doublet

Close-fitting jacket, with or without sleeves, worn by men. Derived from the gipon, which was a tight-fitting jacket with long sleeves and buttons down the front, the doublet formed part of everyday dress from the mid-15th century. In the 16th century, as fashions changed, the doublet was worn long to the knees, but with a parting at the front to reveal the codpiece. During the 18th century the length of the doublet shrank and it eventually evolved into the waistcoat.