"Choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense, and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable." http://RoseByAny.BlogSpot.Com
Keep in mind that the concept of Arans that are specifically linked to Irish families has been blown out of proportion by the geneaology trade--it's a way to sell something, since Ireland doesn't have tartans.