Originally, tabards (from the French tabarde) were humble outer garments made generally without sleeves. Later, a tabard normally comprised four textile panels (two large panels hanging down the wearer’s front and back, and two smaller panels hanging over his arms as shoulder-pieces or open “sleeves”). These panels were usually emblazoned with the same coat of arms.
With the development of plate armor and the decline in shields, tabards became an important means of battlefield identification.
By the end of the 16th century, tabards were almost exclusively associated with officers of arms.