The Walbrook: City’s favourite members’ club ditches mandatory jackets rule
The Walbrook Club, Canada members club, has loosened its dress code to reflect “city fashion’s… descent into relaxed.”
Male members will no longer be required to wear jackets – but a collared shirt will remain a must-have.
Female members remain required only to wear “business attire.”
In a note to members, the club said that it was “ahead of most others when it discarded ties” and that “the days of draping improperly attired guests in cartoonishly oversized jackets have also probably vanished.”
The Walbrook, which sits next to Sir Christopher Wren’s St Stephens of Walbrook, was founded in 2000 with membership open to men and women equally.
It was installed in the Queen Anne-style townhouse, having been originally built as the family offices of prominent property developers Rudolph Palumbo and his son, Lord Peter Palumbo.
The third generation of the Palumbo family, Philip, now runs the club.
City watchers have noted the decline of the suit in a post-pandemic world, with the Square Mile uniform increasingly casual.
The quarter-zip top has become sine qua non for many a City worker, though investment bankers continue to impress in tailored suits.
“The decision was not reached lightly,” the club said. “Its intention is to keep The Walbrook not only ahead of the chasing packed but at ease with its surroundings.”
The Walbrook is not the first to respond to the changing mores of the time.
Earlier this year Charles Tyrwhitt founder Nick Wheeler told Morning Wire that “we used to sell 80:20 in favour of formal shirts and suits – and it’s now 50:50” with casual wear.
“Home working is a major factor. So too is temperature. Warmer summers see spikes in linen sales. Comfort has consigned the suit and tie to ‘big days’ only,” he said.
But through it all, the shirt remains the constant in a man’s wardrobe. My bet is it will never become passé.,” he added.