The unique reason beanies are topped with a pom pom
Have you ever wondered why beanies typically have a pom pom attached to their top or why your typical pair of jeans has that weird little pocket sewn into them?
There are some strange details that you may have noticed on your everyday clothes and while they may just seem entirely random there is likely a practical reason for it that you did not know.
The following are some of the unique clothing details that actually have a unique purpose.
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It is understood that French sailors wore pom poms on their beanies to prevent bumping their heads while navigating tight spaces aboard their boats. Getty Images/iStockphoto
Pom pom beanies
Pom poms on beanies may now be nothing more than a cute accessory, but they originally had a very helpful purpose.
It is also understood that French sailors would wear hats with pom poms on them to protect them from bumping their heads while navigating the tight spaces aboard their ships and while at sea, according to Plansponsor.
The widely popular style can also be traced back to the floppy berets topped with a bright red pom pom known as a toorie that became popular in Scotland during the Great Depression.
Trench coat storm guard
Trench coats have been around for more than a century and remain a staple fashion piece today as they are both fashionable and practical.
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It is understood that the flap on the back of a trench coat was designed to be a storm guard. Getty
It is understood that the trench coat originated during the time of the first World War and was designed as a raincoat for soldiers to wear while at battle, or literally in the trenches.
This is why most trench coats these days have that odd extra piece of fabric that sits on the upper back. The extra fabric is known as a storm shield to allow water to run off the coat more efficiently. When you think about the origin of trench coats, it makes sense that they would include features that help the wearer weather a storm, or, you know, a war.
Bow on women's undies
It has been always assumed the little bow at the front of women's undies is purely decorative, but one Reddit user decided to dive a little deeper and find out if this is the only reason.
She posed the question on Reddit's 'Ask Women' Thread: "Why do so many panties have that little bow on the centre front?"
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Finally, an explanation about that bow on the front of your undies. Getty Images/iStockphoto
While many agreed the bow is purely decorative, one sleuth revealed the bow originated in a time when women's undies were tightened using a ribbon which was fastened in a bow at the front.
"It comes from pre-elastic days when your underthings were held in place by a bit of ribbon threaded through the eyelet lace at the tops," they explain. "The little bow is where you tied that ribbon, and of course, it's in the front because that's the easiest place to do something like that."
Further to this, one Reddit user says women used to dress by candlelight, necessitating an easy way to tell the front from the back.
"I always wondered what that damn bow was there for," comments another. "I always found them a bit stupid but I learned to ignore them. It's interesting to know why they were there to begin with (as a practical way to tie your underwear)."
Bow on women's bras
is it understood that the bow on the front of bras comes from the time women had to use a ribbon to tie up their corsets Getty Images/EyeEm
Just as many wondered why there's a bow on women's undies. The question arose as to why there is often a bow on women's bras.
One user took to the social question-and-answer website Quora to put the question to the masses.
"In olden days when women wore corsets, there was a piece of whalebone called a busk," one knowledgeable person explained.
"It was inserted in a sheath down the front of the corset and tied in place with a bow. The busk is gone but the bow remains".
Tiny jean pocket
Jeans are a staple of our wardrobes, but while jean trends come and go, one thing remains the same – that seemingly useless tiny pocket above the main pocket.
As it happens the tiny pocket is for holding pocket watches. And while pocket watches went out of fashion in 1943, according to watch brand Belsen, many jeans still have the extra little pocket in them, which was added to jean designs by Levi Strauss & Co in 1873.
Levi's in-house historian confirmed to Insider that the tiny pocket is still a feature of their 501 jeans as a nod to the brand's origins.
The pocket was for pocket watches, but now people seem to keep coins or keys in them. Getty Images/iStockphoto
"The watch pocket was an original element of our blue jeans, like the rivets on our pockets, button fly, arched back pocket stitching and leather patch. To preserve the integrity of the early design, Levi Strauss & Co. maintains the watch pocket," Tracey Panek told the publication in an email.
Jean hammer loop
Another curious and seemingly futile jean detail is that little piece of extra fabric that sits just above the knee on cargo pants and carpenter style jeans.
These pant styles were initially created to be work pants and as such the loop actually serves a helpful function – to hold tools. More specifically it is understood that the loop of fabric, known as the hammer loop, is intended to hold a hammer without the need of a toolbelt.
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