First things first. Devote an entire day (or weekend) to your closet. Go through everything. And I mean pull it out and try it all on. Focus on the pieces you love most, and you’ll discover a pattern emerges. This is your style. The garments that make you smile and your eyes crinkle when you see yourself in the mirror, those are keepers. However, if you put something on and you stand there staring, trying to decide, the decision is already made.

It doesn’t matter what you paid for it, whether it’s imbued with great memories or who gave it to you, if the garment isn’t unconditionally flattering it’s either destined for storage or charity. Assemble all the good stuff and take stock of what you’ve got.

When you’re a kid, you can throw on anything and get away with it. Try that when you’re older and it ain’t a good look. Even if you’re just walking the dog, hit that sidewalk looking like you give a damn. Why? Because at a certain age, confidence becomes the strongest transmitter of sex appeal.

Here is a hard-and-fast, no-exceptions rule: your wardrobe should look like it was tailor made for you. No baggy chinos, jeans that pass for jeggings, jackets with enough room to allow shoplifting, T-shirts with stretched-out collars, sweaters that have lost their shape.

Even if your abs are now slightly unpacked, your ensemble should show off your shape. With rare exception, volume is no longer your friend. Don’t hide inside it. For example, pass on skinny jeans, but do the same with triple-pleated pants, unless you’re 6ft 5in and weigh 72.5kg. It took years for fashion to get men into flat-front pants. Don’t leave now. A single inverted pleat is fine but trust your silhouette. You’re only as large as your widest piece of clothing.

Do not retreat to the netherworlds of careful grey, beige anonymity or total blackout. While black may be fashion’s universal fallback option, age brings about a loss of melanin, which fades even the rosiest skin tone. Consequently, black, which sucks away light, can be an unwise choice against your complexion without a contrast.

While opting for Glinda pink is a bit extreme, rich jewel tones such as sapphire, topaz, garnet and malachite are elevating alternatives, providing drama without upstaging. One strong colour is often enough. Head-to-toe monochrome dressing can make a riveting statement.

Rather than chase after expensive trends, buy good stuff that lasts. Invest in leather, cashmere, merino wool (my favourite), Japanese denim, 150 wool, pima cotton, silk. Two per cent stretch is always a bonus. If you are going to buy inexpensive stuff – and why not because some of it is smart, fresh and fun? – take it to a tailor and, for a nominal fee, your “find” can look 10 times the cost.

Just veer towards tailoring that doesn’t way you down. And learn to wear suits more casually. Perfect options are turtlenecks, which are also elongating (never a bad thing) and hide a less than firm neck (also never a bad thing), a flat, cashmere crew neck, a solid-hued, slogan-free T-shirt that doesn’t look like underwear and a crisp white shirt, one with a stand-up collar that doesn’t beg for a tie. It’s no secret: you will never go wrong sporting a well-tailored jacket over a crisp white shirt at any age.

These come in handy:

• Dark indigo denim jeans, no faded or acid wash

• Black jeans

• White jeans

• A leather jacket that makes you feel like a rock star

• A suede jacket that would look right in Aspen

• Solid white sneakers

• Solid black sneakers

• A trench coat that would make Humphrey Bogart envious

• A tuxedo that fits so perfectly, one might ignore Jacob Elordi standing nearby (if only for a half a minute)

As for the accessories that matter most to you (watches, rings, bracelets, belts): keep them close, gleaming and wear them often.

All of the above will be thoroughly and irredeemably negated if your posture sucks. Yes, it’s getting harder. Some days your back hurts, you may have a torn left rotator cuff and there’s arthritis in both knees. Tough. Square your shoulders, push in your hips, suck in your gut and stride as if you bought 10,000 shares of Apple when it first went public. A man who always walks into a room as if making an entrance is a man to be admired.

Don’t believe those mollifying ads. Age is definitely more than just a number, especially if you know how to make it work in your favour.