The London Lounge

I've noticed on a lot of coats recently, a second external pocket on the right side. What is this for? What is the history of this pocket?

Originally, I believe, cartridges when shooting.

I have them on all my coats (yes, I know, it should only be done on sports coats, but an occasional breach of the rules will hopefully be forgiven) to keep change in.

Interesting. What qualifies as a sports coat? I've seen this on what I would have assumed were business suits.

Anonymous wrote:. . . on a lot of coats recently, a second external pocket on the right side. . . .

Perhaps you've observed the so-called "ticket pocket". On suit coats especially, these are useless clutter to my eye, and so I do not have my coats made with them. Others, doubtless, see these pockets differently.

RWS

The extra pocket appears at least on cursory inspection to be the same as the standard coat pockets, it's just an extra one directly above the right hand pocket.

Although this extra pocket is called a "ticket" pocket, I belive it's original use came from riding jackets. When the horsemen were going off doing what horsemen do, the staff who would hold the animals in place while they chatted and sipped their glass of hot lunch would recieve a tip. This pocket was designed to hold this tip and, as the English were not particularly generous with their helpers back then, it is a small pocket.