What Is The True History of The Flag Pants?

 July 16, 2026

   In my Divisadero, one woman rules the roost.

Daily Whip Out: "La Poderosa" 

     But it must be said, she had her detracters.

Daily Whip Out: "Bloody Chata"

  When you study history you quickly realize just what a thorny thicket it is. Case in point:

   "I have questions about the Classic Gunfights section, 'Death by Shakespeare' in the July/August 2026 issue. In one caption (page 40), it states Martin,'..led a large outlaw gang..' and that he and Curly Bill were 'partners in crime'. But then oin Aftermath:Odds & Ends, it states Martin is a rustler. So he's bad guy. However, in the article text, Martin and Turner drove 4 head of stock 40 miles to return them to Mr. Fitzgerald. Odd behavior for a rustler leader, giving away income. A caption on page 41 states the 100 miles ride is the San Simon to Cloverdale to Shakespeare leg. But from the map, it's actually Cloverdale to SS to Shakespeare. The caption also states Martin/Turner ride 'in combat for most of the journey'. But in the text, the only combat on this leg was the ambush. And that occurred AFTER the 100 mile journey."

 —David Fuller, Lisbon, CT

BBB responds: Yes, there are conflicting accounts of who the bad guys are, and there are conflicting accounts on where they actually went and what they actually did when they arrived. Welcome to my world.

What Is The True History of The Flag Pants?

   Thirty years ago I got it in my head to create Arizona Flag Pants to pay off a zany sight gag we were planning to launch on The Jones, Boze & Jeanne Radio Show on KSLX. So, I had my seamstress friend, Jennie Smith, create loud pants with the state flag and a quasi-looking belt buckle of the bronze star at the waistline. There was only one problem: Wonderful Russ wouldn't wear the pants. So, the bit died and sometime later, Jennie, who was also doing curator work for me in my studio, stored them in a box and put them in a plastic storage bin in our garage.

   Fast forward to last week, when we were in Flagstaff, I saw my grandson's Arizona flag pants.

Fenton and his Arizona Shorts in a bandit pose

His mother told me he wanted them for their trip from Thailand to Arizona and so she ordered them off Amazon. Of course when I saw him wearing them I remembered that certain box in the garage. . .

My "Flag Pants" Stored In Garage

(special thanks to Jennie Smith for creating the Arizona Flag Pants and for creating a storage box with the title right on the side)

   What are the odds of finding these 30 years later? Crazy amazing to say the least. So, that is why I thought we needed a photo session to contrast and compare our flag pants.

The Flag Pants Trio Getting Jiggy

   And, yes, those pants are so loud, Uno couldn't stop barking at them.

Uno barking at my loud pants

   One thing is clear. It's time to make up some new stories. But before I do that, what is the difference between fibbing and lying?

The Truth About Fibbing 

Daily Whip Out:

"Vaqueros Laughing at The Below Saying"

"He who has a good wife wears heaven in his hat."

—Old Vaquero Saying