The little side pocket on jeans, what are they for?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Not all messages are displayed: show all messages (106 of them)

Yup, lipstick, lighter, occassionaly biros, but then I also tie my hair back with biros, fill my handbag with biros and put biros in myback pockets. Then they all vanish as soon as anyone actually wants a pen.

― Anna, Friday, 5 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

Without those pockets your thumbs would get frostbite and fall off. You may think this is a minor issue but then consider that you wouldn't be able to win THUMB WARS.

― DG, Friday, 5 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

Emma, I kind of thought you fold a wrist watch over and put the two ends of the strap in there, but I realise this is silly and I probably made it up.

― Graham, Friday, 5 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

The problem with the thumbwarmer thing is that when you do it you will look like you are doing the Mud Tiger Feet dance.

For this to work you would need a similar pocket on the other side (for your left thumb).

I can't be bothered to research it but these little pockets must be some kind of workwear hangover (like those Carhartt workpants with the pockets halfway down the legs that were originally designed for spanners, hammers whatever).

― David, Friday, 5 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

I can't be bothered to research it but these little pockets must be some kind of workwear hangover The workmen needed warm thumbs to perform their jobs properly, obv.

I had a friend who claims he once put his little pockets to use for NURSING DAMAGED HONEYBEES. I believe this claim to be false however.

― Steve.n., Friday, 5 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

also for storing ZUZU'S PETALS! (and other rub 80s indie acts)

― Alan T, Friday, 5 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

My head hurts.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 5 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

Wait. Is this pocket visible outside? A pocket that is sewn inside the right-hand pocket; inside and not visible from the outside is definately for change. If it's the pocket that's slightly above the main one and visible outside, it's for a pocket watch.

― Sean, Friday, 5 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

have heard it referred to as a condom pocket,in such a way that would imply that that was what they were known as to everyone,i think in a levi's ad or something(could be imagining that though)...also known as a nodge (small amount of hash)pocket,i use it to keep money in....

― robin, Friday, 5 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

Hmm, they are probably for keys, the odd condom, those new tiny mobile phones or something

― Nichole Graham, Sunday, 7 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

it's a ticket pocket, innit? according to my ma's oxendales catalogue, anyway. clothes catalogues are fonts of useless information about what to call funny details of tailoring. read one and you will soon be conversing knowledgeably about plackets, self belts, knife pleats, pin tucks and other such amazing things.

― rener, Monday, 8 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

It is for tiny things that must not get lost but may be discarded by the time it come to forgetting to empty it prior to putting the jeans in the wash eg.(esp.) pass out ticket from Glastonbury.

― N., Monday, 8 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

one month passes...

I <3 (heart!!!) this thread!

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 19 August 2002 17:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

five months pass...

well. still don't know what it is for.

― Jil, Wednesday, 22 January 2003 15:35 (twenty-one years ago) link

pocket pool surely.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 15:46 (twenty-one years ago) link

"It is for tiny things that must not get lost but may be discarded by the time it come to forgetting to empty it prior to putting the jeans in the wash eg.(esp.) pass out ticket from Glastonbury"

OTM

Condoms and drugs mostly

― smee (smee), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 15:50 (twenty-one years ago) link

Its a 'watch pocket'
In older days when people used to carry watches instead of wearing them on their wrists. A seperate pocket was required so the watch didn't get scratched by other items in your pockets.

(anthony is OTM)

― Fuzzy (Fuzzy), Wednesday, 22 January 2003 15:57 (twenty-one years ago) link

anthoney and fritz are correct.

― gygax!, Wednesday, 22 January 2003 16:39 (twenty-one years ago) link

and i didn't even know that!

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Thursday, 23 January 2003 03:41 (twenty-one years ago) link

OB tampons.

― That Girl (thatgirl), Thursday, 23 January 2003 03:44 (twenty-one years ago) link

whoops i meant fuzzy, sorry fritz.

fritz said it would be like this.

― gygax!, Thursday, 23 January 2003 04:41 (twenty-one years ago) link

from when SNL was still good (okay, a matter for debate) "you can put your weeeeeed in it"

― luna (luna.c), Thursday, 23 January 2003 05:38 (twenty-one years ago) link

seven months pass...

Nah, the baggie might get slightly caught and unroll when you take it out. No good. I use to carry a pocketwatch around--never liked how a watch feels--and would keep it in there.
And now you know...the rest of the story.

― oops (Oops), Saturday, 23 August 2003 06:26 (twenty years ago) link

fuck watches. I wear work pants with the hammer loop and the tool pocket. My cell (which doubles as my watch) goes in the pocket for the hammer handle and the rest is for various other accoutrements. It's cool, like the cargo pockets on shorts but without all the annoying buttons and velcro etc.

― Millar (Millar), Saturday, 23 August 2003 06:30 (twenty years ago) link

I tried that but found it annoying to have my phone in that pocket--too low, would slap against my leg.

― oops (Oops), Saturday, 23 August 2003 06:34 (twenty years ago) link

its on 'womens jeans too' !! hey!

i find it is just an annoying little pocket that i try to put my keys in and when they dont fit i realise " oh im trying to fit them in the stupid LITTLE pocket!"

pockets are a great thing though, arent they? i love em.
if i was a bigger peson i would have clothes covered in pockets so i could carry all my stuff in them without the need for a bag! as it is, i would probably be so weighed down i would be crawling :-(

― donna (donna), Saturday, 23 August 2003 06:55 (twenty years ago) link

I have pants like that too Millar, the low side pocket is also perfect for smokes

― s1utsky (slutsky), Saturday, 23 August 2003 07:09 (twenty years ago) link

http://toychestandcollectables.com/shop/media/swat_sheriff_300.jpg

― oops (Oops), Saturday, 23 August 2003 07:10 (twenty years ago) link

Uh, $20 baggies of coke. Duh.

― Texas Sam (thatgirl), Saturday, 23 August 2003 07:17 (twenty years ago) link

Mark S is the only one to have got it right so far.

― Mark C (Mark C), Saturday, 23 August 2003 09:33 (twenty years ago) link

thanks to oops and Sam I have now decided all dealers should dress like that

― Millar (Millar), Saturday, 23 August 2003 14:19 (twenty years ago) link

As above: keys, plectrums.

― [If you want to post here, drop the racist name - Moderator], Sunday, 24 August 2003 00:37 (twenty years ago) link

six months pass...

― bandit, Friday, 19 March 2004 21:14 (twenty years ago) link

If those pockets are for pocket watches, and mobile phones are the new pocket watch, shouldn't someone re-design those pockets to fit a phone? If it went behind your pocket rather than inside it, that would work, surely?

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Saturday, 20 March 2004 18:52 (twenty years ago) link

I use them for pennies when I have to go buy a single stamp (which is fairly frequently). I don't like those worthless one-cent things rubbing against my dimes and quarters.I also use it for my headphone adapter (I have to use my walkman headphones when I'm on the radio and the deck uses big jacks)

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 20 March 2004 19:07 (twenty years ago) link

I have a tiny clamshell Samsumg phone, and it does fit in the watchpocket of some of my jeans.

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Saturday, 20 March 2004 19:19 (twenty years ago) link

I've never worn a watch. Never liked 'em. And I don't own a cell phone. So I sometimes have to ask people what time it is. And it's interesting to me how many people do use their cell phones as their portable timepiece. I wonder if watches will be obsolete soon.

― jaymc (jaymc), Saturday, 20 March 2004 21:16 (twenty years ago) link

being a playa i keep a travel toothbrush in my little pocket as i never know where i shall be in the morning

― william pouch, Tuesday, 30 March 2004 13:53 (twenty years ago) link

I use it to store uncut diamonds when traveling as part of my glamorous international lifestyle. Especially conflict diamonds.

― Skottie, Tuesday, 30 March 2004 14:36 (twenty years ago) link

This is, of course, problematic because my tuxedo trousers (and I'm usually wearing a tux as part of my glamorous international lifestyle, of course) don't have a watch/conflict diamond pocket. So I have to wear Levis underneath my tuxedo trousers. This too is problematic, because it makes it harder to have sex with Halle Berry at the drop of a hat, also part of the job.

― Skottie, Tuesday, 30 March 2004 14:53 (twenty years ago) link

And lint. Conflict lint.

― Skottie, Tuesday, 30 March 2004 17:26 (twenty years ago) link

four months pass...

it's for storing pot when going through customs. I'm sure that's what Levi Strauss had in mind.

― bip, Wednesday, 4 August 2004 18:17 (nineteen years ago) link

dude, i smoked pot crumbs and lint out of one of those pockets for like 3 months

― Holy Crap! Typhoon is Coming!!! :O (ex machina), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 18:32 (nineteen years ago) link

This is good shit mang.

What is it?

It's a mix of some white rhino and some levis 501.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 18:37 (nineteen years ago) link

maybe that belgian model should have stored her cocaine there when coming from france into NY. :-)

― jesus nathalie (nathalie), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 18:37 (nineteen years ago) link

It's where I keep an extra piece of love for you.

― Huck, Wednesday, 4 August 2004 18:39 (nineteen years ago) link

Smoking lint causes brane damage!

― Michael White (Hereward), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 18:41 (nineteen years ago) link

I put a tube of Super Glue in that little pocket once. Good thing. I guess it got flexed too much from being in a pocket, and it split in the middle, and soaked the fabric and now there's a little fozzilized lump of super glue tube in that pocket. If it had been in the big pocket, it would have gotten fossilized to my leg instead of soaking the fabric. God damn that would have been hard to get those pants off & take care of. Probably would have had to cut off the pocket and then had a pocket glued to my leg for a week.

― Queen Electric Butt Prober BZZT!! BZZZZZT!! (Queen Electric Butt Prober BZZ), Thursday, 5 August 2004 14:32 (nineteen years ago) link

You need a ticket to pass out at Glastonbury?

― OleM (OleM), Thursday, 5 August 2004 17:37 (nineteen years ago) link

despite all these years, I'm beginning to think thumb warmer is the logical answer to this.

― jel -- (jel), Thursday, 5 August 2004 17:43 (nineteen years ago) link

Skipping 6 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

you guys are all so pistachios and starky, thank you for the help. i was very confused about life, and didn't know what the little pocket was for, but thanks to all of you; i now know the reason for my cute little mini-pocket :)

― Kate and riley, Monday, 1 March 2010 17:27 (fourteen years ago) link

my birthday is in 14 days

― Kate and riley, Monday, 1 March 2010 17:31 (fourteen years ago) link

i mean 13

― Kate and riley, Monday, 1 March 2010 17:32 (fourteen years ago) link

my friend brody told me its in 13 not 14. silly me

― Kate and riley, Monday, 1 March 2010 17:32 (fourteen years ago) link

i have a cat

― Kate and riley, Monday, 1 March 2010 17:33 (fourteen years ago) link

this place is like yahoo answers but with polls and puppy videos.

― ('_') (omar little), Monday, 1 March 2010 17:33 (fourteen years ago) link

http://images.meredith.com/bhg/images/2009/06/p_101342967.jpg

― gelatinous rube (brownie), Monday, 1 March 2010 17:36 (fourteen years ago) link

― jed_, Monday, 1 March 2010 17:36 (fourteen years ago) link

That little pocket is where one keeps one's Ingersoll Dollar Pocket Watch.

http://www.antique-pocket-watch.com/image-files/ingersoll_dpw1.jpg

― Aimless, Monday, 1 March 2010 20:07 (fourteen years ago) link

Aimless, you know that the watch goes in the pocket of one's waistcoat!

― La religion est une fatigante solution de paresse (Michael White), Monday, 1 March 2010 20:45 (fourteen years ago) link

Msr. White, the Ingersoll watch was the watch of the masses, the working man, the farmer and the railroad worker. Waistcoat, indeed! (snorts derisively)

― Aimless, Monday, 1 March 2010 20:50 (fourteen years ago) link

Pocket knife

― FIST FIGHT! FIST FIGHT! FIST FIGHT IN THE PARKING LOT! (milo z), Monday, 1 March 2010 20:58 (fourteen years ago) link

I hate this pocket. My phone keeps getting caught on it when putting it in my normal pocket.

― Jeff, Monday, 1 March 2010 21:01 (fourteen years ago) link

Wait until something gets caught in your duodenal appendix while trying to pass through your gut. same type problem, really.

― Aimless, Monday, 1 March 2010 21:02 (fourteen years ago) link

these pockets work perfect for coins fuck the haterz!!!!

― for HOOM the bell tolls (M@tt He1ges0n), Monday, 1 March 2010 21:19 (fourteen years ago) link

this pocket is for your one hitter and half-size bic lighter. (bag of weed elsewhere, more cleverly hidden.)

― Joint Custody (ian), Monday, 1 March 2010 21:26 (fourteen years ago) link

rectum.

― The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall, Monday, 1 March 2010 21:43 (fourteen years ago) link

hardly knew 'em.

― Joint Custody (ian), Monday, 1 March 2010 21:45 (fourteen years ago) link

That pocket watch is fucking huge and wouldn't fit in any of my pockets

― Slacker Bilk (S-), Tuesday, 2 March 2010 05:19 (fourteen years ago) link

how do you know? you don't have any frame of reference

― noted schloar (dyao), Tuesday, 2 March 2010 05:25 (fourteen years ago) link

even if it is, maybe it's time to get a new pair of pants

― noted schloar (dyao), Tuesday, 2 March 2010 05:25 (fourteen years ago) link

eleven years pass...

Apparently, the little pocket is a design feature to stop jeans from falling apart, reinforced the hip area.

This is what they want you to believe.

― jel--, Tuesday, 11 January 2022 15:12 (two years ago) link

Apparently, the little pocket is a design feature to stop jeans from falling apart, reinforced the hip area.

This is what they want you to believe.

― jel--, Tuesday, 11 January 2022 15:12 (two years ago) link

I said it twice, accidentally

― jel--, Tuesday, 11 January 2022 15:12 (two years ago) link

Wouldn't reinforcing one side put increased stress on the other side?

― feed me with your clicks (Noel Emits), Tuesday, 11 January 2022 15:19 (two years ago) link

find them useful for holding my ring/wedding band, which would fall out of a larger pocket. surprised this hasn't been mentioned before.

― bulb after bulb, Tuesday, 11 January 2022 15:23 (two years ago) link

Good point. Perhaps, reinforcing one side is built in obsolescence?

― jel--, Tuesday, 11 January 2022 15:23 (two years ago) link

eheh great thread. I don't think it would be comfortable to carry several coins in that pocket (and coins are a thing of the past anyway, especially in a post covid era).
Same for a watch (and many people don't use wristwatches anymore, let alone old watches).
I say it's a mistake of evolution. like the appendix.

― AlXTC from Paris, Tuesday, 11 January 2022 15:29 (two years ago) link

nevermind the waist

― | (Latham Green), Tuesday, 11 January 2022 15:36 (two years ago) link

The small riveted watch pocket was first added by Levi Strauss to their jeans in the late 1870s.[19]

― Kim Kimberly, Tuesday, 11 January 2022 17:33 (two years ago) link

"The watch pocket was an original element of our blue jeans, like the rivets on our pockets, button fly, arched back pocket stitching and leather patch," Panek said. "To preserve the integrity of the early design, Levi Strauss & Co. maintains the watch pocket."

― Kim Kimberly, Tuesday, 11 January 2022 17:36 (two years ago) link

Mine is very much for washing plectrums.

― Vanishing Point (Chinaski), Tuesday, 11 January 2022 17:58 (two years ago) link

it's for my keys and my airpods, duh.

― i cannot help if you made yourself not funny (forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 11 January 2022 18:18 (two years ago) link

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.