From the studs on your jeans to the ‘pocket’ in your knickers, the hidden meaning of your clothes explained
EVER wondered why your knickers have a pocket or what that tiny pocket on your jeans is for?
Well wonder no more as Fabulous’ Encyclopedia of Fashion lifts the lid on the secret uses behind your clothes.
From the clothing design that dates back to when servants dressed us to the unusual hygiene feature, read on to discover the purpose of every last popper…
TINY JEANS POCKET
Barely large enough to house a pound coin, it turns out that the tiny pocket on your jeans serves an important purpose.
The tiny-weeny pockets date back to 1890 when they were stitched into Levi’s ‘waist overalls’ jeans.
They were originally designed to hold pocket watches, but as we don’t use pocket watches anymore, what purpose do they serve now?
The now commonly seen blue jeans made by Levi Strauss & Co invented it two centuries ago and has kept it ever since.
STUDS ON JEANS
If you’re like us, you probably thought they’re there just for the aesthetic.
But, turns out, not only do the small studs serve a purpose, they also have a name.
The circular silver or copper studs on jeans are called ‘rivets’.
A rather important feature of jeans that were invented all the way back in 1873, they were added onto jeans to hold them together at places they would most likely come apart, such as the pockets.
Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss, the pioneers of the global jean company Levi Strauss & Co, even received a US patent for rivets, which was seen as an “improvement in fastening pocket-openings.”
“By adding metal rivets to work pants, which would be known as blue jeans, they created stronger pants for working men,” the official website revealed.
KNICKER POCKET
The “pocket” in the bottom of your knickers is in fact the gusset of your underwear.
Gussets are often made with moisture-wicking breathable fabric such as cotton which helps to keep the genitals dry and ventilated.
They also are highly absorbent and prevent friction as well as reducing the risk of infection.
Synthetic materials don’t provide protection against rubbing, sweat and bacteria, so the cotton insert can be key.
DOUBLE BUTTONS ON YOUR SHIRT CUFF
You may have noticed that you have more than one button on your shirt cuff, but contrary to popular belief, it is not a ‘spare.’
Joe, a stylist, revealed the exact reason why there are two buttons on the cuff of your shirt on his TikTok account, joe_x_style.
He explained that there are two buttons so that you can have the sleeve on your nondominant hand slightly looser to fit a watch underneath.
Joe added: “On your dominant arm, in my case I’m right-handed, you want to do the tightest button.
“On your less dominant arm, you’re going to be doing the looser button because you wear your watch on your less dominant arm.”
BUTTONS ON THE LEFT
Have you ever wondered why the buttons on men and women’s shirts tend to be on different sides?
It turns out, there’s a historical reason for it, going back centuries to when men fought in duels and women were rearing children
According to a Quota thread, men’s shirt buttons are on the right to make it easier for them to quickly retrieve their weapon in a duel.
“It was more convenient and quicker to use their left hand for unbuttoning,” read the thread.
Most men held their swords in their right hands, so needed to swiftly open their shirts for duelling and self-protection.
As for why women’s shirts button on the left, it’s quite possibly because of babies.
Women tend to hold their infants in their left arm so that their right hand can do other things, another reason why the right arm is often dominant in most people.
Women’s shirts were designed to be opened or closed with the only hand that was free – the right hand.
So they were buttoned on the left in order to make breastfeeding easier.
Speaking about modern clothing to Today, founder of women’s blouse brand Elizabeth & Clarke, Melanie M. Moore says it is actually down to getting dressed.
She explains: “When buttons were invented in the 13th century they were, like most new technology, very expensive.”
“Wealthy women back then did not dress themselves — their lady’s maid did.
“Since most people were right-handed, this made it easier for someone standing across from you to button your dress.”
LOOPS ON SHIRTS
This little loop is often found on both men and women’s shirts.
It is placed between the shoulder blades where the yoke (upper back) of the shirt joins the pleat.
History has revealed that the loop was actually intended for a very practical purpose, one that many people today often overlook.
According to many online sources, the reasoning behind the loop actually started in the Navy.
Naval sailors didn’t have much storage or wardrobe space for their uniforms, so their shirts were designed with a loop so they could easily hang them up from the loop.
As a result, the shirts would hang away neatly and would dry quicker, making the fashion addition very convenient.