2 straps or 3 weigh in men! (and women)

[JimB]

Ok, I'll buy that for looks the third belt/buckle may be something that you might like because it's "traditional", but other than looks, why would you ever want one?
There are two big minuses for me. 1, it's just something else to catch on something, and 2, doesn't it defeat the purpose of that nice big deep pleat?

As I understand it, the deep pleat helps in movement (and maybe even in modesty when you sit) but what the point of having it, if you're going to restrict its movement with a belt?

[ChattanCat]

Well, since you asked, I prefer two straps. Actually, I also prefer that the left hip strap be set up like Matt Newsome does his---with the buckle INSIDE and no hole cut through the material. YMMV.

For traditional kilts, the belt hole is not cut in the material, but is actually between two pleats. The pleats are just not sewn by the belt hole.

As I understand it, the deep pleat helps in movement (and maybe even in modesty when you sit) but what the point of having it, if you're going to restrict its movement with a belt?

The deep pleat is traditionally sewn from the fell to the top of the kilt. Therefore, haveing the extra belt and buckle do not add or subtract from the functionality of the deep pleat.

The engineer in me says that the only thing the extra buckle does is reduce the amount the front apron can move relative to the under apron. With a one belt kilt the front apron will pivot around the waist belt. With two belts, the front apron will pivot around the hip belt. So the cosined of the angle will be less for the two belt kilt (amount of travel at the selvage).

[JimB]

The deep pleat is traditionally sewn from the fell to the top of the kilt. Therefore, haveing the extra belt and buckle do not add or subtract from the functionality of the deep pleat.

You're right of course. Not doing belts on my kilts I had a hard time visualising it. It would in fact hinder the movement of the upper apron with the under apron which would in effect tend to cinch the kilt across that area unnaturally. Other than "tradition" or maybe just liking that look, I just don't get it.

Personally, I think the only reason Scots designed kilts with belts in the first place is that they didn't know about Velcro!