Kilt Belts

[M. A. C. Newsome]

OK, when I crank down the kilt, the belt I have is still too tight and the tartan pattern gets distorted. I did order a new belt from scottishkilts.net that ranges from 32-36 waist line...hopefully this will give me some wiggle room. Anyway, why does the pattern distort when I crank down the kilt? Specifically, the pattern on the apron creates an S-curve distortion on the vertical lines in the set. Any ideas?

Does your kilt have two straps on the right hip? If so, what is probably happening is that you are wearing that lower strap too tight.

That lower kilt strap serves absolutely no purpose other than to distort the look of the kilt if it is too tight. It simply has no function and certainly does not help the kilt stay on.

If you want to know why it is there in the first place, read my blog post on it:
http://blog.albanach.org/2005/08/why...lt-straps.html

I usually reccomend taking those suckers off!

Aye,
Matt

[Cawdorian]

The pucker under the belt can be removed by tightening your kilt another notch, you can also pull a small pucker out of your kilt by pulling both ends of the apron toward the sides or back.

[Nanook]

If you want to know why it is there in the first place, read my blog post on it:
http://blog.albanach.org/2005/08/why...lt-straps.html

Excellent article. I've, however, been under the impression that pins were used on "untailored" kilts as late as the past century as supplied to ordinary soldiers and co-existed with straps on more elaborate, finer quality tailored kilts.

After reading your article the question to ask is: Why do civilian kilts, for the most part, adopt lower (and lower) rises?

I usually reccomend taking those suckers off!

I think kilts look a bit off without them. Its part of the "look". Even casual kilted garments (like Kinloch Anderson's Breacan where the waist line is even lower) or women's kilted skirts (also low waist) have them. Its part of the language. Kilts don't need to have 3 straps, nor be made of tartan cloth, nor even be flat in the front but its the design that is, for the most part, currently expected.