What’s the use for that little fifth pocket that all jeans seem to come with?

How you can make the most out of it

Before getting into anything, it’s important to know the history behind why jeans exist in the first place, beginning where any good American story begins, California.

The Californian gold rush of the 1850s brought in many hopefuls to strike gold, setting the blueprint for what would be known as ‘the American dream’.

Following the Manifest Destiny mass movements of 1845 into the mid-western parts of the country, many farmland workers suffering from droughts and dead crops sought glory in the then western most state within the United States.

Though a plethora of miners worked hard in search of wealth, others found ways around the money making machine that California was turning into.

Ever heard of the term “during a gold rush, sell shovels”? Well, Levi Strauss did. 

The multimillion dollar clothing company started as a humble dry goods business to serve American general stores in the San Francisco bay. 

Strauss’ ventures grew and so did his mind, introducing jeans to the world.

Originally invented to serve miners, jeans were marketed as sturdy, durable, easy to wash, and most importantly they were cheap. 

The fad grew and never looked back, with cowboys opting for the pants, growing within laboured working forces to city goers alike.

So what was the use for the small pocket?

The fifth pocket served as a convenient storage place for many items, ranging from coins, matches, hand watches, to gold nuggets for the more fortunate ones. 

The unparred convenience and versatility of the pocket carries one, finding use in lighters, usb-sticks, lipsticks, pocket knives, and much more. 

The creation of the jeans, originally made for the carpenters, railroad workers adn miners of the 19th century, hasn’t faded into history, becoming a core piece of the Americana that has taken over the world. 

A symbol of craftsmanship, utility and timeless style, the modern world no longer requires a fifth pocket on our jeans, yet it remained as a signature mark from centuries ago.