Small pocket. Big Problem.
Image credit: Unsplash
It’s been a while since Levi’s introduced the fifth pocket in 1873… yet here we are.
Progress is a constant in our society. We want more, we want it better, and we want it prettier. Change is, in a way, what drives us. But what happens when that drive starts to fade over time?
I just came back from buying a pair of jeans, and I feel a bit…meh!
But let’s use this as an example of how I feel. Take Levi’s fifth pocket. It showed up ages ago, and it’s still here—not stealing the show, but not fading into oblivion either. For over 50 years, we’ve been recycling the same jeans and pants designs. Innovation? Nowhere in sight for the mainstream. Look around on your commute, at the bar, or hanging out with friends. When was the last time you saw someone wearing something genuinely new? And no, I’m not talking about the “new collection” that looks just like the old one, reminding us of that other collection we wore years ago.
When you picture a fashion designer, you see someone creative, bold, fresh—a true trendsetter. But by the time their designs hit the stores, they somehow become the same old thing: flat, lifeless, and—let’s be honest—a little boring. And of course, all neatly packaged into the endless fall-winter-spring-summer cycle we know too well.
But let’s think deeper for a second—maybe it’s us. Maybe we’re the ones who can’t change. I can already hear someone’s mom saying, “I wore jeans like that when I was your age.” And what do we always reply? “No way, Mom. Fashion’s different now!” Well, sorry, Mom—you were right all along.
Now, let’s get back to the whole useful-versus-beautiful debate. Back in the day, that fifth pocket had a purpose: to show off a shiny new watch in a world where there wasn’t much else to flex. But today? What are we even trying to show off? Do we really need to feel important for fashion to throw us a bone? The connection between human behavior and fashion is still alive, but it doesn’t seem strong enough to push us forward.
Think about it—since 1873, the world has changed a lot. But jeans? They’re still sitting there, folded on the same shelves, bragging about the same pockets.
Coco Chanel nailed it with her iconic quote: “In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different”. If only we understood just how different we all are, we might finally ditch this school-of-fish mentality and stop swimming in an ocean of boredom.
Image credit: Unsplash
So, here’s the real question: have we lost our ability to create, or have we simply surrendered to a minion-like fashion? I’d like to think we haven’t. I’d like to believe that fifth pocket is a reminder that someday, we’ll come up with something truly useful and beautiful to put in it.
Until then, we’re stuck with the same old pants and the same old tiny pocket—still there, still waiting for its moment. And whether we like it or not, it’s the last real innovation our jeans have seen in many years.