13 votes

Is LA's flag good or garbage?

8 comments

  1. [4]
    Sahasrahla
    Link
    Reminds me of the 99 Percent Invisible episode on Portland's flag. As it (and this article) points out, municipal flags can often be pretty bad. Anyone have any favourite city flags? It doesn't...

    Reminds me of the 99 Percent Invisible episode on Portland's flag. As it (and this article) points out, municipal flags can often be pretty bad.

    Anyone have any favourite city flags? It doesn't win any points for simplicity but I like the flag of Burnaby, British Columbia: https://i.imgur.com/I0xGqJM.gif

    5 votes
    1. [2]
      cfabbro
      Link Parent
      Not city flags, but Sicily and the Isle of Man's flags have always been my personal favorites... the Trinacria/Triskelion is just such a unique and bizarre symbol.

      Not city flags, but Sicily and the Isle of Man's flags have always been my personal favorites... the Trinacria/Triskelion is just such a unique and bizarre symbol.

      5 votes
      1. krg
        Link Parent
        I dig the symbol...yet at the same time I find it unsettling.

        I dig the symbol...yet at the same time I find it unsettling.

        1 vote
    2. gpl
      Link Parent
      Chicago’s flag is in my estimation a masterclass in flag design.

      Chicago’s flag is in my estimation a masterclass in flag design.

      4 votes
  2. Eylrid
    Link
    Watching it flapping I actually kind of like it. It's garrish, but at least it's distinct, which is more than you can say for the typical seal on a bedsheet. I agree with Ted Kaye: Ditch the seal...

    Watching it flapping I actually kind of like it. It's garrish, but at least it's distinct, which is more than you can say for the typical seal on a bedsheet. I agree with Ted Kaye: Ditch the seal and it would be a great flag.

    4 votes
  3. [2]
    UniquelyGeneric
    Link
    I grew up in LA and had many stationary that my grandmother used with the seal of LA (albeit in black and white), so I didn’t have a problem with the seal itself...until I saw it on the flag. The...

    I grew up in LA and had many stationary that my grandmother used with the seal of LA (albeit in black and white), so I didn’t have a problem with the seal itself...until I saw it on the flag. The contrast of the simple, jagged colors with the detailed seal is just garish.

    I never really got much exposure to the LA flag while living there, and I can see why. I’ve seen the NYC flag far more often while living here in a shorter amount of time, and it similarly has the terrible design choice of slapping its seal in the middle.

    Perhaps it’s the jagged edges and color scheme that make it feel like it’s from a bygone age (the 80s?...which would make its designers ahead of their time, I guess), but it certainly feels in need of an update. Seeing Chicago’s flag in the article, it was instantly recognizable. I wonder if LA could adopt something just as distinctive, if it would provide further cohesion to a city that feels disparately connected.

    3 votes
    1. Eylrid
      Link Parent
      The monochrome color of the seal on the NYC flag lets it blend in with the rest of the flag more.

      The monochrome color of the seal on the NYC flag lets it blend in with the rest of the flag more.

  4. krg
    Link
    The flag's dope. No need to entertain the idea of changing it.

    The flag's dope. No need to entertain the idea of changing it.