Kilts Straps

[GlassMan]

Recently for some reason my thoughts turned to kilt straps.

I know that traditional kilts have 3 straps - one for the under apron at the waist, one for the upper apron at the waist, and a second one on the right side at butt level.

For some reason I've always found that third strap annoying. I've even had two of my kilts made without it! I always seem to forget that it's there when I'm taking off my kilt. Undo two straps and the kilt is still in place. :-x

I know that the third strap is supposed to make it fit better, but I still find it annoying.

Does anyone else out there share this feeling? Or am I just being lazy and not liking the extra step when I dress and undress?

[Alan H]

Matt Newsome makes his very traditional box-pleated kilts with two straps. Not only that, but one of them is INSIDE the waistband, not outside it.

[Schultz]

I'm planning on not adding a third strap to the kilt I'm presently making. I probably dont' find it as annoying as you do, but it just seems superfluous to me.

[davedove]

Matt Newsome makes his very traditional box-pleated kilts with two straps. Not only that, but one of them is INSIDE the waistband, not outside it.

He also makes some mention of the hip strap somewhere on his site and why he doesn't include it.

[bubba]

On the traditional high rise kilt the second strap is the one that primarily holds the kilt at the waist, the upper strap holds the rise closed and allows adjustment. On more modern kilts with a lower rise one strap on each side is sufficient, for example, if you wear it at navel height you only really need 2 straps. If you wear it at rib height you need 3.

[Schultz]

Matt Newsome makes his very traditional box-pleated kilts with two straps. Not only that, but one of them is INSIDE the waistband, not outside it.

I'm still mulling it over in my mind to try doing this or not on the kilt I'm making. I very much like the idea of it.

[GlassMan]

On the traditional high rise kilt the second strap is the one that primarily holds the kilt at the waist, the upper strap holds the rise closed and allows adjustment. On more modern kilts with a lower rise one strap on each side is sufficient, for example, if you wear it at navel height you only really need 2 straps. If you wear it at rib height you need 3.

I wear mind at the traditional height, and two straps works just fine. But that may also be because the traditional height is above the widest part of my belly, so it also acts to support the kilt and hold it in place.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I covered this in my blog a while back. Check it out:
http://blog.albanach.org/2005/08/why...lt-straps.html

Aye,
Matt

[Bob C.]

The third one definitely makes the kilt fit better. My tank has one. My party kilt does not. I prefer the fit and feel of the tank.

[Barb T.]

Everyone should read Matt's blog linked above. He's absolutely right.

The only kilts I always put hip buckles on without asking are dancer's kilts, because the hip buckle helps keep the apron edge from flying up during the Highland fling, etc. (dancers don't wear kilt pins to help weight the apron edge).

Most men look a lot better in their kilts if they have only a waist buckle unless they have a nice flat tummy. A hip buckle pulled too tight makes the kilt pull in under a pot belly, unfortunately.

Having said all this, I _do_ put hip buckles on lots of kilts. I always ask, and , while I do try to talk people out of it, I add a hip buckle if someone really wants one. Bands like to have kilts all look the same, and, in my experience, it's a rare band kilt that doesn't have 3 buckles (including our band kilts). And many men want three buckles. I'd have to say that I make more 3-buckle kilts than 2, even not counting the dancers.

Barb