Spotted: group of archetypal West London “creative professionals” (very probably TV production), huddled blearily in a café, alluding competitively to their heavy weekends. Uniform of choice: loud, limited-edition trainers, Japanese denim (hanging low) and ironically collegiate T-shirts. Real age: 28-35. Sartorial age: 19.

Spotted: two fathers on a cross-Channel ferry, attempting to ignore their children. Uniform of choice: football T-shirts, three-quarter-length trousers, Crocs. Real age: early forties. Sartorial age: 9.

Spotted: a newspaper touting the Brideshead Revisited revival for men. Uniform of choice: corduroy blazers, paisley scarves, jumpers tied loosely around the shoulders. Age of models: 19. Sartorial age: 90, thinking back to those last, glorious pre-war years.

Of course there’s nothing strictly wrong with any of this – except for the Crocs. Women possibly expend too many mental calories assessing whether their outfit is too old for them, or if they are too old for it. Men, especially when at leisure, rarely consider the question at all. And should teenagers start sporting spats while septuagenarians take to sportswear, then, well, why not? There are, though, a few items of clothing that manage to be appropriate for men of any age, 19 to 90. Even if you don’t wear them now, you’ll come back to them one day – and they’ll still look good.

How to wear this season's trend: lace

It's good to make an effort, but getting dressed should not take you several hours. Lace will take you several days

Background

• Which classic items to buy this season

• How to get dressed: leather jackets

• How to get dressed: the Miraclesuit

• How to get dressed: handling wet weather

• How to get dressed: Staying in season

- The reefer/pea coat. An 18th-century naval style classic that still works in the 21st. Looks best in navy blue. Gap’s is good value at £98 (020-7758 3550), the Hardy by Barbour (£199) is an authentically maritime interpretation, while Loro Piana’s San Francisco cashmere coat is an oligarch’s version, at £4,120 (020-7499 9300).

- Knitted polo shirts. Whether long-sleeve or short, think plain: Steve McQueen, not Ian Poulter. John Smedley does a great range (www.johnsmedley.com), but they can be a bit unforgiving if you’re running to seed. Aquascutum’s new-season cotton pique knitted polos (£69, www.aquascutum.com) are a little more generous.

– Straight-cut jeans. It’s the cut that counts: no low-slung crotch, no exposed underpant. Not skinny, but not baggy. Dunhill’s slimmer-fit Gansevoort and classic-fit Newburgh are both pleasingly unadorned (£125, 0845 4580779). Levi Strauss Vintage Clothing’s interpretation of its 1947 501 jeans (£135, www.levi.com) is standard-fit, straight-leg, no messing.

– Plain trainers/plimsolls. Not the delicate, espadrille-esque plimsoll sported by androgynous East Lon-doners with skinny jeans, but something with more substance. John Lennon wore pumps by Spring Court, a French tennis shoe brand, on the cover of Abbey Road – have a look at its G2 Low-tops (£39.99, www.oipolloi.com). Equally unostentatious are Superga’s 2750s (£35, www.asos.com).

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