NICE JACKET!! FROM WHAT LITTLE I KNOW ABOUT IKATS (THE PATTERNS AND STYLE OF WEAVING ,COLORS ECT ALL HAVE SPECIAL MEANINGS AND CAN BE INTENDED TO BRING LUCK, PROTECT FROM EVIL SPIRITS,BRING WEALTH ,DENOTE STATUS IDENTIFY A TRIBE OR GROUP AND MANY OTHER PURPOSES. SOME DYES AND PATTERNS WERE ONLY ALLOWED TO BE OWNED OR WORN BY CERTIAN PEOPLE OR AT CERTIAN CEREMONYS. THESE BELIEFS ARE MOSTLY IN THE PAST NOW AND ONLY IMPORTANT TO THOSE WHO SELL,MAKE OR COLLECT IKATS TODAY. NOT BEING A IKAT COLLECTOR EXCEPT FOR DECOR I KNOW VERY LITTLE BUT THERE ARE MANY SERIOUS COLLECTORS OUT THERE AND IKATS ARE JUST AS COMPLICATED AS WEAPONS PERHAPS MORE SO. I WOULD NOT CLASSIFY THE GARMENTS AS ARMOR BUT THEY MAY SHOW STATUS OR HAVE TAILSMANIC PROPERTIES