Jerkins

A jerkin is a close-fitting, sleeveless jacket, often made of leather. It was a common garment for men from the 16th to the 17th centuries and occasionally later. It was typically worn over a shirt or doublet, and sometimes under a coat or other outer garment. Jerkins could be plain and functional or elaborately decorated with embroidery, slashing, or other embellishments depending on the wearer's status and the occasion. The term is sometimes used loosely to refer to any short jacket. Leather was a common material due to its durability and availability, but jerkins were also made of materials such as wool, linen, or even velvet for more formal wear.