Ask the Tailor: Do I Need a Ticket Pocket?

by Peter White
Photo by Michael

Each month we ask our expert tailors to address one of your most frequent questions. This month we’re covering the issue of ticket pockets: do you need one?

If you’re not au fait with the proper names for suit pockets, the small usually-flapped pocket just above the main hip pocket on the right hand side of a jacket is called the ticket pocket.

Ever wondered why it’s there? This useful little pocket actually has a very interesting history. It first appeared on the jackets of horse riding gentlemen who needed to have quick access to their coins on the road when they passed toll booths. Thus, this handy pocket was created to keep coins safe and easy to access.

After the industrial revolution, train travel became more popular and a great number of professional men began commuting daily. The ticket pocket once again became popular as it proved to be a very usual pouch for storing train tickets and passes. 

Ticket pockets can often be found on suit jackets, sports jackets and overcoats. They’re by no means essential, but many tailoring aficionados love what they add to a suit.

As far as we’re concerned, the benefits are twofold:

  1. A ticket pocket will offer an ideal location for useful essentials such as travel cards, business cards or cash.
  2. A ticket pocket will lend an undeniably dapper air to a bespoke suit.

So: do you need a ticket pocket? The choice is yours. If you like your tailoring with a touch of vintage style, a ticket pocket is likely to be a great addition. If, however, you prefer your jackets to be as streamlined as possible, a ticket pocket might be a detail too many. 

Next month we’ll be asking our tailors to give their take on two piece suits VS three piece suits. Sign up to our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss it.

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Considering Bespoke?

Every commission begins with a conversation. Here are answers to some of the questions we're often asked.

Business suits start from £999 for single or double breasted, and from £1,299 for a three-piece with waistcoat. Wedding suits start from £999, averaging around £1,500 depending on cloth and detailing.

The standard turnaround is 10 weeks from first fitting to collection. An express service is available in 5 weeks for an additional fee.

Yes. Alongside the York and London showrooms, Mullen & Mullen serves Sheffield and Manchester by arrangement, with fittings available at a client's home or office.

An independent, family-run business with over 50 years of combined experience in the industry, we pride ourselves on exceptional value: quality that speaks for itself without the inflated price tag. Fittings are in person and unhurried, built around a conversation about how a garment should look, fit, and feel, from a standout velvet jacket to a quietly sharp business suit.

The York showroom is at Unit 3, Middlethorpe Business Park, Sim Balk Ln, YO23 2BD, open by appointment Monday to Saturday, 9:30–5:30.

The London showroom is at 35 Sackville Street, Mayfair, W1S 3EG, open by appointment only.

Yes. Fittings can take place at a client's home or office instead of a showroom, at no extra call-out fee.

Bespoke shirts start from £180, made from English and European mill cloths with a choice of over 60 collar and cuff styles.

A bespoke suit is cut to a client's own measurements rather than a standard size, through a multiple-fitting process designed to get the fit right before it's finished. Cloth, lining, buttons, and detailing are all chosen individually rather than fixed in advance.

This individual approach also means better quality and longevity. A bespoke suit is made to fit and move with you, making it a garment built to last for years, not seasons.

Yes, alongside our bespoke suits, we also make bespoke shirts, overcoats, velvet dinner jackets, and shooting attire. Whatever the garment, the same approach applies: an unhurried, in-person fitting process built around getting the look, fit, and feel exactly right.