How important is a belt?

[kc8ufv]

Thats what I was trying to say. For some of us going beltless just is NOT an option.

Gotta agree. My UKs don't fit anymore without a belt. Tis one of the problems of loosing weight. (I really should list them and replace them, but I want to stabilize around my goal first)

[davidlpope]

Ok, I admit it, I do not own a kilt belt or buckle. This, even though my kilt has two belt loops in the back, capable of handling a 2 1/4 inch wide belt. There are many threads here concerning these loops. My kilts do not have them. Neither do I recommend that folks wear a wide kilt belt through them.

For day wear purposes, is a belt & buckle really necessary? No. How about if I plan on removing my jacket at some point during the day, and the weather is too warm to wear a waistcoat? No worries. I wear my kilt without a belt much of the time. It's simply more comfortable.

The reason I ask is that a long-time friend is getting married in June (she's a MacDonald ), and has asked me to attend her wedding kilted (the 'something old' part not doubt). Luckily, the dress code is not 'formal'. Being June in Oregon, it will likely be around 24°C (75°F), so the tweed jacket will probably be shed during the reception. Also, the only sporran I own is plain, brown leather, but that should be acceptable for this event. For daywear a plain brown sporran is fine.

So what say the rabble? Should I buy a wide belt and buckle, and/or a semi-dress sporran? Skip the "semi-dress" stuff. Own one good brown day sporran. Own one nice fur or hair evening sporran. That's all you really *need*. The only belt that I use is a brown McRostie kilt belt with a brass buckle. As I mentioned before, I wear it less than half the time I'm kilted. Or should I save the money, and buy a decent bottle of whisky for my use at the reception? Good whisky covers a multitude of sartorial sins...

Best of Luck!

[thescot]

Unless I am wearing a waistcoat, I always wera a belt. I've never thought of a belt as being uncomfoartable; I just like to have on a belt. IN the Southern US, it's often too hot for a waistcoat, so I'm usually belted.

For day wear, my belt is brown pebble grain with a brass plate--currently with a USMC eagle, globe, and anchor--but I am going to purchase a plain brown from Cavscout soon. (Been planning that for a while, but this time I really mean it!)

I just don't care for the look without a belt. The top of the kilt looks somehow "unfinished" without the leather, but that's strictly a matter of personal taste.
And, I must say, that if I am outside for an extended period, I often hang things on the belt--a small pouch or a cell phone, or better yet, a flask.

A pretty good belt can be purchased at a very low price if you are willing to look, but a good bottle of whisky is always a good investment.

[GMcNab]

I have taken to wearing an old Sam Browne belt with my kilts...with out the cross strap, of course.

[Dale Seago]

Unless I am wearing a waistcoat, I always wera a belt. I've never thought of a belt as being uncomfoartable; I just like to have on a belt. IN the Southern US, it's often too hot for a waistcoat, so I'm usually belted.

Ditto. This picture (public link) was taken at my workplace Saturday, showing off a new kilt by Matt Newsome. No belt loops but no waistcoat either, so. . .

Apologies if my expression appears to indicate I woke up with a hemorrhoid.

I did.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?p...&id=1199617140

[Elf]

HOWEVER some of us do not have the advantage of a slim body shape. If I don't wear a belt my kilt will fall off.

I do not own a formal kilt belt with plate but have a couple informal wide belts. I'm not quite as thin as I once was, but still I find that knocking a couple inches off the top of the kilt gives me better proportions. (as an aside, I find that kilts adapt better to a variety of men's proportions than do trousers.)

As a result, I usually wear a belt when without a waistcoat despite the annoyance of an automobile seat knocking it out of positon. O the tempation to use belt loops, but as noted, I well understand the ill consequenses of using the sporran strap loops for a belt.

[OC Richard]

Ok, I admit it, I do not own a kilt belt or buckle.
For day wear purposes, is a belt & buckle really necessary? How about if I plan on removing my jacket at some point during the day, and the weather is too warm to wear a waistcoat?

For many years I didn't own a belt either. I've developed a rather anti-belt attitude because 1) I see people wearing them under waistcoats all the time, the waistcoats usually being too short and/or the belt being too low and it looks terrible...



and 2) when I started looking at a huge number of vintage photos and paintings and collecting vintage Highland Dress catalogues I came to the realisation that our notion of a "kilt belt" is recent. In the old days it was called a "dirk belt" and was worn to support a dirk but rarely otherwise.

Note the dirk/belt connexion here, and also note you'll see no belt peeking out from under a waistcoat, or a waistcoat's bottom button unbuttoned...









and 3) a dirk belt is just another thing to put on and it does add weight and bulk. I prefer the comfort of the kilt without a belt.

However if you're not wearing a waistcoat and going jacketless a belt DOES dress up one's outfit! For many years I didn't wear a belt in such situations, but as of late I've begun wearing one sometimes. (It's a modern Glen Esk celtic deer head motif buckle in polished pewter which blends nicely with my 100-year-old sporran cantle.)

[Jack Daw]

What the OCR says.

[creagdhubh]

Greetings!

I agree with many of the valid points in which many of you have stated previously in regards to the wearing of a waistbelt and buckle with the kilt, or the option of simply leaving the waistbelt and buckle at home.

I believe that the kilt does not require a waistbelt and buckle in order to sufficiently keep the kilt from becoming too lose, or perhaps because the kilt is not fitting correctly - this is obviously all done by the initial tailoring of the kilt and the kilt straps and buckles - that is an aspect I am sure we can all agree upon. I do own several waistbelts and buckles in which I do wear with my Highland attire when I so choose, but it is definitely not often.

I own a patent leather waistbelt restricted for evening wear, when I choose to wear the fullest of formal dress, complete with a Highland dirk - that is the soul purpose of wearing a waistbelt with evening attire for me. I wear a silver plated buckle with the 'evening waistbelt', which I also restrict for only evening attire. I also own a brown leather waistbelt with a brass buckle from McRostie, but purchased from Kinloch-Anderson. When I choose to wear a belt with my Highland day attire (not often), I will wear this belt with no waistcoat if wearing a tweed day jacket. I also own a smooth black leather waistbelt in which I wear a silver plated buckle with the personal crest of Cluny encircled by a belt and buckle. I do wear the preceding for only daywear and usually with darker coloured tweed day jacket (charcoal and other grey tweeds). When I choose to wear no jacket or waistcoat for daywear, typically when it becomes too hot for heavy tweeds, I do not wear any waistbelt and buckle at all.

Naturally, everyone who wears Highland attire will have their opinions, preferences, and tastes when it comes to the wearing of a waistbelt and buckle for either day or evening attire, and that is just fine. I agree with the point that the waistbelt and buckle is strictly for additional ornamentation and not entirely functional (it wasn't designed to 'hold up' the kilt, that's superfluous) - unless of course one wears it to hold the dirk frog and dirk for formal occassions, like I do.

It's a wee bit difficult to see the entire waistbelt and buckle, but here I am wearing the smooth, black leather waistbelt with the silver buckle containing the crest of my Chief.


A warm, sunny day in Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri. No waistbelt and buckle required.


Slainte mhath,

[creagdhubh]

You look quite smart Richard! Love your sporran molach!