# What’s the deal with state flags?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-deal-with-state-flags/943252>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 30, 2021, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-deal-with-state-flags/943252 "2021-05-30T23:54:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 128

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**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2021, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-deal-with-state-flags/943252/128 "2021-06-03T06:23:02Z")

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I’d argue that they’re distinctive through ubiquity, not through design (e.g. there are other flags quite like the USA one that aren’t as widespread, so it’s clearly not the design itself that renders it distinctive. Similarly, the UK one has been incorporated into other flags, which helps its brand recognition) So they’re distinctive in spite of, not because of, their design.

Although IMO neither are _bad_ flag designs.

And the “rules” are only guidelines - as I’ve [pointed out](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-being-a-vexillologist-on-flag-design/922934/39) in these threads before, Japanese [prefecture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flags_of_Japanese_prefectures) and [municipality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_municipal_flags_of_Kansai_region) [flags](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_municipal_flags_of_Kant%C5%8D_region) break rule 3 all the time, and are awesome for it.

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