The upside-down Washington State sticker is becoming an iconic, quirky emblem on cars throughout the world. I still remember the first time I saw it – while shopping at a Trader Joe’s parking lot, I stared at the back of a Subaru covered in adventure gear and stickers. On that Subaru, among other stickers, was that distinctive jagged outline of Washington State – upside down. Immediately, I asked, “Is that supposed to be like that?” Spoiler alert: yes, it was!
That upside-down state outline doesn’t look like someone made a mistake with a decal; instead, it has significance to the people who sport it proudly on their bumpers. It may look like a sticker, but for many people, it is really a subtle, low-key love letter to the Evergreen State.
History of Washington State Stickers
A couple of years ago, state outline stickers began to blow up across social media platforms, especially among people that enjoy taking long road trips or want to show off where they live. Chances are you have seen the basic white vinyl decals that display the silhouette of states and were applied to laptops, water bottles, and car windows. Washington State’s shape (with its craggy coastline and mountain-cut edges) is also very easily recognizable even in minimalistic form. As such, the Washington State car sticker became a subtle yet solid representation of Northwest pride.
Somewhere along the line, however, people began flipping that state outline – intentionally. That is when things got interesting.
