I don't know about pants, but trophy flags are blue for first, red for second, and yellow for third.

It seems like it would make things a lot easier for regatta organizers if everybody used flags for trophies instead of trying to come up with unique trophies for every event.

And, unlike the usual trophies, flags can be displayed not just to "brag," but to show your personal racing history -- where you have been and what events you have sailed in. And, at the same time, each flag is a little "advertisement" for that regatta.

Most trophies end up in boxes and eventually end up being thrown away. Nobody EVER throws away a trophy flag.
The sailing history displayed in our flags goes back to 1948, because it includes flags that were won by my late father sailing a Lightning and later a Shark catamaran, so it spans generations (and keeps his memory alive for us).

My idea went farther than just trophy flags. I thought it would be good to have participant flags (instead of T shirts), and to have a standard color for participant flags that would be given at all regattas that do that -- like maybe green. That way everybody could fly their history of participation in events, even if they never win a trophy flag.

We could not seem to drum up any interest in the catamaran community for having trophy flags. And the only problem with having participant flags for everybody is that flags actually cost a lot more than T-shirts.

Another problem for catamaran regattas is that the tradition has been to have trophies for both skipper and crew. Trophy flags are awarded one per boat, going to the skipper only. (But I'm sure that could be changed.)

If everybody liked the idea of flags instead of T-shirts and regular trophies, it might make a nice little cottage industry for somebody with a sewing machine to make flags. I'm sure it could be done a lot cheaper than the prices charged by the commercial flag manufacturers.

P.S. Another big thing about flying flags when the boats are on the beach at regattas is that it is very colorful and attracts more public attention -- always a good thing.

P.P.S. I hate the term "brag flags," because I think that is not the purpose and it sends the wrong message. I have always called them "regatta flags." That's why I think there should be a flag for every participant, so everybody can fly their regatta flags.

P.P.P.S. If this became popular, it might give people a little extra incentive to go to regattas just to add to their regatta flag string -- and their history of participation.