Cut-off

During World War II, members of the United States Army Air Corps began to decorate their regulation flight jackets with patches of successful missions as well as cartoon characters and pin-up models.

These bikers quickly began wearing denim jackets with their sleeves cut off and sewing on patches to display their associated motorcycle club, called colors.

[2] Cut-offs are usually made from leather or denim jackets with their sleeves removed, or cut very short, and often adorned with patches, badges and painted artwork that display motorcycle club affiliations known as colours,[4][5] or alternatively band names, political affiliations, beliefs, or sexual acts performed.

[6] Metalheads adopted cut offs in the 1970s, beginning with bikers who began to wear patches for heavy metal bands.

[7] Metalheads popularized the name "battle jacket" for the garment during the 1980s, when it became commonplace for band patches to be sold at live performances.