History The Hanky code was originally developed by gay men as a method of communicating with potential partners in noisy bars. Today, it has been adopted by people of all orientations who are into some form of kink, fetish or BDSM. The use of the Hanky code, also called flagging, does not necessarily imply that a person is looking for a partner, nor that a person is gay. It is simply a symbol of pride in one's self, and is a neat way to get a fellow perv to say, "Hi!".
Important note - the flagging or wearing of a specific Hanky does not imply consent. It does, however, indicate interest and can be a great way to begin a dialog.
How to Use the Code Fold the Hanky of your choice into a neat rectangle, and tuck it in one of the rear pockets of your pants, leaving between half an inch and a full inch showing. If the Hanky is just crammed into your pocket or worn some other way, most pervy folks will assume that you don't intend it to mean anything.
| Common Hanky Flags | ||
|---|---|---|
| Worn on Right | Hanky Color | Worn on Left |
| Bondage Top | Grey | Bondage Bottom |
| S/M Top (sometimes heavy) | Black | S/M Bottom (sometimes heavy) |
| Fisting Top | Red | Wants to be Fisted |
| Golden Shower Top | Yellow | Golden Shower Bottom |
| Wants Oral Sex | Light Blue | Wants to give oral sex or expert at oral |
| Less Common Hanky Flags | ||
|---|---|---|
| Worn on Right | Hanky Color | Worn on Left |
| Anal Sex Top | Dark Blue | Anal Sex Bottom |
| Piercing Top | Purple | Piercing Bottom |
| Spanking (OTK) Top | Fuchsia (neon pink) | Spanking (OTK) Bottom |
| CBT Top | Teal Blue | CBT Bottom |
| Wants Nipple Play | Dark Pink | Gives Nipple play |
| Dildo Fetish Top | Light Pink | Dildo Fetish Bottom |
| Armpit Fetish Top | Magenta | Armpit Fetish bottom |
| Drag Queen | Lavender | Drag Queen Lover |
| Well-Endowed Male (8 inches+) | Mustard | Wants Well-endowed male (8 inches+) |
| Two (or more) looking for one | Gold | One looking for Two (or more) |
| Scat Top | Brown | Scat Bottom |
| BBW/BHM | Apricot | Chubby Chaser |
| Uncommon Hanky Flags | ||
|---|---|---|
| Worn on Right | Hanky Color | Worn on Left |
| Toe Fetish Top | Coral | Toe Fetish Bottom |
| Cowboy Fetish Top | Rust | Cowboy Fetish Bottom |
| Father Fetish Top | Hunter Green | Father Fetish Bottom |
| Military Fetish Top | Olive Drab | Military Fetish Bottom |
| Food fetish/feeder Top | Lime Green | Food Fetish/Feedee Bottom |
| Anal Worship Top | Beige | Anal Worship Bottom |
| Lactation Fetish Top | Holstein (cow print) | Lactation fetish bottom |
| Safe sex Top | Black/white checkered | Safe Sex Bottom |
| Shaving fetish Top | Red/white stripe | Shaving Fetish Bottom |
| Teacher/Student Fetish Top | Brown Corduroy | Teacher/Student Bottom |
| Muscle Fetish Top | Gold Lame | Muscle Fetish Bottom |
| Video Fetish Top | Black Velvet | Video Fetish bottom |
| Voyeur | White Velvet | Exhibitionist |
| Tattoo Fetish Top | Leopard print | Tattoo fetish Bottom |
| Cuddling Fetish Top | Teddy bear Print | Cuddling fetish bottom |
| Outdoor fetish Top | Mosquito Netting | Outdoor Fetish bottom |
| Bathhouse Fetish Top | Terry Cloth | Bathhouse Fetish Bottom |
| Scent Fetish Top | Kleenex | Scent Fetish Bottom |
| Open minded/anything goes Top | Orange | Open minded/anything goes bottom |
This is a compilation from a comparison of various sites who host their own Hanky codes and represents the most constant showings of different colors and designs. For example, in some other codes, Mustard represents a Food Fetish rather than what's listed above, but it wasn't the most commonly found. Also, the above-listed are oriented specifically to play and kink, not necessarily to sexual interaction.