I have shortened the straps which hold my sword - used for re-enacting only - because I gather the normal way of wearing a sword was to let it hang fairly low - a terrible nuisance. Marching with a sword one doesn't want it dragging or getting caught between one's legs - and one may remember that all men of a certain class wore these things at one time in Europe. It was the mark of a gentleman.

My sword belt - from The Highland Brigade - thankfully came with hooks to keep everything as high and out of the way as possible. If you are lucky enough to have a dirk, go with that instead and save yourself a lot of bother.