Staff at JP Morgan no longer have to wear suits

The suit and the city boy have long gone hand-in-hand, but staff at JP Morgan Chase have now been told they no longer have to dress smart for work.

An email circulated within the company told bankers they could ditch their formal attire for a more “business casual” approach.

The memo, published by The Times, read: “This reflects how the way we work is changing. More clients are dressing informally and many parts of our company are already business casual.

“And while it may not be possible to dress business casual at all times or in all areas, we believe having a firm-wide guideline is the right thing to do.”

Instead of the traditional suit-and-tie, men were told they could come into work in polo shirts or casual jumpers alongside smart trousers.

Meanwhile women were told they can wear dresses, casual tops, capri trousers or skirts of an “appropriate length”.

Banned are flip-flops, gym leggings and jumpsuits – as well as “tight, revealing and exceptionally loose or low cut clothing”.

The email continued: “Business casual is not weekend casual, and if you’re seeking a client you should dress for that client.”

The move comes just weeks after a PricewaterhouseCoopers employee was sent home for refusing to wear heels to work.