The Hanky Code: What Every Color Means
•Posted on November 04 2026
Before apps, there was the back pocket. The hanky code is a system of colored bandanas that gay men used to say exactly what they were into, without saying a word. It came out of leather bars and cruising culture in the early 1970s, in cities like San Francisco and New York. A bandana in your back pocket told the whole room what you were looking for.
The rule is simple: worn on the left, you're the giver. Worn on the right, you're the receiver. The color tells everyone what you're giving or receiving.
We loved it so much we turned it into a thong. Here's the code, color by color.
The Hanky Code at a Glance
| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Red | Fisting |
| Orange | Anything goes |
| Yellow | Piss play and watersports |
| Green | Daddy / pro |
| Sky Blue | Oral sex |
| Purple | Pit play |
| Pink | Sex toys |
| Black | Leather and heavy S/M |
| White | Bating and gooning |
Every Color, Explained
Orange
Anything Goes
Anything goes, or nothing at all. The most open-ended color in the code.
Get It: Orange
Hanky Code FAQ
Which pocket means what?
Left pocket is the giver (the top). Right pocket is the receiver (the bottom). On our Bandana Thong, the color does the talking front and center.
Is the hanky code still used?
Yes. You'll still spot it at leather bars, Pride, Folsom and circuit parties. Today it's as much a nod to queer history as it is a signal.
What is the Bandana Thong?
Our take on the code: a draped bandana front with a pouch, adjustable elastic straps on the sides and back, and a T-shaped thong back with an O-ring. It comes in all nine colors, in S/M and L/XL. Made in Dallas.
Know the Code. Wear the Code.
Shop all nine colors of the Hanky Code Bandana Thong, plus the rest of our thongs.
Shop Thongs
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