If you are one of those who usually wear jeans, and you have more than one pair of wardrobes, you have surely wondered at some point what the small pocket on the front is for. And it is all a mystery, there is no room for glasses, no room for keys, no room for our mobile phone and many people use it to store coins, shopping receipts or even a lighter to have it closer at hand when they go to smoke… but its original purpose was very different, did you know that?
Why was the pocket on jeans created?
This curiosity dates back to the 19th century, when Levi Strauss & Co. designed the first jeans for workers in the Wild West. The small pocket had a very specific and practical purpose, although over time it has lost its usefulness.
According to the Levi’s brand itself, this pocket was not designed for coins, keys or bills. Its original design arose in the 1800s to solve a problem that cowboys and workers in the American West had: where to store their pocket watches without them breaking?
At that time, although we find it hard to believe, watches were not worn on the wrist, but hung from a chain on the vest or in the pocket of the pants. To prevent them from being damaged while working, Levi’s incorporated this small pocket into jeans.
But when wristwatches became popular in the early 20th century, this pocket lost its original function and fell into disuse.
Why is it still included in jeans?
Even though pocket watches are a thing of the past, the tradition of the small pocket continued. In the 1940s and 1950s, soldiers and workers began using it to store small items, and over time, its function changed. One of the most popular uses in the following decades was to store a Zippo lighter. These lighters needed to be kept upright to prevent fuel leaks, and the small pocket on jeans turned out to be the perfect place for this.
Today, most people use it to store coins or simply as an adornment on their jeans.
Are there any other interesting facts about jeans?
- The orange thread: Levi’s jeans usually have orange stitching. This is no coincidence and this shade was chosen because it matched the copper rivets that were added to reinforce the garment.
- The crotch seams are also a feature of these jeans and were designed with specific curves for greater comfort and durability.
- The small metal rivets reinforce the pockets of the jeans and were an idea of Jacob Davis, the tailor who worked with Levi Strauss in the creation of the first work pants (because yes, that was the origin of jeans!). His goal was to prevent the seams from wearing out with use during work days.
Facts you didn’t know about jeans:
- They were born as work clothes for workers, miners and farmers in the 19th century.
- The first jeans that were created were brown, although today we associate them with the color blue.
- The most famous Levi’s model is the 501 and it was first launched in 1890! And it has continued to be produced to this day.
- And ripped jeans? Although we think they are very modern… They began to be manufactured in the 70s and by the 90s they were already the fashion of rock bands.
- There were places in the 50s and 60s that considered them to be too rebellious a garment and banned them, for example, in schools and restaurants.
- In the beginning, jeans were not washed frequently because that meant wearing out the fabric. Even today, many experts recommend not washing them after each use, and even recommend putting them in the freezer!
- More than 1.2 billion pairs of jeans are sold every year around the world, with the United States being the largest consumer, followed by China and Europe.
And you, do you wear jeans? Did you know all these tips?