't ask someone to help him get his "braces" adjusted so that the waistband didn't ride up! It looks like he has on elastic "braces" instead of twill "braces." He likely pulled the straps to a nice snug fit and never thought about how the elastic would return to its unstretched length in a short period of time. He should, indeed, wear his ancient Campbell with pride. And it was correct that no one commented on its appearance so as to embarrass him. I, too, would wear my ancient Campbell with pride (my great-great-grandmother was a Campbell), but I am a Kennedy, so I wear my ancient Kennedy with pride.

Now, does anyone have a suggestion as to how to cover up the lumpiness of the hooks and laces of my braces? Even as heavy and thick as kilt hose are, the lumps still show through the hose. For anyone who doesn't know, my leather braces lace up exactly like army combat boots that have eyes only on the foot part of the boot, but have hooks up the front.

[rondo]

I looked at this topic with interest. I just purchased a new kilt at the Stone Mountain Highland Games in Atlanta. I wear braces. I don't wear suspenders. I wear braces on my legs not on my waistband (post-polio). I was wondering if someone had some advice to cover up the lumpiness of the hooks and laces on the front of the braces. Then I found out that you were discussing suspenders! It is too bad that the man didn't ask someone to help him get his "braces" adjusted so that the waistband didn't ride up! It looks like he has on elastic "braces" instead of twill "braces." He likely pulled the straps to a nice snug fit and never thought about how the elastic would return to its unstretched length in a short period of time. He should, indeed, wear his ancient Campbell with pride. And it was correct that no one commented on its appearance so as to embarrass him. I, too, would wear my ancient Campbell with pride (my great-great-grandmother was a Campbell), but I am a Kennedy, so I wear my ancient Kennedy with pride.

Now, does anyone have a suggestion as to how to cover up the lumpiness of the hooks and laces of my braces? Even as heavy and thick as kilt hose are, the lumps still show through the hose. For anyone who doesn't know, my leather braces lace up exactly like army combat boots that have eyes only on the foot part of the boot, but have hooks up the front.

Can you show a pic? Sometimes, rather than trying to cover up something, it may be better to accentuate it in a personalize it in a positive way.
Rondo

[Muddy]

Just wear 'em and don't worry about anything. I sometimes wear them. I'm pretty sure male scottish highland dancers do to when competing? Just go for it.