Tartans not of your lineage

[Tobinn]

I'm not clear on what you ask. If USAK says that Mackenzie Modern is a "universal" tartan then they are incorrect. If, however, they neglected to say that tartan was "universal", then they are correct -- it is not. You can pretty well go with what USAK says because they do good research before they stock and tell all.

"Of a sorts" it would be a 'traditional' faux pas to wear a recognised Mackenzie as though it were your son's own. Not a catastrophe -- no sky will fall on him and (probably) no bullets will fly. But that sort of commitment might be worth a second thought on your part

USAK does, indeed, not say that MacKenzie Modern is a universal tartan. I guess I'm asking if wearing a MacKenzie tartan, for example, is appropriate when one is not a MacKenzie? If inappropriate, then where on the faux pas scale does it fall?

I was making a bit of a joke in referencing my son's friend whose first name happens to be

[ThistleDown]

Many faux pas occur in the New World (and indeed in Scotland, too) when it comes to tartan and TCHD. To be correct, he should not wear the Mackenzie and either wear his own tartan or a universal or regional one and show his commitment to his friend that way. But there's no law that says he must, so on some sort of faux pas scale this is probably at the lower end.

[Tobinn]

Many faux pas occur in the New World (and indeed in Scotland, too) when it comes to tartan and TCHD. To be correct, he should not wear the Mackenzie and either wear his own tartan or a universal or regional one and show his commitment to his friend that way. But there's no law that says he must, so on some sort of faux pas scale this is probably at the lower end.

Ahh, fair enough.

[dcommini]

In my case, I doubt that there is any Scottish lineage on my dad's side. Naples is a little off the path.

Part of my father's lineage also hails from Naples, and other parts of Italy. He took the DNA test through Ancestry.com and found out he had a good deal of Celtic DNA. His mother, having a Dutch last name, had some Irish in her family líne.

Anyway, before I knew of the slight Irish connection on my father's side, I took to wearing my mother's family tartan - though even through her line there are a variety of other clan connections, I chose the one from her surname (which is a sept of Clan Armstrong).

I'd suggest either finding a tartan through your mother's line, or alternatively wearing your wife's family tartan. My wife's family was a sept of Buchanan, but she can't stand the tartan, if she wore a tartan she'd have no problem wearing mine. And as others have mentioned, those of other lineage chose to wear their grandmother's tartan. So I'd say, pick a tartan from your line you like, or wear your wife's.

[macmanjim]

Part of my father's lineage also hails from Naples, and other parts of Italy. He took the DNA test through Ancestry.com and found out he had a good deal of Celtic DNA. His mother, having a Dutch last name, had some Irish in her family líne.

Anyway, before I knew of the slight Irish connection on my father's side, I took to wearing my mother's family tartan - though even through her line there are a variety of other clan connections, I chose the one from her surname (which is a sept of Clan Armstrong).

I'd suggest either finding a tartan through your mother's line, or alternatively wearing your wife's family tartan. My wife's family was a sept of Buchanan, but she can't stand the tartan, if she wore a tartan she'd have no problem wearing mine. And as others have mentioned, those of other lineage chose to wear their grandmother's tartan. So I'd say, pick a tartan from your line you like, or wear your wife's.

Both my dad's parents were from Vitulazio, which is north of Naples, maybe 30 miles. He used to say he was FBI, full blooded Italian. That said, his dad was light for an Italian and his dad's mom was too. Reddish hair, so there could be something in the past that's not italian. His mother was dark. I am like an anglo version of my dad and my brother looks like an Italian version of my mom's side, which is heavy Celtic with some german and french, although both german and french were from the Rhine region. She has english, Irish, Scottish and I suspect welsh too. I've found Anderson and Scott in my background, although it was a long time ago. I also found someone with the last name of Ely that was born in Scotland but ended up in Cambridge, a long time ago. My wife is a Watt, which is a sept of Buchanan. She's also Irish, with Smith and McGuinness.

[ThistleDown]

My wife is Swiss. Her ancestry is of the Italian and German cantons. She wears my family tartan -- and a few fashion tartans, too.

[Laurentius]

I don't know why some people are so particular, but personally I would not feel right wearing some other clan tartan without a family connection. Yes I know it is an invented tradition and all that but it does go back long enough now to be a respectable tradition if you get my drift. Highland or Lowland, I dunno, some say that lowlanders never wore the kilt, but they do now, and in any case, I plead that my clan were Highlanders once, but even if that is just a legend, you would not want to argue with them, Fortiter et Recte.

One day I shall have to search out a small sample cloth that my mum wove, and have that patented as a tartan.