Kilt Belts

[Benning Boy]

I recall it was Figheadair who once posted about his belt being a narrow one worn high like the dirk belt. His favorite sporran, an antique, has a long loop on the back which functions like sporran hangers, sort of upside down hangers being a permanent part of the sporran.

Perhaps Figheadair, or in case it was someone else who posted the narrow belt idea he will repost his way of wearing a narrow belt high like a kilt belt.

[DavidM]

My band uniform is a shirt, tie waistcoat, etc. I only wear a belt when it's so hot that I want to carry a water bottle holder. That and the band kilt is a wee bit big! If it's not hot, then I (and another band member) wear suspenders! which are well hidden by the waistcoat.

[tpa]

The staight answer, as others have said, is no, however if you want to carry something from it that you can't put elsewhere, then possibly, yes. If wearing an open waistcoat without jacket, then sure wear a belt if you want to and if you are wearing some doublets, a belt is essential, but those selections are not in your question.

[Geoff Withnell]

It's a simple truth that few things look more comical than the sight of a dirk-belt's buckle poking out from under your weskit and few things will do more to ruin your hard earned sartorial prestige.

Dirk belts, as Father Bill correctly calls them, are for wearing over a Kenmore, Balmoral or Montrose doublet with which a dirk may be correctly worn (wherever it's legal to do so). However, with or without a jacket a dirk-belt can look good on your kilt when you're not wearing a weskit - which is why your kilt should have two belt loops over the hips.

Formal or evening wear usually calls for a silver (or nickel plated) buckle - although polished or lacquered brass is okay as long as it doesn't clash with sporran cantle or jacket buttons. I've found that such shiny buckles can look incongruous with day or casual wear when a bronzed or black buckle can look really good. Also the modern enameled buckles can look good with casual kilt.

I have found that the belt loops are not really necessary on a traditional kilt. The dirk belt will sit at the waist with no restraint necessary, since the kilt flares out both above and below the waist. A fair number of traditional kilt makers put belt loops only by customer request.