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