People are only just discovering the true purpose of the tiny extra pocket found inside a pair of jeans, and the revelation has left them astounded. Jeans are a staple item in countless wardrobes, suitable for smarter occasions or as the centrepiece of a relaxed, casual ensemble.
Made from denim, the trousers boast a rich and lengthy heritage. Denim was the go-to material for workwear, with the first pair of jeans—similar to those we know and love today—created by an American tailor named Jacob Davis and dry goods wholesaler Levi Strauss, who supplied him with the fabric to make them.
The duo joined forces and patented the first pair of riveted denim work trousers on 20 May 1873, paving the way for the iconic jeans still worn around the globe today. Nowadays, jeans are available in a wide range of cuts, colours, and styles, from mom jeans, high waisted, bootcut, and flared, to wide leg, skinny, distressed, and more.
The Levi's website states: "We should note that they were called 'waist overalls' or 'overalls' until 1960, when baby boomers adopted the name 'jeans'."
The front pocket of a pair of jeans frequently features an additional, considerably smaller pocket positioned at the hip. It is generally a noticeable detail incorporated into many styles of jeans. On Reddit, one curious user questioned its purpose. Posting a photo of the peculiar pocket, they wrote: "What's the smaller pockets within pockets of jeans for? Does anyone know the use of [the] smaller pocket [and what it] is designed for?"
In the comments section, several Reddit users were keen to share their perspectives, with some offering humorous quips and playful observations while others revealed their personal usage for the diminutive pocket. One person said: "I use it and have always used it for my lighter." Another said: "Hold your lucky coin." A third said: "Steve Jobs said they were for the iPod Nano when it launched in 2005. I distinctly remember him pulling one out of his mini pocket in the reveal video. First and only time I ever bought an Apple product new."
A fourth added: "I used to use it for my iPod Nano. Good times... good times." Nevertheless, another user explained the accurate history of the pocket, which was designed as a storage space for a pocket watch. They simply said: "It was originally for pocket watches." Another added: "I thought it was called the coin pocket, but watch makes more sense!" And another said: "Why did it take so long for someone to go: 'what if pocket watch... but bracelet!'"
One person replied: "It didn't take that long, there are medieval necklace, wrist, and even ring watches. In the Victorian era, wrist watches were seen as feminine as they were delicate, and pocket watches were seen as reliable and sturdy. It took the combination of the Boer and World War One to make wrist watches masculine, as jumping on the deck and crawling through the muck tended to break pocket watches."
According to Britannica: "The small pocket as we know it today was not an element of the blue jeans mass-produced by Levi Strauss and Co until the 1890s, when the target buyers for the work trousers were carpenters, railroad workers, farmers, and miners."
