Linen Doublets

Due to our hot summers, I've made several linen doublets over the years, but was generally under the impression that wool and silk were more appropriate.  A few years ago, it was brought to my attention that there are some surviving linen doublets.  They generally seem to have used a stiffer, tighter linen than I've typically used and have also been described as linen canvas.

Here are the ones I've been able to find.

The Reigate Cache linen doublet.  A general description is given at the concealed garments site. Early 17th century.

The Alpirsbach Monastery linen doublet. A general description and pattern are available at germanrenaissance.net. c.1540-1575

The National Scotland Museums linen doublet.  Details from the museum site. c. 1650-1665

The V&A linen doublet. Details from the museum site. c. 1635-1640

The pinked linen doublet of Antonello Petrucci.  No details available other than pinterest. c.1585

The Manchester Art Gallery doublet. Details from the museum site, c. 1625-1630.

The quality of the available information varies quite a bit across the doublets, but from what details we have, they all seem to have a very tight weave and a multiple layer of construction.  Some are ornately decorated, or even pinked!

The first two are quite simple / plain and likely represent an everyday or common man's doublet.  This is the look I'm going for on my next linen doublet.

As a side note, there is another example of a common man's doublet in wool in the V&A.  It's interesting to compare the simplicity of design and similarity of construction between these examples of different outer material.