Sporran placement

**MacConnachie** · 27th December 05, 04:23 PM

OK, this subject came up for me again this past weekend, when someone was looking at a picture of my whole "rig" from the formal wear holiday cocktail party of the 16th. I realize (at least for me) that wearing a belt positioned on the belt hooks of a piper's doublet raises the bottom edge of the belt about 2-3 inches from that level where it would have been had I positioned the belt through the belt loops of the kilt (Mod. Htg. Robertson).

The thing is, I have been under the impression that one is advised to wear a sporran so that the top of same is one handspan (width, not length) below the level of the belt. If that is so, then I would agree with the observer's comment that my sporran appeared to be worn too low, given the higher placement of the belt on the doublet "hangers." However, it was easily at a position one handspan below where the belt would have been positioned had same been through the beltloops on the kilt. Typically, I'll position a sporran so that the top of it is over my pubic bone.

Had the pic, and was looking forward to trying to scan and load it on the computer, but, unfortunately, left it at the Christmas Eve party at which the photographer had given it to me. So, if anyone's interested in responding to the sporran placement "issue" without benefit of a clear picture, please do so. Otherwise, I'll try to get the picture available here some time this week.

Thanks!

**Blu (Ontario)** · 27th December 05, 06:49 PM

Tough to say without seeing the photo. Rules of thumb don't always work for everyone... Men of substance for example.

blu

**GlassMan** · 27th December 05, 07:41 PM

I agree that rules of thumb don't always work for everyone. That being said however, when I put on my sporran in the morning in front of a mirror it always seems to look best when it is positioned according to that rule of thumb.

I would be that had you raised your sporran to be one hand width below the belt at the doublet loops that it would have looked too high because it would have been out of position relative to the rest of the kilt. I think the only way to wear a sporran that would look correct on a piper's doublet would be to be wearing one of those extremely long piper's horsehair sporrans which overcome the higher placement by being so long.

But then, that's just my thoughts.

**furrycelt** · 27th December 05, 09:39 PM

Having been trained in the visual arts, I would say the idea placement would be to align the center of visual mass of the sporran with the rule of thirds.

In other words... take the open area of the front of the kilt that is seen (don't look at the part covered by the belt), and divide that into thirds. so you have two horizontal lines running across, one is a 3rd of the way up from the bottom, and one is a 3rd of the way down from the top. Place the sporran on the top line. Not the top of the sporran or its bottom or its center, but its "center of visual mass". Which means you have to take into account its shape, it features, etc. In short... where it looks "right".

Having said all that, I place mine so that it meets the above, but then I adjust it so that when i have my keys and wallet and cell phone in there, it will not rack my boys if I were to start to swing.

(i am typing this really late... i doubt this is all coherent)

**Bil** · 27th December 05, 11:06 PM

Well put... coherency sustained. I like the idea of the 3rd's, I'll give that a try with my different sporrans as some of them hang different than others.

**highlander_Daz** · 28th December 05, 05:06 AM

As a rule pipe majors always insist the sporran be four fingers below the belt buckle, and it does look right most times

**Planopiper** · 28th December 05, 06:22 AM

Are you wearing a piper's sporran with that piper's doublet? If so, then the whole mass of the thing is much greater than with a smaller sporran. From the pictures I've seen, the bottom of the sporran would hang a little lower than bottom edge of the kilt.

**MacConnachie** · 28th December 05, 04:32 PM

Thanks, everyone. Well, the event to which I referred was the first at which I wore the doublet, so I realized there would probably be need for some adjustments. I do not own a horsehair sporran, so I was wearing what I consider to be a semi-formal sporran -- it has the shiny cantle and the cones which are characteristic of "dress" sporrans, but the rest is dark brown cowhide. I plan to move up in the world of sporrans, as far as a more formal look is concerned, but right now that one is the "dressiest" of the three I own (the other two are a Rob Roy and a basic leather day-type sporran).

furrycelt, I like the use of the "Rule of 3" or "Rule of Thirds," as I have heard of this before, just never in the context of wearing kilt accessories. Your advice bears some further investigation.

highlander_DAZ, I knew that I had read - or inferred - that handspan separation between the bottom of the belt and the top of the sporran somewhere, so thanks for helping to clear up the source. It was probably information on the RSPBA rules for dress for Drum Majors, or something similar.

Glassman, thanks for adding your thoughts. I considered "hiking it up" that high, to within the specified distance of the belt on the doublet's hangers, but actually thought that might look a bit silly, out of balance, something like a big belt buckle without the big belt . . .

thanks again, everyone

Mac