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By the time you make it to your late 40s early 50s, there’s a lot you can raise a glass to as a man. You’ve achieved great things in your professional career and astonishing thing in your personal life too (such as the kids of yours). No matter what anyone says, or how easy those young and handsome Instadads, make it seem, the midway marker in a man’s life is never as bad as it seems. But there are things that need more attention than ever and your sense of style is one of the,

Don’t be one of those guys that lets his style slip to the wayside just because you’ve got everything you want in life. You’re only at the midway point. There is still loads you should want to do. There is still a way you should want to hold and present yourself as you enter the Silver Fox club, and this is your time to finesse all that.

Thankfully, the basics are all you really need to be a dapper dad. It’s things like wearing clothes that fit, avoiding double denim and only wearing sneakers that are made by a luxury brand, such as a Prada or Gucci, and ideally not in a vibrant colour.

Of course, there will be times of doubt. But when you stumble across one of these times, don’t panic. Instead, thinking WWCFD – What Would Colin Firth Do. And not just him, but Mark Strong, Clive Owen, and David Harewood, all of whom know how to dress with a certain suaveness, turning what so many perceive to be a negative (their age) and turning it into a timeless style.

And, with all that said and done, here some golden rules every middle-aged man needs to know, worship and follow:

1. Block Out Your Colour

Don’t get us wrong. We’re not saying you should grab a black bin liner, march up to your bedroom, open your wardrobe and send every piece of colorful clothing into the forgotten abyss. No way. We’re just saying you need to be a bit more choosy with the colors you wear. Avoid all those bright colors you got away with as a twenty something and retire your time as a pastel wearer, and opt for more all-rounders. Tonal colors that can be worn with just about anything; the kind that can be pieced together or worn separately simply because their color compliments the others in your arsenal. Go for the classics too –camel, navy blue, maroon, navy blue, deep green and all those. It’s not about playing it safe, it’s about playing it suave.

2. Make A Middle-Aged Statement

We know how tempting it is to walk into a Harley Davidson store, picking their mattes black bike and drive it through the window wearing a leather cut you picked up in charity store just to let yourself know you’re still awesome. But you don’t need to go to these lengths. Instead, make a statement by investing in those wardrobe pieces you’ve always craved but never been able to justify. It could be the sort of Belstaff biker jacket you’d be too worried about wearing on a bike, or a pair of Tom Ford brogues complete with stylish compression socks, a suit tailored to your measurements on Savile Row, or a leather-back briefcase made by an Italian designer you can’t quite pronounce. Yes, they are expensive enough to make your eyes bulge, your bank manager check your sanity and your wife to scrunch up her brow, but they’ll last forever and, if you pick the right colors, be worn more than you ever thought possible.

3. Your Days Of Branding Are Over

If you’re wearing anything whereby the color is lost in the huge branding, you’re getting it all wrong. Superdry, Calvin Klein, Polo Ralph Lauren – anything brash whatsoever – and you’re simply telling the world you’re in a full-blown midlife crisis. You’re at an age where you’ve made it, where you don’t need to impress anyone with your spending habits or the size of your wallet. It will simply work against you. So, phase out any in-your-face designer nods and replace them with very subtle accessories that will catch people’s eye and have you recognized for your style more than anything else. A fancy watch, a glinting signet ring, a sterling silver tie pin, an Aspinals of London wallet, beautiful Oxfords or even a solid metal bangle. Little things like this will up your style game more than any branded clothing.

4. Suits The Shape Of You

When you were young, foolish and hip enough to be the godfather of your moped gang, you were able to rock drainpipe suits, slim lapels and even slimmer ties (you could even get away with that dodgy haircut). But those days are done, so if you still have any of these in your wardrobe, get rid of them along with any hopes this fashion will come back around. Chances are it might. But you won’t be of an age to rock it well. Instead, you need to swap them for a more traditional and, dare we say, mature shape. That could mean a double-breasted number if you fancy, but it could just mean a two-button, thick-lapelled piece too.

5. Confidence Is Your Secret Weapon

A lot of men panic when they reach forty and then have a mild stroke when they hit the halfway to a hundred mark. Don’t. You’ve got experience on your side. You know what you want, who you are, what looks good on you and what makes you tick. That’s not to say you’ve had it easy or know everything. Not at all. But whether you have a wife and kids or you’re newly single, everything they say about men being fine wines that getting better and better with age is absolutely spot on. Own it. Own your age. Own your laughter lines, rock that silvery hair and take advantage of your advantages. That confidence will be the best thing you ever wore. Fact.

6 Invest In Some Comfortable Briefs Too

Does the elastic on your briefs resemble a worn out rubber band? Do you have two pairs of boxer shorts that are not quite long enough for your legs? Is one leg hole bigger than the other? If so, then it is time to invest in some new undergarments like Zorbies. By wearing only the most comfortable briefs, you’ll feel much better for much longer on most days. Men regularly underestimate the incredible difference comfortable briefs can make.