The doublet was a garment worn by both men and women from the Middle Ages to about 1700. It was initially worn for protection under armor and later became a fashion trend. Doublets varied in style, collar, and sleeve length, and were made of expensive or cheaper fabrics depending on social class. The European doublet may have been inspired by similar garments in the Middle East.
The doublet is a garment, worn by both men and women from at least the end of the Middle Ages until about 1700. A variation of the garment can be seen today in the Indian Sherwani, a jacket fitted tightly across the chest, which is usually the length of the cloak. It reaches about the knee and, like some doublets, buttons up the front.
Most doublets sit close to the body, providing a padded appearance, and feature the central row of buttons down the front, or alternatively, the doublet may be securely tied with laces or pinned to produce the snug fit. There is some speculation as to what inspired the European double. Given the vast number of similar garments in the Middle East, it is thought that the style that began in Spain may have been just one of the cultural “borrowings” that occurred after the Crusades.
Initially, men wore doublets for protection under various types of armour. The doublet fitted snugly to the body and was quilted to prevent chain mail (such as the hauberk) or leather and metal plate armor (such as the cuirass) from causing annoying irritation. Early forms could be hip-length or short, depending on whether they were to be worn under armour. As the doublet fashion trend grew, doublets were often worn alone and became more elaborate in style, and both men and women could wear them.
Early doublet styles often featured hip-length skirts ending in dots. Lacking collars, these doublets were often called slip points. Collars for doublets underwent changes in the following centuries. A variety of collar styles each had its “day” in fashion history, including low and very high collars, especially those worn by aristocrats.
In the 16th century, the long-haired style was replaced by a short-haired version, which could be worn with stockings, often also lined and padded (domed). Some doublets began to feature peplums, short skirts that attached to the jacket at the waist, and padding became less fashionable. The sleeves of the doublets have undergone various changes. At first these were often loose fitting, but they became more popular, mainly because doublets were worn as outer garments instead of under sleeve armor for very close combat, and for them to feature many different decorations, such as embroidery.
People of all classes could wear doublets. Wealthier people in Europe choose expensive silks and fabrics, which were usually covered with material (if not also quilted) such as linen. Middle-class people will wear cheaper and less rare fabrics. Doublets of linen, or even of wool, were common for tradesmen and servants.
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