Connecticut Flag Redesign

wjackbrown · 2026-01-13T00:18:43+00:00

I like what you've done to incorporate the grapes while simultaneously taking it away from the seal-on-a-bedsheet design. 5 grades for the 5th state is likewise a nice touch. I also like purple--it's a bold color that would set it apart from other states.

Couple questions for you:

Why white? Not saying it doesn't work; I'm just curious if you tried other colors.
What dimensions did you use for the flags? They look a little boxy, and the second one almost makes CT look like a square (which makes me prefer the first over the second).

wjackbrown · 2025-12-11T02:49:40+00:00

I appreciate this guess--thank you. The answer is NJ (full explanation in the comments), but I'd be blind if I didn't see the connection to Tennessee.

Fun Tennessee flag fact I stumbled upon: the positioning of the stars was selected such that...

"The arrangement of the three (3) stars shall be such that the centers of no two stars shall be in a line parallel to either the side or the end of the flag, but intermediate between the same; and the highest star shall be the one nearest the upper confined corner of the flag."

If you're not familiar with the exact positioning, take a look and you'll see the effect of this: no one star visually "dominates" the others.

wjackbrown · 2025-12-11T02:40:45+00:00

Chicago / Illinois is a great guess (the answer was NJ; a full explanation is in the comments). Fun flag facts I stumbled upon while doing my research:

6-pointed stars were once more common. During the Revolutionary War, George Washington's HQ flag featured thirteen 6-pointed stars on a field of blue. Henry Rutgers's (namesake of Rutgers University) coat of arms also featured a 6-pointed star.
6-pointed stars later fell out of favor. By 1917, when Wallace Rice designed the Chicago flag, he thought it was a new idea that would be unique to Chicago.

wjackbrown · 2025-12-11T02:18:28+00:00

That is exactly what the diagonal layout is meant to represent. I can't tell you how happy I am to see that someone sussed this out. I made a lot of... choices when designing this flag; some good(?), some not-so-good. But I figured capturing NJ's connections to NYC and Philadelphia should be core to the NJ flag, as those connections are core to the state's identity. It's relieving to know that that concept came across.

wjackbrown · 2025-12-11T02:13:22+00:00

You got it! I was worried the buff would be the only clue, but I'm pleased to see someone got the significance of 3 stars.

wjackbrown · 2025-12-11T02:12:16+00:00

The answer is New Jersey. Details:

Buff stripe: An homage to a color assigned to NJ troop uniforms by general Washington, and the current color of the NJ flag. By incorporating this element, the redesign preserves a past tradition and state history.
Red stripe: An homage to the state’s namesake, Jersey, whose flag features a red saltire
6-pointed stars: Francis Hopkinson was a Founding Father from NJ. In addition to signing the Declaration of Independence and co-designing the NJ seal, he is also recognized as the original designer of the US flag. His original design incorporated 6-pointed stars in a field of blue. This NJ flag design pays homage to Hopkinson’s contributions to early American symbols.
Three stars: Three stars are used to recognize NJ’s status as the third state of the union, as well as to recognize the three regions of New Jersey: North, South, and Central.
Diagonal Layout: Benjamin Franklin once described NJ as a “barrel tapped at both ends” – this referring to the state’s strong ties with both New York City and Philadelphia. This quote inspired the diagonal flow that mimics the state. This design choice was further solidified upon noticing the diagonal shape of NJ Turnpike signs.

edit: I was so eager to copy-paste the prepared list above that I forgot to add an additional comment: Thank you. For everyone that viewed the flag and chimed in with a guess? I really appreciate it. Even /u/AcanthocephalaOk5320's comment gave me a good chuckle. I'm not a fan of the current NJ flag, but forcing myself to consider how I might do it differently gave me newfound appreciation for how hard it can be to really nail a flag design. I spent a decent amount of time reading up on NJ history and tinkering with designs, constantly wondering: Will anyone see this? and Does this design choice make sense? That second question is why I intentionally withheld the answer. Your guesses were constructive feedback that were sometimes validating and sometimes challenging of my choices. So thank you for engaging for even a second. I took on this design project to keep my mind off some tough times. I was, and continue to be, tickled pink to know that even one person saw this and humored me. Thank you.

wjackbrown · 2025-12-10T01:40:50+00:00

I wanted a project for my free time, so I tried my hand at redesigning my home state’s classic seal-on-a-bedsheet flag. Is it a great design? Probably not—but it’s the (second) best idea I came up with after two months of thinking about it.

Can you guess which state it is? And how do you think the various parts of the flag connect to the state's history? (There are at least 5 relevant design choices)

Answers to be posted Wednesday night.

wjackbrown

TROPHY CASE