Ask ten members what they wear to Ivory Club and you will get ten different answers, all of them correct. The club asks for effort rather than uniformity: clothes that are clean, considered and suited to the hour. Daytime is relaxed but never scruffy. Evening is polished. Everything in between — long lunches, talks, celebrations, late drinks — sits somewhere on that scale, and the British weather usually has the final say.

The good news is that the code is far easier to dress for than it sounds. Once you know the three settings and how they shift across the year, getting ready becomes a matter of a few dependable pieces and a little forward planning.

Three Settings, One Wardrobe

Nearly every occasion at the club falls into one of three brackets. Learn them and you will rarely get it wrong.

• Daytime smart casual. Tailored trousers or dark jeans, knitwear, a collared shirt, loafers or clean boots. Relaxed, but nothing that looks as though it has just come out of the garden or the gym.
• Evening smart. A jacket, pressed trousers, polished shoes. For women, a dress, a skirt with a silk blouse, or tailored separates. Darker colours, fewer creases, more structure.
• Occasion wear. Black tie, cocktail or something equally considered for seasonal parties, dinners and celebrations. These are always noted on the event listing, so check before you plan an outfit.

If you are ever unsure, ring the front desk. Staff would far rather answer a question on the phone than watch a member feel out of place at the door. And keep a spare option in your locker: a jacket, a pressed shirt, a pair of proper shoes. It has rescued more evenings than any dress code ever has.

Daytime: Working, Lunching, Lingering

The daytime code exists so that members can move between work, lunch and a quiet hour with a newspaper without feeling either overdressed or underdressed. It rewards fabrics that hold their shape and shoes you can walk in.

Weekdays

A jacket is not compulsory before six o'clock, but it is rarely wrong, especially if you are coming from an office or a meeting. Fine knitwear over a collared shirt works well in spring and autumn. For women, a midi dress with a cardigan or blazer covers everything from a morning coffee to an afternoon meeting. Skip: ripped denim, sweatshirts, shorts, beach sandals, and anything with a slogan on the front.

Weekends

Weekends are gentler. Chinos, dark jeans, a good jumper, clean plain trainers — genuinely clean, not white-once — are all perfectly acceptable in the day. A linen shirt or a cotton dress is ideal in summer. If you are heading on somewhere smarter in the evening, plan the change now rather than at ten past six with a taxi waiting.

Evening: From Six O'Clock Onwards

Evening dressing at the club is where the room comes into its own, and the standard lifts accordingly. The simplest rule: if you would wear it to a supermarket, it does not belong at dinner.

Men should think jacket, tailored trousers, a proper shirt and leather shoes — polished, not merely present. A dark suit in navy, charcoal or grey is the safest thing in any wardrobe. Ties are optional and increasingly rare, but a well-chosen one never offends. Women have more room to play: a tailored dress, wide-leg trousers with a silk shirt, or a midi skirt with a fine knit all sit comfortably. Heels are not compulsory; elegant flats or smart boots are perfectly at home.

Two small habits separate a good evening outfit from a great one. First, press or steam whatever you are wearing — creases read as haste. Second, travel light. A bulky coat or a heavy bag looks untidy in a dining room, and the cloakroom exists precisely so you can leave it there.

Dressing for a British Year

Our weather refuses to behave, so build your outfit around layers rather than around the calendar.

Spring and summer

Light wool, cotton and linen come into their own. Choose breathable fabrics, but keep a light jacket or a fine cardigan within reach — a warm afternoon often turns into a cool evening, and the club's air conditioning can bite. A linen jacket creases; a cotton-wool blend does not. If you are attending a summer party, colourful accessories are welcome, but keep the base of the outfit calm.

Autumn and winter

This is the season for flannel, tweed, heavier knits and boots that can cope with wet pavements. Bring an umbrella that actually works and a coat that can survive a shower on the walk from the car. A useful trick for members who come straight from the office: keep a second pair of shoes at the club. Dry leather at the table, wet shoes in the cloakroom.

Black Tie, Cocktail and Celebration Dressing

Black tie means a dinner jacket, a proper evening shirt, a bow tie and evening shoes. If you are hiring, collect it a day early and check the fit at home rather than in the hallway outside the dining room. Women may choose a long dress, an elegant cocktail dress or impeccably tailored evening separates — there is no single correct answer, only a clear standard of finish.

Cocktail dress, which appears more often on the club's calendar, is easier: a dark suit, or a dress somewhere between formal and relaxed.

Blockquote? Not needed.

For parties with a seasonal theme, take the theme lightly. A velvet jacket, a deep-coloured tie, a silk scarf or a piece of statement jewellery is enough. Costume is not.

The Details That Give You Away

Most dress code mishaps are not about the main garment. They are about the small things that sit around it.

• Shoes. Clean them the night before, and check the heels. Scuffed shoes undo an excellent suit in three seconds.
• Socks and tights. Keep a spare pair in your locker. Ladders and odd socks happen to everyone.
• Scent. Wear it, but quietly. Dining rooms are close quarters.
• Press. A two-minute steam beats an hour of ironing, and it is the single best return on effort you will get.
• Fit. A well-fitted jacket from a mid-range shop looks better than a loose one from a smart one. Take sleeves and hems to a tailor.

A Two-Minute Check Before You Leave

Stand in front of a full-length mirror and run through this in order. It takes less time to do than to read.

1. Is the outfit right for the time of day? If it is after six, should you be in a jacket?
2. Any creases, loose threads, missing buttons or pet hair?
3. Are your shoes clean, comfortable and appropriate to the weather outside?
4. Have you checked the event listing for anything specific — black tie, a theme, an outdoor element?
5. Is your coat suitable for the walk from the door to the taxi?

Then stop looking. The point of a dress code is not to make you self-conscious; it is to remove one small distraction so that the room, the food and the conversation can do their work. Dress well, arrive comfortable, and forget what you are wearing for the rest of the evening.

Photo: Chraecker / Pixabay