Despite the variety of jeans models, the number of pockets in men's jeans often remains the same. According to tradition, there are five of them.
4 regular-sized pockets have a practical purpose: they store small things, money, keys, etc.
The fifth pocket differs from the others in its size; it is smaller than the others. This pocket often causes confusion among jeans owners. Let's try to figure out why they sew a small pocket onto jeans, into which you can't put much.
What is the name of the small pocket in jeans?
Since the appearance of the fifth pocket in jeans, there have been several variations of its names. All of them determine the purpose of this element of denim trousers. The options are:
- Drugs packet, or medicine package - used to store medications;
- Watch pocket – pocket watch (in Levi's catalogues, pocket has this literal translation);
- Funny pocket - funny pocket (occurred due to the fact that illegal drugs were hidden there);
- Coin pocket or pocket for coins - used for money.
Levi's 501 Fifth Pocket commercial
History of appearance
The appearance of jeans is associated with the name of Leib Strauss from Bavaria. During the anti-Semitic period, the future designer Leib Strauss, born into a Jewish family, changes his name to Levi Strauss and goes to America. At that time, and this was around the 1800s, there was a gold rush going on there. Levi gives up the race for gold and decides that the best way to get rich is to take care of the workers. The young man is engaged in trade, selling fabrics and haberdashery.
One day, having successfully sold all the goods, he discovered that only a roll of cheap hemp canvas remained. Levi Strauss realized that it would be difficult to sell it, so he made trousers, which were quickly snapped up by prospectors. This was the beginning of the history of jeans. In 1853, Levi Strauss and his cousin opened the first one. Hemp fabric was replaced by light blue and blue denim.
The quality of the material was liked by the workers who worked in the mines. Pants were highly valued due to their strength, reliability, and durability. The cowboys of the Wild West also liked these trousers, which, like the cowboy hat, became the personification of that era. The period of the gold rush, the times of cowboys, was marked by the fact that then trousers were invented, the fashion for which remains even after more than a hundred years.
In 1873, American Michael Regalo, who is the designer of the Levi's brand, came up with a new model of jeans - 501 XX. It differed in that a special pad was sewn inside the right compartment, which fit tightly to the fabric, had certain dimensions and strict standards. According to historians of the fashion industry, it was originally intended for wearing pocket watches, but then another purpose appeared - for storing gold-mined nuggets. Then the pocket was the fourth, not the fifth: the classic jeans of that time - with one back pocket.
How the first jeans appeared. The very first jeans were created by Levi Strauss
When and why did it appear
There are 2 versions when a tiny pocket appeared on jeans. The first version says that it was not sewn on until several years after the first jeans appeared. Denim pants were invented with him. The history of jeans begins with the gold rush. Back then, miners wore overalls. The pockets on the clothes were distributed evenly - several at the top and several at the bottom.
The first jeans were invented in 1853 by Leiba Strauss, a textile merchant. He came to California at the height of the gold rush. He began selling his invention to prospectors.
Jeans were in demand because, unlike leather pants, they could be washed. In those days, jeans were overalls without a top. The pockets were at the bottom. 3 or 4 large pockets were sewn on. In the first case, 1 pocket was sewn on the back. The need for pockets is understandable - they were intended to store a knife and other types of weapons. Why was the small pocket on jeans needed when creating models? The official and most plausible version is that it was intended for storing coins.
But most historians support the version that the tiny pocket was invented after the first jeans appeared. Its creator is considered to be Michael Regalo, an American designer. There are several assumptions why a small pocket on jeans was needed:
- Workers kept nails in small pockets;
- The most unusual version says that Michael specially invented the pocket so that people could hide ecstasy when they saw the police;
- There is a version that the creator's name was Mark Lidin. But why did he need the small pocket on his jeans in the first place? Speculations say he invented this piece to store a small talisman stone in it.
Whichever version is correct, it is clear to anyone why a small pocket on jeans was needed - to store tiny things.
Prohibited substance (ecstasy)
Watch
Coins
What was a tiny pocket on jeans used for before?
There are three versions, which is why the Levi's designer came up with a fifth pocket on jeans. They are as follows:
- For wearing pocket watches on a chain. Back then, this small compartment was sewn a little larger than the modern one. This was necessary so that the watch on the chain could fit in it.
- A place to store small parts that workers need.
- For Zippo lighters, which were actively used by almost all cowboys. It is believed that for this reason, over time, the pockets became smaller in size - the way people are used to seeing them now.
WHY DO YOU NEED THIS SMALL POCKET ON YOUR JEANS???
Watch
19th century fashion suggested the use of watches on a chain rather than watches on bracelets. Judging by the name “watch pocket”, it is not difficult to guess that a watch was worn in the smallest part of the pants. Considering that jeans are work clothes, holding the item in other places was inconvenient. The chain was attached to a leather belt, belt loop or belt, and the watch itself was kept in the pocket. True, it was not very comfortable: when wearing it on the side, I constantly felt discomfort due to the fact that the watch put pressure on my thigh.
Coins
Another version of what the pocket compartment was used for is money. Coin pocket is a great place to store cash. At that time, paper banknotes were almost never used in America, so this cut of pants helped to quickly find and easily get small coins. The version that a small pocket was specially sewn for this purpose is quite realistic and justified.
Gold nuggets
The gold rush was a very difficult time. Gold miners worked in the mines day and night. The search for nuggets was very active, so there was a risk of losing the find. And there were many hunters for other people's prey. At this time, jeans with a small, secure compartment in which gold could be safely hidden became especially popular.
Small items
After Levi Strauss separated the upper part from the overalls and patented his invention, the pants became especially popular among the working class of the population. It is believed that a small pocket on jeans is intended for small items, small things that should not be lost and should always be at hand. Strong, durable denim fabric securely stored bolts, nuts, terminals, nails, and screws. Even a penknife could be carried in this compartment.
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Lighters
A hundred years ago, as now, a small pocket on jeans was perfect for storing lighters. During the days of cowboys, Zippos were popular, which fit in a small front pocket. Even when moving at high speed on horseback, nothing was lost. After a while, Zippo was replaced by Cricket lighters, which also fit perfectly into this decorative detail of the pants.
Medicines
The name “drugs pocket” suggests that the shallow compartment in jeans was intended to store medications. There is a version that Regalo himself created this pocket to hide illegal drugs in it. After police raids, a couple of narcotic tablets could often be found in pockets. Many consider this version dubious, but it has its place.
Personal talismans
People who constantly carry various amulets and talismans with them try to keep them as close to themselves as possible, but so that they are hidden from prying eyes. A small pocket compartment is best suited for this, which will reliably hide such an attribute and prevent the accessory from falling out or being detected by prying eyes. Wearing personal talismans is another version of the appearance of the fifth jeans pocket.
Major versions
As already noted, jeans served as work clothes, so all their details, including a small pocket, had a practical purpose. And yet, debates about what exactly it was created for still rage. Let's look at the main versions of the appearance of this element of jeans, because some of them are quite entertaining!
Version one: For cowboys. It is known that they were avid smokers, but, not having large funds for frequent purchase of smoking accessories (in particular, the still popular Zippo lighter), they needed a particularly good place to store them. The small pocket just held this lighter, and even riding a horse at high speed, the cowboy did not lose it.
Version two: for watches. At the end of the nineteenth century, the fashion for watches was round small watches, the chain of which was attached to a belt loop, and they themselves were placed in this pocket. Over time, the watch “moved” to the wrist, but the jeans remained with a small pocket.
Version three: for ecstasy lovers. Oddly enough, the small pocket of jeans has its own nickname - “Rugs packet” ( from English.
"pharmaceutical package"). The police often carried out raids in working-class neighborhoods, and in this pocket it was quite possible to hide several tablets of an illegal drug with a narcotic effect. The version is slightly dubious, but also has a right to exist.
Version four: for gold miners . During the gold rush, workers in the mines found nuggets of all sizes. And since their work was very physically active, there was a risk of losing such an expensive find. That's why denim designers came up with a way to store the gold they found by providing a separate, secure pocket for it.
Modern Application
The classic shape of jeans with five pockets has become established and is still used today. The modern use of the smallest compartment is not much different from what it was a hundred years ago, but several new reasons have been added to use a pocket. In the days of payphones, small change could easily fit there; now they carry subway tokens, travel tickets, paper clips, chewing gum, paper money and other small items there. Often the pocket is used to store contraceptives.
Levi's Red Wire DLX jeans with built-in player
A new product from Levi's that has appealed to many music lovers, a product developed in conjunction with the iPod is the Red Wire DLX jeans. Their peculiarity is that they are equipped with a built-in, almost invisible player. The device is equipped with retractable headphones and a joystick that allows you to control the iPod without taking it out. The device does not cause any discomfort to the owner, is easily removed, and after removal, the pants can be washed. There are options for women and men, and the appearance of the model emphasizes the minimalist style of the iPod.
