kilt loafers

[Father Bill]

Thanks Kyle. Beautiful but a bit steep for such an occasional item. I'll continue to watch with interest!

[Nathan]

Thanks Kyle. Beautiful but a bit steep for such an occasional item. I'll continue to watch with interest!

Fr. Bill, I just took the kiltie flaps off the ones from Burnett's & Struth. Presto.

IMG_20140317_105313.jpg

[Father Bill]

Fr. Bill, I just took the kiltie flaps off the ones from Burnett's & Struth. Presto.

IMG_20140317_105313.jpg

BINGO! How do they attach without the flap?

[Nathan]

BINGO! How do they attach without the flap?

It really depends on the shoes. It takes a little problem solving. Most shoe buckles, these included, have a horizontal bar running down the back to use for attaching them.

IMG_20140319_190204.jpg

In the case of my bar and buckle brogues pictured in the post above, the shoes came with inserts with snaps and a little bow to hide the process. I fed both pieces through the buckle and attached them exactly as the buckles I replaced were attached.

To attach them to my buckle ghillie brogues, I used laces and punched holes in the upper just below the eyelets. I also used a little non-essential velcro to help keep it all in place.

IMG_20140319_190934.jpg

IMG_20140201_000136.jpg

For most loafers , you would have to open the strap that runs across the top of the upper with a seam ripper, thread it through the buckle and close it again. If the strap already opens and closes, even better, as long as the mechanism for doing so doesn't ruin the look. Otherwise, you'll probably have to take them to a cobbler to close them again. They can be sewn if you want the buckles on there permanently or you can have velcro or snaps attached as I'm doing with a pair of loafers so I can swap the buckles between shoes as my mood suits me.

In many cases, a piece of scrap leather to hide your work will prove helpful for giving the shoes a finished look, especially if the window on your buckle is bigger than your strap. Here's what the loafers look like with the buckles attached as described.

IMG_20140319_190423.jpg

Hope that helps. Now, back to my OP... ;)

[Father Bill]

Marvellous, Nathan. You're kind to put the effort into the instructions!

Thanks a million!

Bill+

[Nathan]

Marvellous, Nathan. You're kind to put the effort into the instructions!

Thanks a million!

Bill+

You're more than welcome, Father.

[OC Richard]

Yep those standard Scottish shoe buckles come up on Ebay fairly often.

It's ironic, though, that the very shoes which are often called "kilties" etc don't seem to come up being worn with the kilt in vintage photos. They have all the "Scottish" hallmarks like the wingtip style decoration (seen on other Scottish shoes such as ghillies and golf shoes) and decorative tassels (which also show up on ghillies).

I can't remember ever seeing a vintage kilted photo showing these... I think I would remember such an unusual thing.

There are quite a few strange shoes to be seen in The Highlanders of Scotland, but not these.

To be clear, this is the sort of shoe, often called things like "kilties" or "kilt tassels" etc, the names suggesting that they are worn with the kilt. They indeed look "Scottish", so where did this design originate, and why weren't they worn with the kilt?

What about that flap? I would think it's purpose would be to cover/protect the laced portion of the shoe, but this type of shoe doesn't lace. A mystery I suppose.

[creagdhubh]

It really depends on the shoes. It takes a little problem solving. Most shoe buckles, these included, have a horizontal bar running down the back to use for attaching them.

IMG_20140319_190204.jpg

In the case of my bar and buckle brogues pictured in the post above, the shoes came with inserts with snaps and a little bow to hide the process. I fed both pieces through the buckle and attached them exactly as the buckles I replaced were attached.

To attach them to my buckle ghillie brogues, I used laces and punched holes in the upper just below the eyelets. I also used a little non-essential velcro to help keep it all in place.

IMG_20140319_190934.jpg

IMG_20140201_000136.jpg

For most loafers , you would have to open the strap that runs across the top of the upper with a seam ripper, thread it through the buckle and close it again. If the strap already opens and closes, even better, as long as the mechanism for doing so doesn't ruin the look. Otherwise, you'll probably have to take them to a cobbler to close them again. They can be sewn if you want the buckles on there permanently or you can have velcro or snaps attached as I'm doing with a pair of loafers so I can swap the buckles between shoes as my mood suits me.

In many cases, a piece of scrap leather to hide your work will prove helpful for giving the shoes a finished look, especially if the window on your buckle is bigger than your strap. Here's what the loafers look like with the buckles attached as described.

IMG_20140319_190423.jpg

Hope that helps. Now, back to my OP... ;)

I did the same with mine!

[Nathan]

Since this thread seems to be more about buckles than leather tassels, you may find it interesting that someone has put two and two together and has added the standard buckles to a pair of kiltie loafers and is selling them on ebay as a "Scottish Formal Black Buckle Brogue". I doubt these were purchased as they look here.

$_12.JPG

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Scottish-Form...9a6e5a7&_uhb=1

It makes sense, given the fact that, as mentioned, if you bought the add on buckles like the Irish guards wear or Burnett's and Struth sell, you'd end up with a very similar look.

Shoe_Buckles__29419.1295554451.375.375.jpg

$(KGrHqN,!isFC73tFvJKBQ23FLUKmg~~60_12.JPG

7625481_1_l.jpg

[creagdhubh]

Since this thread seems to be more about buckles than leather tassels, you may find it interesting that someone has put two and two together and has added the standard buckles to a pair of kiltie loafers and is selling them on ebay as a "Scottish Formal Black Buckle Brogue". I doubt these were purchased as they look here.

$_12.JPG

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Scottish-Form...9a6e5a7&_uhb=1

It makes sense, given the fact that, as mentioned, if you bought the add on buckles like the Irish guards wear or Burnett's and Struth sell, you'd end up with a very similar look.

Shoe_Buckles__29419.1295554451.375.375.jpg

$(KGrHqN,!isFC73tFvJKBQ23FLUKmg~~60_12.JPG

7625481_1_l.jpg

Those look fantastic!