Moving my belt loops??

**denmcdough** · 15th May 10, 05:11 AM

I wanted to get some input on the following: I purchased, back in December, a fantastic Isle of Skye wool kilt from Marchbrae, Scotland. It was a 38", but they redid the buckles to make it a 36". It looks great and feels wonderful, as the kilt maker did a superb job. One problem...he did not move the belt loops in the rear, so it looks rather lopsided (looking at it from the rear) when I put my sporran straps through it.

So, should I take the belt loops completely off, as I don't really need them? Or, should I have my wife move them (only really need to move one) to look symmetrical?

Thanks for any advice in advance.

Den

**Jock Scot** · 15th May 10, 05:24 AM

Many kilts have no belt loops and until I joined this website, I did know that they existed. If you are happy to be without them, then cut them off if you wish, or just ignore them.

**OC Richard** · 15th May 10, 06:02 AM

Take them off and put them in the rubbish bin.

My kilts don't have them. Army kilts don't have them. Kilts in the old days didn't have them.

**slohairt** · 15th May 10, 07:12 AM

I would just carefully remove them. I never recommend sporran loops to my customers, except those who have equal hip and waist measurements. Belt loops, on the other hand, I don't recommend ever.

**AFS1970** · 15th May 10, 07:22 AM

I have a similar issue. My Kilt being some 20 odd years old and my gaining some "substance" over the years, I recently purchased a set of Kilt strap extenders to fight the closet shrinkage. Everything worked fine, and I was able to wear my kilt after a while of not being able to. Except that the belt loops are now off to the left a bit.

To tell you the truth, I generally ignore the asymmetry, although I recently discovered an unknown benefit to the new loop positioning. In my less substantive days, when also wearing the detached shoulder plaid, I used to place it up against the left belt loop as a way of aligning it's position. Now it sits perfectly between the two loops.

I suppose should anyone ask about the loops when I do not have the plaid on also, I will just tell them that that is what it is for. Since by asking they will not only have shown themselves as quite rude but also generally uneducated about kilts, so they will likely fall for that line.

**Bugbear** · 15th May 10, 11:30 AM

When I traditionalized the insides of my Stillwater wool kilt, I had to remove those loops to chop out all the pleats. I did not put them back on.

You might need to steem or press out the area where they attach if there is an impression under the stiches holding them on.

**denmcdough** · 20th May 10, 08:03 PM

Okay, I'll just take Jock's advice and ignore them. I'll leave them on, but will put my belt, when I wear one, over top!

**OC Richard** · 21st May 10, 05:25 AM

Originally Posted by denmcdough

Okay, I'll just take Jock's advice and ignore them. I'll leave them on, but will put my belt, when I wear one, over top!

Yes that takes care of the problem quite nicely!

That's one of the troubles with belt loops: when a person changes size and the straps are moved to accomodate, the loops are no longer centred. You escpecially see this issue with Pipe Bands where the same kilts have to be used by generations of players of varying sizes. It's another reason why Pipe Bands are better off having their kilts not pleated to the tartan.