Armor Type:  Padded cloth under armor

Brief Description:  A medieval doublet (or arming doublet) is a snug-fitting, padded garment worn beneath plate or mail armor. It prevents chafing, provides baseline shock absorption, and features reinforced laces called "arming points" used to attach and distribute the heavy weight of steel armor pieces across the body.

Core Characteristics & Functions:

Material & Construction: Typically made of dense, breathable materials like linen or heavy canvas. Wealthier knights sometimes incorporated silk linings or velvet outer shells.

Arming Points: The defining feature of a true arming doublet. These are laces—often made of leather or waxed cord—sewn onto the shoulders, elbows, and chest used to tie on steel pauldrons, couters, and other articulated armor so they stay aligned with the body.

Integrated Protection: Many 15th-century arming doublets included integrated mail goussets (small triangular patches of chainmail) sewn directly into vulnerable spots like the armpits and crooks of the elbows, which were otherwise left exposed by plate armor.

Padding: While sometimes heavily padded for blunt-force defense, most historical arming doublets were kept to a trim two or three layers of dense fabric. Too much padding made it difficult to fit rigid plate armor over top.

Fit & Style: The doublet evolved from 14th-century origins into a form-fitting jacket during the 15th century, tailored to emphasize the male torso and adhere to the period's aesthetic ideals. It could extend from the waist to the upper thigh, depending on the region.