The jerkin was a short, tight-fitting men's jacket worn over the doublet during the 16th and 17th centuries, making it a recognizable part of the fashion from this period.
Usually the jerkin was made from light-coloured leather, sometimes smooth and polished and sometimes rough in texture, and it often had no sleeves. This combination of leather and the absence of sleeves gave the jerkin a hybrid character: on the one hand functional and durable, on the other hand fashionable enough to be worn by both nobility and soldiers.
The garment was strongly connected to the developments in Renaissance military clothing, in which the tight arming doublet worn under armour became increasingly thinner. Unlike chainmail shirts, plate armour was less vulnerable to percussion weapons, and as armour became better and more complete, it was no longer necessary to wear a padded form of body protection.
The leather jerkin replaced the doublet as the underlayer beneath the armour. And like the doublet and pourpoint, the jerkin was associated with strong masculinity. Because of this, it soon came to be worn without armour as well.
Although the word "jerkin" appears frequently in early modern English sources, the origin of the term is unknown. For centuries, people have wanted to connect it to the Dutch word jurk, but that turns out to be a modern term that matches neither phonetically nor in meaning with the English word.
The jerkins of the 16th century were usually made of leather and often featured slits and perforations. These small cuts and incisions served both a decorative and a practical function: they allowed the stiff material to mould itself better to the body.
In combination with the doublet worn underneath, the jerkin could thus still be worn flexibly despite the leather. This was important in a fashion period in which shapes like the peascod belly, a protruding belly shape created by a heavily padded doublet, were popular.
The jerkin was usually closed at the neck during this time, while it hung open down the front to show off that distinctive belly shape.
Around the beginning of the 17th century, the way the jerkin was worn changed. Fashion shifted towards a much narrower silhouette, with strongly emphasized waists that matched the evolution of the doublet during the same period.
From then on, the jerkin was often closed around the waist, while the upper part remained open so that the narrow, V-shaped upper body was clearly visible. This made the jerkin a sort of reinforcement of the silhouette effect that became increasingly important in men's fashion during this period.
By the mid-17th century, the jerkin had undergone another stylistic shift and began to resemble the doublets of the same time in cut. It then sat higher at the waist and acquired a longer skirt that covered the hips and sometimes even part of the upper thighs.
With this, it followed the trend of lengthened outerwear that would ultimately lead to the disappearance of both doublet and jerkin in the late 17th century, when the long coat — worn with a waistcoat and cravat — became the new standard thanks to monarchs like Louis XIV and Charles II.
The jerkin is thus a clear example of how military clothing, fashion and functionality intertwined over the centuries.
How do I wear my jerkin
Pairing with puffed breeches.
The jerkin was worn at a time when puffed breeches, trunk hose were popular. These breeches were tight at the lower leg but had a wide puff at the thigh and hip.
Doublet
Beneath the jerkin, men wore the doublet, this garment remained in fashion, the jerkin is by no means a substitute for the doublet.
Shirt
Under the doublet, men wore a shirt, these shirts often had puffed sleeves, which creates a beautiful effect in combination with the doublet.
Hat
During this time, various types of headwear were worn. 16th-century men wore berets, flat caps, capotains or hats with a brim. In a military context, the latter could also be worn over the secret.
Internal links
- Doublet: tight-fitting men's jacket 14th–17th century
- Buff Coat: 17th-century leather military jacket and protection
- Pourpoint: medieval jacket and armour underlayer
- Frock coat: formal men's jacket from 18th century
Sources:
- Visual Source: The portraits of Frans Hals and Rembrandt van Rijn for the exact texture and manner of wearing the leather jerkins by citizens and shooters.
