Kilt Belts

**Randycan** · 18th October 19, 06:20 AM

Is it correct to wear a kilt belt with jacket and waistcoast?
Not sure what the norm is.....
Thanks!

**ShaunMaxwell** · 18th October 19, 06:22 AM

Not worn with a waistcoat.

Cheers,

SM

**McMurdo** · 18th October 19, 06:34 AM

I do not wear a kilt belt with a waistcoat, it simply makes the waistcoat lie incorrectly, no matter what the hire companies say. In fact I generally don't wear a kilt belt at all. They are merely decorative and I prefer an outfit without one most of the time.

**Father Bill** · 18th October 19, 07:52 AM

The "kilt belt" is actually a dirk belt. If you're not wearing a dirk, you don't need the belt.

It looks rather goofy with the bottom edge of the buckle peeking out from under the waistcoat.

When I'm not wearing a waistcoat, I do like the look of the belt inasmuch as it divides up the top of the kilt and marks its 'edge' but it is absolutely not necessary. We tend to think it belongs because it has been rented out by so many hire shops that we've seen the pictures over and over again and come to think that it's 'correct'.

It's not, and it's not necessary.

Cheers!

**Dr Bee** · 18th October 19, 09:02 AM

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.

**Karl R** · 18th October 19, 10:09 AM

I agree with the points the previous people made.

In addition:
You could wear a belt with just the jacket (no waistcoat), but only if you're wearing a day sporran or semi-dress sporran. If you wear a belt with a dress sporran or hunting sporran, the two will clunk into each other every time you bend over or sit down. This will be particularly problematic if the sporran has a metal cantle.

**Highland Logan** · 19th October 19, 06:55 AM

Originally Posted by Karl R

I agree with the points the previous people made.

In addition:
You could wear a belt with just the jacket (no waistcoat), but only if you're wearing a day sporran or semi-dress sporran. If you wear a belt with a dress sporran or hunting sporran, the two will clunk into each other every time you bend over or sit down. This will be particularly problematic if the sporran has a metal cantle.

If.. if a evening belt were worn, and it and your sporran were clashing together, I might suggest that either the sporran was too high, or the belt too low, or a combination of the two.

Frank

**Dr Bee** · 19th October 19, 08:35 AM

I have some sympathy with Karl R's point about a metal cantle clashing with a belt-buckle worn centre-front at the top of the kilt. As I would never wear a belt with evening wear, the metal cantles of my evening sporrans are safe from the clash. However, I do have a brown hunting sporran with a metal cantle which I sometimes wear with brown shoes and a tweed jacket during the day. As I've grown older and my tummy gradually less flat, the sporran riding up when I sit down has become more and more noticeable to me and I have noticed the cantle tapping against the buckle when sitting - it can be distracting to the point of being an annoyance. Twenty five or thirty years ago this was less of a problem and I often wore a day jacket without a weskit and sported a dirk-belt on my kilt. However, I now find that I'd be reluctant to wear that sporran and a belt together, preferring to opt for a weskit and no belt. I'm not sure what the moral of this story is beyond the obvious - that I should shed a few pounds and get back in shape - but I, for one, know that it can be a problem.

**PhysicsIsPants** · 20th October 19, 10:29 AM

I sometimes wear a waistcoat for semi-formal/professional occasions and will use a kilt belt; however, this is in part because I am a larger guy and normally wear my sporrans from belt hangers. That being said, for formal occasions I do not wear a kilt belt and instead have a dress sporran with a pewter cantle that I wear with a sporran chain.

**DustyBoots** · 20th October 19, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by PhysicsIsPants

I sometimes wear a waistcoat for semi-formal/professional occasions and will use a kilt belt; however, this is in part because I am a larger guy and normally wear my sporrans from belt hangers. That being said, for formal occasions I do not wear a kilt belt and instead have a dress sporran with a pewter cantle that I wear with a sporran chain.

Like you, I typically wear my sporrans on hangers. If I'm in a vest, I wear a longer jeans belt, about 1.5 inches wide, so that I can utilize the sporran hangers. It stays completely hidden, doesn't muck with the way the vest hangs, etc. I don't know that it's a solution with an actual waistcoat, given the shorter cut.