Four of the world’s most stylish men throw back to significant sartorial moments in their childhood.

Some things, it is true, do get better with age. Is style one of them? We at MR PORTER would certainly hope so, otherwise, well, for goodness sake, what are we all playing at? That said, though taste is unquestionably the result of passion and experience, there are those who are born with it. Below, we’ve put that theory to the test by asking several members of MR PORTER’s Style Council to contemplate their former selves and derive some sartorial tips.

Italian tattooist Mr Mo Coppoletta is one of the most respected inkers in the business. Visit his full Member profile on The Style Council to read his recommendations on the world’s best places to eat, drink and sleep.

Describe what’s going on in this picture.

It was my second birthday, so it was the summer of 1973 at my grandparents’ house in Verona. I am wearing blue Bermuda <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/clothing/shorts">shorts</a> and a mustard <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/clothing/polos">polo shirt</a>. Note the <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/shoes">shoes</a> with purple satin laces and the lace <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/accessories/socks">socks</a> up to the knees. Thank you, Mum. Her influence is quite visible here. She was a tailor and always aware of clothing and styles. She used to send me out in the world like this all the time.

When did you become fully aware of style?

I don’t think one becomes aware of style like an enlightenment. One could become aware of the existence of certain clothing &ndash; tailors, brands, <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/accessories/jewellery">jewellery</a>, etc &ndash; but style is something that you have inside. You either feel the need for it or you don’t. The equation “style = expensive-or-supposed-to-be-cool items” does not stand. A man walking his dog with a pair of <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/clothing/trousers/chinos">chinos</a> and <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/shoes/sneakers">trainers</a> could ooze more style than a forcefully sartorial individual walking around at Pitti Uomo. Style is an extension of one’s personality and unfortunately cannot be manufactured or bought. Style, though, requires study and attention. Without proper training, not even <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/daily/how-to-play-tennis-like-mr-roger-federer/1031">Roger Federer</a> could be as good as he is.

How would you describe the way your style has evolved over the years, and how would you characterise it now?

Youth cultures on both side of the Atlantic and music were my main sources of inspiration for how I have dressed, mixed with my attention to the finest things in life from clothes to cars, from classic movie/music icons to <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/hub/luxury-watch-guide/">watches</a> and furniture. With the passing of time it was only obvious that the latter things were going to take over my appearance, even though I am still a fanatic of music (up until the late 1970s). But I gradually dropped the youthful looks in favour of a more appropriate ones for today. Nowadays, I am a strong believer that without study, research and culture, one cannot be fully aware of what to wear (if you give what you wear any sort of relevance that is), so I am constantly researching and discovering new artisans, cloths, manufacturers, vintage garments and so on.

What is the one piece of style advice you wish you could give your younger self?

I don’t want to sound too presumptuous, but I like the way I was always fully aware of my looks through the years (good and bad), so I would retake the same path as it was always supported by interests in other fields.

And what do you think your younger self would say to you now?

He would wink and give a thumbs up, I hope.

Mr Shaka Maidoh is a stylist, designer and founder of creative collective Art Comes First. Visit his full Member profile on The Style Council.

Describe what’s going on in this picture.

This picture was taken in west <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/style-council/places/london">London</a>, in the early 1980s &ndash; 1984, if I’m not mistaken. I had a green turtleneck <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/clothing/knitwear/sweaters">jumper</a>; turtlenecks were my thing. The funny thing about the <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/accessories/glasses">glasses</a> I’m wearing here is that I didn’t like them then. It wasn’t cool to have frames in school &ndash; you were seen as a nerd. But recently, I have gone back to get the same shaped frames. Starting off with vintage ones I added my prescriptions and now design ones similar to that style. It’s my favourite style of frame right now.

Are you, would you say, stylish in this image?

Maybe I wasn’t back then, but if you look at it now, you will agree that turtlenecks have never been out of fashion, glasses are no longer a thing for only nerds and geeks &ndash; they’re a fashion accessory now. From shades to plain, stylistically it was simple, but utilitarian.

When was your style peak (apart from today, obviously)?

I think my style peaked in my early teens. Just being aware of trends, living in west London exposed you to different cultures and sub-cultures, from mods to rockers to skinheads, punks and eventually hip-hop as music was also a reference to style.

Are there any particular pieces in your wardrobe that you wish you’d never got rid of?

My vintage <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/clothing/coats_and_jackets/leather_jackets">leather jacket</a>. While you can replace most pieces from your wardrobe, the thing about a leather jacket is that it ages and gets better like wine, so nothing can replace my first leather jacket, which was actually altered to fit me as I have long arms. I always wonder what it would look like today.

And any that you massively regret?

Pork-pie <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/accessories/hats">hats</a>. I go through transitions, so I change it up from time to time, but one thing if anything I have learned is that you cannot go wrong with classics. Everything comes back around. I wore my pork-pie hats to death like six to eight years ago and got tired of them, but now I am yearning for them again.

How would you describe the way your style has evolved over the years, and how would you characterise it now?

It’s hard to say. “Punk tailoring” is a term I use often. I stay true to my silhouette or shape and that determines how I evolve with style. I am slim and tall, so working with proportions and silhouettes that complement my frame is usually my main starting point.

What is the one piece of style advice you wish you could give your younger self?

Keep it simple. Whenever I go back and look at all my old pictures, it’s never been wrong with a simple look. With the experimental days, trying to find a sense of self proved a little much in a few instances, but I do not regret it as it has got me to where I am today. If you do not try, you never know.

When did you become fully aware of style?

Very young, maybe when I was five &ndash; even as far back as I can remember. My dad is a sartor, so he is very particular about what he is wearing, how he wears it and how he presents himself to the world. I remember as a kid, one morning when I was about to go to school, my father called me back and said, “When you step out that door you are representing yourself as well as the Maidoh family. So you need to fix up, look sharp.” He made me go back in, iron my clothes and tuck in my <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/clothing/formal_shirts">shirt</a>.

And what do you think your younger self would say to you now?

Son, never stop evolving as a person, and style is an extension of who you are.

Mr Ali Mostafa is the Dubai-based director of films including The Worthy (2016). Visit his full Member profile on The Style Council.

Describe what’s going on in this picture.

I know I’m wearing all of my dad’s old clothes, but not sure if I was going out or my parents were experimenting. I must have been about seven years old here, so say 1987-ish?

Are you, would you say, stylish in this image?

Ridiculously stylish in this because it’s my dad’s and he was the king of cool. Looking back at pics of him in the 1970s, he style was always on point. Whether it was a <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/clothing/suits">suit</a> or shirt, <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/clothing/jeans">jeans</a> and a sombrero, he pulled it off. His signature look was <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/accessories/sunglasses">dark glasses</a> even at night. I think if I inherited something, it was his style for glasses.

When was your style peak (apart from today, obviously)?

I think it started in the late 1990s when I was more aware of how clothes could make you feel. I was pretty much a hip-hop kid, so baggy was the thing. That eventually changed into clothes that actually fit, thank God.

Are there any particular pieces in your wardrobe that you wish you’d never got rid of?

Nope, other than a pair of <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/shoes/boots">boots</a> that got holes in them, I’m good. The boots were by Moreschi. Though sadly, I’ve never come across a pair like them by the brand since. I loved them because I could wear them with a <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/clothing/tuxedos">tux</a> or jeans. I got something close enough in versatility from <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/designers/paul_smith">Paul Smith</a> recently.

And any that you massively regret?

Sadly, I regret more than you may think. I think my Style Council Membership will be revoked if I mention it.

How would you describe the way your style has evolved over the years, and how would you characterise it now?

I used to be a lot more adventurous with style. Now I just go with what suits my lifestyle. I used to wear stuff that you think would only work on a boy-band member and get away with it. They’d be avant-garde pieces from designers like <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/designers/rick_owens">Rick Owens</a> or independent designers that make quirky, unique stuff. Today, I go with more comfortable elegant pieces from brands such as <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/designers/burberry">Burberry</a>, <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/designers/ralph_lauren_purple_label">Ralph Lauren</a>, <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/designers/gucci">Gucci</a> and <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/designers/tom_ford">Tom Ford</a>. I’m also really digging some great pieces from Uniqlo at the moment, too.

What is the one piece of style advice you wish you could give your younger self?

Adventurous is good; too adventurous doesn’t suit everyone. Also, don’t try and match too much &ndash; this relates with my biggest faux pas of an outfit choice that I’m not going to go into. Let’s just say it had something to do with a particular shirt pattern that became notorious in the early 2000s and a pair of socks. The rest is for your imagination. Matching for me works when it’s subtle. Similar colours as opposed to exact colours.

Mr Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu, aka Tinie Tempah, is one of UK hip-hop’s biggest success stories, as well as a style aficionado and fashion designer. Visit his full Member profile on The Style Council.

Describe what’s going on in this picture.

I’m wearing a suit with a <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/mens/accessories/ties/bow_ties">bow tie</a>. I think I was at my uncle’s house. It was around Christmas time, hence the tree in the background.

When did you become fully aware of style?

When I went to the first Nigerian party I can remember and I saw all the women dressed up.

How would you describe the way your style has evolved over the years, and how would you characterise it now?

I feel like over the years I’ve collected pieces of clothing that feel luxurious and comfortable and now that’s pretty much me.

When was your style peak (apart from today, obviously)?

I don’t think it’s happened yet.

What is the one piece of style advice you wish you could give your younger self?

Iron your school shirt.

And what do you think your younger self would say to you now?

Do I have to?

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