That one pocket
Are you a gold miner or a Wild West cowboy of the 19th-century? Then this small ‘fifth pocket’ on your jeans is probably no mystery to you. To the curious rest of us, this ‘too -tiny-to put-anything-in’ pocket has left us wondering about its use, if it even has one. So far we’ve been creative enough to make of this a coin pocket, ticket pocket, lip balm pocket, jewelry pocket, etc. – but have we been using it right this whole time?
Unless you’re living in the 1800s, in which case the answer is yes. Originally, it was designed for men who used to carry around loose pocket watches, which tended to be delicate and expensive. The design of this “watch pocket” aims to protect the expensive pocket watches by keeping it adequate and safely tucked into a neat and tidy place. Why do companies still waste that little strip of denim when we no longer carry around pocket watches? That’s the real mystery here.