# Purpose of Mini-Pocket on Jeans **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 16, 2004, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458 "2004-02-16T06:48:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/21 "2004-02-16T16:50:51Z")
It’s good for keeping your guitar picks, and if you drop one on stage, you can retrieve another one quickly. ---
**Author:** ![leenmi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f1d935/32.png) [@leenmi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leenmi)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/22 "2004-02-16T17:01:23Z")
I can’t believe only one other person has said zippo. It’s the perfect zippo holder. ---
**Author:** ![Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rex_fenestrarum/32/7265_2.png) [@Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rex_Fenestrarum)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/23 "2004-02-16T17:49:30Z")
I can’t believe that no one’s mentioned **drugs**! The cops rarely bother to check that pocket, so as long as your ummmm… “legally prescribed medication for which you just happen to not have the prescription at the moment” don’t bulge too much, they’ll miss it every time. Not that I’ve _ever_ used that pocket for such a purpose… ---
**Author:** ![RufusLeaking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c5a1d2/32.png) [@RufusLeaking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RufusLeaking)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/24 "2004-02-16T18:55:21Z")
About a month ago I returned a pair of jeans to Macy’s because they had made the watch pocket too small for my pocket watch to fit into. The clerk gave me the strangest look when I demonstrated how my pocket watch didn’t fit. Some years ago I switched to using a pocket watch when I found that a wrist watch aggravated the carpel tunnel problem I was having in my wrist. ---
**Author:** ![noname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@noname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/noname)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/25 "2004-02-16T19:09:21Z")
Key pocket, definately. Also, small change holder at times. ---
**Author:** ![syntax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@syntax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syntax)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/26 "2004-02-16T19:25:10Z")
> [@Rex Fenestrarum](#): > > I can’t believe that no one’s mentioned **drugs**! The cops rarely bother to check that pocket, so as long as your ummmm… “legally prescribed medication for which you just happen to not have the prescription at the moment” don’t bulge too much, they’ll miss it every time. Not that I’ve _ever_ used that pocket for such a purpose… lol! glad someone else does it, i carry my party prescriptions there too, its perfect! ---
**Author:** ![Patr100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@Patr100](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patr100)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/27 "2004-02-16T19:44:57Z")
It’s a ticket pocket. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/28 "2004-02-16T20:33:49Z")
Along with **bookeeper** and **bibliophage** , I too wear a pocket watch. Must be a b thing. > [@](#): > > _originally posted by Larry Mudd_ > Putting my change in that pocket forestalls the need to carry an eighteenth-century style purse, and prevents both that irritating sound that comes from having half a pound of change loose in your jeans, and also makes it easier to access than if it were hanging about down by my gear. I have one of those, which is damn handy considering the amount of _useful_ change I’m likely to accumulate back in the mother country. Here in yankville it just doesn’t pay to carry any coins. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/29 "2004-02-16T21:21:19Z")
Good lord. Didn’t even know my current pair pants had one of those until I read this thread and checked. :eek: Chalk one up to obliviousness… ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/30 "2004-02-16T21:42:20Z")
> [@RufusLeaking](#): > > About a month ago I returned a pair of jeans to Macy’s because they had made the watch pocket too small for my pocket watch to fit into. The clerk gave me the strangest look when I demonstrated how my pocket watch didn’t fit. One needs to watch that. About 10 years ago I had a couple of pairs of jeans by a particular manufacturer–I won’t say which but you can probably guess!–and they were fine in that regard. At that time I believe they were still being made in the U.S. A few years later I happened to buy a pair that was made abroad, and the watch pocket was so small I couldn’t even get two fingers into it. And I have small fingers for a guy. Obviously using it for a watch, or anything else, was out of the question. I can only assume that somehow the lines got mixed up, and a fifth pocket that should have gone onto a child-sized pair somehow got onto mine instead, when they were being assembled. I pretty much only buy Levi’s now, since they seem to have maintained their quality despite moving all their manufacturing out of the country…I don’t like them for that, but what am I gonna do? I need to have jeans that I can trust not to rip. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/31 "2004-02-16T21:52:03Z")
> [@Rabid\_Squirrel](#): > > Also known as the fob pocket. Can be found in drill pants, and other varieties of trousers. > > Yay! I shared my sole piece of fashion knowledge! Wow! I learned somethiing new and confirmed it at [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com). I always called it a watch pocket, for the last 70 years, and the medallion on a strap attached to the watch was the watch fob. So now what is what I thought was a watch fob? Some jeans were made with hammer straps, a long narry pocket for folding caprpenters rulers, and other odd and assorted purposes. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/32 "2004-02-17T03:10:45Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > Wow! I learned somethiing new and confirmed it at [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com). > > I always called it a watch pocket, for the last 70 years, and the medallion on a strap attached to the watch was the watch fob. So now what is what I thought was a watch fob? > > 🙂 A watch fob is still what you always thought it was. It is a doodad attached by a chain of varying link to your watch. Or, it could be the thingy attached to the strap for your watch. I think that [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) is perhaps misinformed. It was referred to both as a ‘watch pocket’ and a ‘fob pocket’ in the time frame I searched (1895-1900) in newspaper accounts. I just used that time frame as a test. At least, the pocket in your pants. The pockets in your vest might be another matter. ---
**Author:** ![grisham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@grisham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grisham)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/33 "2004-02-17T04:32:44Z")
Im goin with the zippo too. Or maybe some change. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/34 "2004-02-17T04:38:15Z")
Advertising “five pocket jeans” has a pretty cool ring to it. I don’t think a couple rivets and two square inches of denim cost the company that much. In fact, that and the arcuate stitching is the Levis signature trademark. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/35 "2004-02-17T07:45:36Z")
Haven’t you seen the Levi’s television commercials? That pocket is where you, the pool boy, hide the house key that your rich boss’s wife/mistress just tossed to you from her balcony, when his goons shake you down for the key. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/36 "2004-02-17T07:58:01Z")
> [@Barbarian](#): > > Along with **bookeeper** and **bibliophage** , I too wear a pocket watch. Must be a b thing. You may be on to something here. I used to wear a pocket watch regularly, until it broke. I’ve been thinking about getting another one soon. ---
**Author:** ![robo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@robo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robo99)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/37 "2004-02-17T12:26:13Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > Bite your tongue. I use my watch pocket to hold my pocket watch. I can’t be the only one, because I see pocket watches for sale at just about any store that sells wrist watches. I really dislike the feeling of having a band around my wrist, but especially when I’m exercising and sweating. Just thinking about it gives me the willies. Yep, my pocket watch goes there. Never realised that’s what it was meant for. ---
**Author:** ![robo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@robo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robo99)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/38 "2004-02-17T12:30:50Z")
I wear a pocket watch because for many years I carried a pager all the time in my pocket (not the watch pocket) and used that to tell time. When I gave away my pager the logical choice was to get a pocket watch - and that little pocket is the perfect place to keep it. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/39 "2004-02-17T22:21:11Z")
I have a pocket watch but unfortunately I’m left-handed. I’m thinking of having some installed in the left pocket of my better pants. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458/40 "2004-02-18T00:34:52Z")
Ardred uses it for quarters (US) or “fun” which is what we call them. Quarters are what you put into arcade games therefore quarters=fun. (on a side note, I call $10 bills “Happy” because they, for some unknown reason, make me happy. I’d rather have two 10s than a 20, hands down. I don’t think his pocket watch fits into his watch pocket, or he’d carry it there. It’s a pretty big watch, though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-mini-pocket-on-jeans/229458.md?page=3)