What was the purpose of the small pockets added to jeans in the 1890s – can you figure it out?

In the regular front pocket of a pair of jeans, there is usually a smaller square pocket tucked inside that has multiple purposes, as suggested by various internet sources.

This tiny pocket, originally included in the first pair of jeans dating back to 1873, has persisted on denim pants till today. Surprisingly, its initial function was not for holding ’emergency change’ or a ‘lighter,’ but it was designed for a personal item that used to be popular but is now rarely seen.

After social media users began sharing photos of this unique jeans pocket, questioning its purpose with captions like ‘What is the use of this small pocket on your jeans?’, popular platforms such as X and Reddit were flooded with practical and sometimes humorous suggestions.

And, on X, there’s now an entire account dedicated to the quest, called Tiny Jeans Pocket, which seeks to ‘solve the world’s greatest mystery’. 

But, as the original jeans manufacturer Levi Strauss & Co’s historian Tracey Panek told Insider, the miniature pocket had a very specific purpose back in the 19th century.

Far from being a simple style feature, the little square was meant to hold the wearer’s pocket watch – a small circular clock face set within a metal case. 

Wristwatches, while they existed, only became common in the 20th century after World War I. 

The watch pocket can be traced back to the design for ‘waist overalls,’ the original name given to the blue jeans made by Levi Strauss & Co in 1873. 

Tucked inside the main pocket on the front of a pair of jeans is a much smaller, square pocket (pictured) 

People online have enjoyed sharing their uses for the tiny pocket

Social media users posted pictures of the pocket with captions like: ‘Does anyone know: What is the use of this tiny pocket on your jeans?’

On X, there’s now an entire account dedicated to the quest called Tiny Jeans Pocket

It appears in the patent Strauss and tailor J.W. Davis received for ‘Improvement in Fastening Pocket Openings’ on May 20 of that year, and the tiny pocket featured on the ‘Lot 501’ jeans, which were first distributed in 1890 and were the model for today’s popular Levi’s 501s. 

Panek said: ‘The oldest pair of waist overalls in the Levi Strauss & Co. Archives (from 1879) include the watch pocket. Our 19th century overalls had a single back pocket on the right side of the pant beneath the leather patch.’

Pants with the tiny pocket are called ‘five-pocket pants,’ but the fifth pocket is actually on the back-left, added to Levi’s 501 jeans in 1901. 

The tiny pocket intended to hold a watch was never a feature of suit trousers because the watch could be tucked inside the suit jacket.  

While there is no longer a clear use for the small pocket – watches today are worn on the wrist and owners generally want to show them off – the feature remains on present day jeans to maintain the integrity of the early Levi’s design, according to Panek.

She explained that Levi’s jeans are almost unchanged since they launched in the 19th century, and, with the exception of pieces produced during World War II, have kept their iconic design. 

Panek added: ‘One interesting fact about the watch pocket is that during WWII the two corner rivets were removed as a way to conserve metal for the war effort.’

The rivets returned to the tiny square pocket after the Second World War, however, probably as an homage. 

On Reddit, one person took to the ‘Today I learned’ thread and explained that the pocket was originally intended for a watch – leading to a number of comments 

Its location tends to vary today, with some brands putting it on the front next to a bigger pocket and others nestling the historic watch pocket within a regular-sized pocket. 

Since the official use of the watch pocket is no longer relevant – very few people today carry pocket watches compared with the late 19th century when they were ubiquitous – it is now used for items including coins, condoms and matches, according to social media users. 

An online debate about the tiny pocket was sparked when users started posting pictures of it on different platforms.

One person revealed its original use on Reddit, leading to a flurry of responses from individuals who have their own ideas about what to store in the mini pocket. 

Taking to the ‘Today I learned’ (TIL) thread, the anonymous user wrote: ‘TIL that tiny pocket in jeans is actually called a watch pocket because it was originally intended as a safe place for men to store their pocket watches. It dates back to Levi’s first-ever pair of jeans, which hit the market in 1879.’

In response, one user wrote: ‘That’s where I kept emergency quarters for a pay phone.’

Another added: ‘I have never seen a pocket watch that fits inside a watch pocket. Great for guitar picks though!’

While a third joked: ‘I thought it was a meat pocket. Where you could put your pocket meat to sustain you through the day’. 

People have also shared their modern day uses for the tiny pocket on X

A fourth person didn’t hesitate to show their appreciation for the tiny pocket, writing: ‘Back when coins were a thing, I used to carry some in there for phones, buses, parking, small purchases. Now I use them for little items that could get lost in the big pocket. Durned handy’.

The debate also raged on X, with a user provoking a number of responses when they wrote: ‘I’m tired of pretending, what’s this mini pocket for?’

One person joked: ‘For putting something that you’d never want to take out.’

Another added: ‘For me, I keep keys in there. Little notes I don’t want to misplace. Flash drive or sim card. Basically for tiny things you don’t want to lose.’

Elsewhere on X, a particularly practical person wrote: ‘I use it to keep my keys in nowadays and do not harm my cellphone.’

A fourth explained: ‘It has been my insulin pump pocket for almost 20 years.’

Shocked to discover the original purpose of the tiny picket, someone else commented: ‘I always thought it was for lighters… I stand corrected!’  

One person posted a picture of the miniature pocket with a tiny pot of jam stuffed inside

 A sixth said: ‘Used to stuff £10 in it on a night out, make sure I had taxi money home.’

While a seventh added: ‘Well now it’s an air pod pocket. Or pixel buds. Or whatever other small headphones I may be carrying.’ 

Someone else admitted: ‘In my high school days, it was used to store condoms. #NotAllMen’. 

A ninth person sought simply to show the versatility of the tiny pocket by posting a photo of it with a tiny pot of jam stuffed inside.