This Tiny Pocket On Your Jeans Actually Has A Purpose. And No, It's Not For Your Salary
Not just a pointless design.
By Tamara Jayne — 11 May 2021, 11:19 AM
Ever wondered what that tiny pocket on your jeans is for?
Yeah, that teeny one that can barely fit anything.
There's actually a reason for it. And no, it's not for your salary. :')
So then what is it for exactly?
Turns out that little pocket has been a staple on most jeans ever since 1879.
It was originally created to store a cowboy's or workman's pocket watch.
According to Today, historian for Levi Strauss & Co Tracey Panek reveals that "it appears on the oldest pair of waist overalls — the original name for jeans — in the Levi Strauss & Co archives that date back to 1879".
The tiny pockets would hold pocket watches that carpenters, miners, and railroad engineers would often carry.
The watch was secure and would fit snugly into the pocket, without it being too tight or too loose, and was easy to access.
Miners wearing Levi Strauss and Co's waist overalls in 1882.
Image via Levi Strauss & Co. Archives/TodayAnd the design has just stuck ever since!
Although most people probably don't use it for watches today, Levi's website points out that the tiny pocket has served other purposes over time, from storing condoms to coins.
Cool.
