Question for Holding up the doublet belt on Kenmore & Montrose doublets

[Kriegbert]

Hi, I'm currently about to buy a used Montrose doublet, but this one doesn’t have the belt fabric loops or metal hooks for the external belt at waist. I'm looking to add the metal belt hooks rather than the fabric belt loops, since I don’t have the exact fabric to match the body of doublet. Can you advise me on placement & number of these hooks/loops for the belt? From the pictures I’ve seen, I seem to see two loops most commonly, directly at the sides, & other examples placed more forwards or more towards the rear. Military type service jackets I’ve seen (that take sam Browne belts) I’ve seen seem to take four hooks?) is that more secure?

Do let me know, thanks.

[McMurdo]

My Montrose has the fabric belt loops, they are Barathea the same fabric as the rest of it. I have metal hooks in the back, it was my understanding that the metal hooks were to attach to the kilt, the metal hooks are on the inside by the way.

[Kriegbert]

My Montrose has the fabric belt loops, they are Barathea the same fabric as the rest of it. I have metal hooks in the back, it was my understanding that the metal hooks were to attach to the kilt, the metal hooks are on the inside by the way.

which of these do you mean? I think the ones you refer to are for keeping up the sporran chain?

[McMurdo]

Here it is
Outside


Inside

[Kriegbert]

Here it is
Outside


Inside

mcmurdo, are you saying your inside-facing hooks are meant to hoist the kilt rather than the sporran chain? I’ve just checked & my kilt comes way higher than these inside hooks. Can you explain to me how to fasten them? Thank you

[McMurdo]

mcmurdo, are you saying your inside-facing hooks are meant to hoist the kilt rather than the sporran chain? I’ve just checked & my kilt comes way higher than these inside hooks. Can you explain to me how to fasten them? Thank you

I'm not sure, when I got the Montrose I was puzzled by these inner hooks as well. I was told that in some vintage kilts these would line up with hooks. I have yet to find an example of corresponding hooks so I am not sure what the function of these are.

[Kriegbert]

I'm not sure, when I got the Montrose I was puzzled by these inner hooks as well. I was told that in some vintage kilts these would line up with hooks. I have yet to find an example of corresponding hooks so I am not sure what the function of these are.

the reason I assumed these inner hooks were for holdibg up the sporran chain is that they sit at the right level for them. Possibly to be used in case the kilt didn’t have loops themselves?

[OC Richard]

Kriegbert beat me to it, those hooks were/are standard on military doublets and civilian "military style" doublets, which were often made by the same firms.

You can sew them on top as shown, but I've seen vintage doublets where they're sewn inside, with the hook coming through a small round bound buttonhole-like thing.

I can't recall seeing a doublet, civilian or military, with any other sort.

Here they can be seen on a modern military Archer Green doublet



And here on a Victorian scarlet military doublet



The short chrome hooks look like the ones from normal fabric shops, which are sold in sets with the "female" sides they're intended to be used with.

[gsmacleod]

the reason I assumed these inner hooks were for holdibg up the sporran chain is that they sit at the right level for them. Possibly to be used in case the kilt didn’t have loops themselves?

But you don't need hooks or loops to hold the sporran for most people. It will happily stay where it's supposed to be.

Shane