casual kilt belts

[LANCER1562]

I have both a brown and a black leather kilt belt. The brown one has a brass waist plate, the black one has a silver plate. For casual day wear with a tartan kilt I usually use the brown belt; I have a Police/Security duty belt that I use when I'm wearing a Utilikilt.

[seanachie]

I have a belt from Donnie that I wear with my casual kilts it is a great belt and like all of Donnie's products has great workmanship.

[Whidbey78]

I have 2 belts for semi-casual to casual wear. One for family gatherings, the pub, etc. is a black leather 2" belt sort of like the one you have pictured except it's a single prong buckle and I made it.

The other, for even more casual situations, is a nylon duty belt from a surplus store, 2", with velcro adjustments and fastex buckle. It's comfortable and indestructable. I actually prefer this belt over all my others.

I had the DeWalt belt you have pictured and the holes are HUGE, so if you wear a brightly colored kilt you will have two rows of colored dots going halfway to your back on one side...depending on how big you are. Might not matter to some, but I didn't like it. My electrician neighbor wears it to work now.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Steve,

Your belts are very nice. I wouldn't necessarily peg them as "casual" -- I think that black leather one would work nice for any formal setting!

For regular daily wear, if I wear a belt (I don't always), I eschew anything with a typical waist plate (those large rectangular kilt belt buckles) as I see these more in the realm of dres belts.

I really like something along these lines:
http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/clansmanbelt.htm

[Snowbear]

When I do wear my kilt casual I use a black kilt-belt. Most often I tend to take on a buckle that's not flashy, so a black one would be nice to get. The black belt that Stece has looks very nice, so one of those would be most welcome into my range of belts. You can use whatever you like, but personally I tend to look a bit formal even if I am dressing casual (I just like to be a bit formal, and as a bonus it often gets me extra good service at resturants, stores, etc.).

[JSFMACLJR]

Check these belts out from McRostie:
https://www.said.net/secure/mcrostie/index-shop.asp

[Riverkilt]

Best basic kilt belts I've found are from Mike Butler at AmeriKilts. He has a guy make them for him. If brown isn't listed, ask for it. They'll make it.

But why wear a belt with a kilt? The kilt straps are already holding it up. Sort of like wearing a belt and suspenders/braces together.

I have a beer belly - never did go away - and I'm much more comfortable kilted without a belt. The kilt straps work just fine to keep the kilt up. Much more comfortable when I sit down at the office or to go driving. No buckle digging into my ample gut.

Sure, nice to have cool belts around when you choose to wear them. But don't overlook the comfort of going without a belt.

[CMcG]

<snip>

But why wear a belt with a kilt? The kilt straps are already holding it up.

I appreciate all the responses thus far.

When I wear the kilt on my natural waist, my slim figure means I really have to crank on the straps to keep it from slipping down to my hips. A wide belt helps keep it there with less constriction. An enviable problem I know...

Plus I just think belts look good as a visual break!

Tool belts seem like a good option because I'm on a student budget? On the other hand, Whidbey78's comments about the hole size on the Dewalt belt in the OP are very enlightening... I hadn't thought of that! I've also considered a duty belt like the one Scotcop mentioned, though the problem remains finding one I can afford.

I really like the Celtic detailing on the Wizard of BC's and the scalloped buckle from McRostie posted by JSFMACLJR though I'm sure they're out of my price range.

M. A. C. Newsome's depiction of any waistplate as too much for casual sounds about right though I think a matt, brushed, or antique finish would tone down the formality?

[Whidbey78]

Check Cheaper That Dirt, Sporsmans Guide and of course ebay. It doesn't have to be a super heavy duty model after all. I've seen them from all three sources in the 10 dollar range and if you look long enough cheaper yet. There are some GI type riggers belts that dont have a buckle but a d-ring type thing that the web belt passes through that are always extra cheap. And of course if tan or olive drab appeals to you there are tons of new and used GI gunbelts available.

[Diles46]

Local walmarts around here (Kansas City) have 2" doubble pronged belts with holes all the way around. Brushed chrome hardware, they have them in black and brown.....$12 per

I picked up a black one for casual wear, very nice. The leather seems nice enough too