• Why do some suit jackets or sport coats have a double pocket on one side? I've been seeing more of them lately, and I thought it was just a new trend, until I saw it on Mad Men.

  - Nile, Fort Collins, CO

• That second smaller pocket, just above the right pocket on a jacket is referred to as a ticket pocket. And you're right, it's nothing new. Historically, it was a feature only found on "country suits," as its sole purpose was to conveniently store a train ticket. But once gents realized they could slip all sorts of handy things in there (from loose change to their cigars and a book of matches), that tiny pocket started being requested by bespoke clients for their darker, city suits as well. Today, they've become something of a mark of craftsmanship and style, akin to working buttons on your jacket's cuffs--not necessary, but sort of nice to have. Especially if you need a slim place to stash something.

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FYI

Hacking pockets. Another country feature, these are pockets cut on a slight angle, originally designed to make them easier to open on horseback.

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