You wear clothes every day. Have you ever wondered why certain items of clothing have little quirks about them? For example, have you ever wondered why there is a little loop on collared shirts or why jeans have such tiny pockets? Wonder no more!
Here are a few secrets about common clothing items. Did you know what those tiny pockets are meant for inside of your jeans?
1. Tiny jean pockets
The first blue jeans had four pockets. They had one in the back, one in the front, and two tiny ones in the front. Those tiny pockets were actually made to hold pocket watches, which were popular way back in the day. Did you ever have a pocket watch?
2. Button-down shirt loops
You know that little loop on the back of a button-down shirt? It was made so students could hang their shirts in their lockers during gym class and keep them wrinkle-free. Remember that the next time you have to hang up a button-down shirt and you aren’t at home.
3. Neckties
Where did neckties come from anyway? They started in the 17th century. It became a symbol in Europe for the upper class.
4. YKK Zippers
Have you ever noticed a zipper that says YKK on it? Many zippers contain these letters. It actually stands for Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha, a zipper company from Toyko founded in 1934. Do you have any clothes with these zippers? They make more than 7 billion per year.
5. Button-down collars
Now we know why there are loops on the back of button-down shirts, but why do they have buttoned-down collars? Originally, polo players in England wore button-down shirts but the flapping of their collars distracted the audience. So, they created buttons to keep the collars down.
6. Buttons on men’s and women’s shirts
Do you know why women’s buttons are on the left side and men’s are on the right? One theory is that designers started creating buttons on the left side for women so servants could dress them easier. Isn’t it interesting they are still this way?
Did anything on this list surprise you? What clothing items do you wear regularly? If you found this article interesting and love learning facts about clothing, please SHARE with your friends!