The old dress code at the National Arts Club on Gramercy Park S., repealed in February by a close vote, with the old guard vainly trying to continue the requirement of jackets and ties for members and guests, will benefit about 50 male students at Washington Irving High School who will receive the jackets that the club had available for what used to be improperly attired guests.
“We realize that jackets might still be an advantage for going on job or college interviews, so we’re selling them — at 5 bucks apiece, to the selected students,” said O. Aldon James, N.A.C. president. A club member has underwritten the sale, so all the jackets will be distributed at the club on April 25.
The dress code issue provoked some naked hostility at the February vote.
“One member who opposed the change said he saw where the trend was going and was going to go there himself. He took off his jacket, tie ands then his pants,” said James. “His underwear was going south when the dining room staff, to their credit, left the room in embarrassment,” James added. “We just couldn’t keep the old code and enforce it. We had a program recently with prominent young architects who said they didn’t even own a tie.”
