[garment] A jerkin is a man`s short close-fitting jacket, made usually of light-colored leather, and often without sleeves, worn over the doublet in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The term is also applied to a similar sleeveless garment worn by the British Army in the twentieth century. The stock phrase, buff jerkin, refers to an ... Found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerkin_(garment)
A jerkin is a hip-length garment, with or without sleeves, which fastens at the side or on the shoulders. It is often cut with slits at the sides. They originated in the 16th century as a sleeveless leather garment for men and were popular in the mid-20th century. Found on http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/browse/PJ.HTM