FlagLore
The Journal
Hoist vs. Fly: The Vocabulary Every Flag Maker Uses
A guided tour of flag anatomy — hoist, fly, field, canton, and the rest of the vocabulary that lets flag makers describe any design precisely.
Why Flag Ratios Vary: 1:1, 2:3, 3:5, and 1:2 Explained
Flags are surprisingly inconsistent in shape — from perfect squares to long, narrow rectangles. Here's what a hoist:fly ratio means and why it varies so much.
A Beginner's Guide to Flag Semaphore
How two hand-held flags and seven arm positions became a complete signalling alphabet, and how to start reading and sending it yourself.
The Language of Heraldic Tinctures: Colors, Metals, and the Rule of Tincture
How heraldry organizes color into metals, colours, and a strict rule about combining them — plus the centuries-old system for showing color in black and white.
How to Choose the Right Flag Size for Your Flagpole
The rule of thumb flag manufacturers use to match a flag to a pole, why bigger isn't automatically better, and how to keep a flying flag lasting longer.
Vertical vs. Horizontal: Why Flag Layouts Differ Around the World
Stripes can run sideways or up and down, crosses can sit centered or off to one side — a tour of the major flag layout families and the design logic behind each.
Maritime Signal Flags: The International Code of Signals
How a standardized set of flags lets ships from any country exchange essential messages at sea without sharing a spoken language.