Talma is a male or female sleeveless wrap. This wardrobe item was in fashion at the beginning of the 19th century. Talma got its name in honor of a French actor named Talma, whose contribution to the stage costume and makeup was highly appreciated by contemporaries.
Women's talma
The mention of this cloak can be found in the texts of Russian classics. For example, the heroines of A.P. Chekhov threw a talm on their shoulders, attending balls. At that time it was considered bad form to appear in society in the same dress twice, and even on the same day. It was also not customary to leave the house in formal attire, so on the way to the balls the ladies covered their dresses with a cloak.
Fashionistas from the beginning of the 19th century threw a talm on their shoulders, most often sewn from light materials and with lace. This small cloak became a great addition to the outfit, turning it into something new and saving the girl from the need to carry a change of dresses with her. A little later, the design of the talma began to allow a different design, the cape could be warm, using fur and lining, with fringe and embroidery. So moving from the ballroom to the carriage in winter became more comfortable. The more beautiful the cape was, the richer the lady was.
Men's Hip
Before this little cloak became an element of a women's wardrobe, men wore a thalm. At the end of the 18th century, men's talma was a short sleeveless cloak covering the chest and shoulders. It was worn by people of various professions who required a long stay on the street: postal messengers and watchmen, military personnel and cabmen. Therefore, men's talma is, rather, practical clothing made of durable and coarse fabrics, able to protect from the weather and cold, and not an element of the output of formal attire. Talma could be with or without a collar.
Talma in modern fashion
Modern fashionable images rarely use wraps, but still fashion magazines have not completely forgotten about this wardrobe item and are not advised to write them off. On the pages of glossy publications, you can find images using a poncho, very reminiscent of a thalm. A photo of this cape is presented below.
There are a lot of variations of wraps: cloaks, mantles, mantillas, rotundas, shreds, salops and others that are already out of fashion. The main difference between the talma and the cloak is a short length, usually it reaches only the waist. If the cape covers the whole body or reaches the toes, it is most likely a cloak or mantle. Also, the talma does not mean sleeves and slots for hands - this is typical of a poncho.