We get it, mornings can be a mad rush, especially if you’re going to the office straight from drop off. So, it pays to be prepared, right? “The experts tell you to ‘outfit’ the night before – lay your clothes out ready for the morning – but I’ve never managed to be that organised,” Davis says. “My tip is to drastically reduce the parameters of your wardrobe: a couple of pairs of shoes, a couple of shirts and a nice quality cashmere jumper, one or two colours (black, navy). Put them in constant rotation. Maybe people will assume you’ve become laser-focused on your job.”

This is not the moment for experiments, agrees Daniel Todd, Buying Director for MR PORTER. “No matter how much time you think you have in the morning, experience tells me my own sartorial choices will be stripped back to whatever I can throw on after I have finally convinced the kids that a jumper really is necessary in the depths of winter,” he says. “Speed dressing leaves little time for actual styling consideration, so, for me, it’s all about keeping it simple while trying not to look like I have completely given up. My go-tos include a sweater by Auralee or Mr P. and sweatpants – yes, but they’re cashmere – by Cherry Los Angeles. Sneakers are essential for the final charge through the school gate before we get marked late.”

“I know it’s a good dad-style day when I get the nod and a, ‘Like that. Where’s it from?’” says Gareth Scourfield, a stylist who has worked with the likes of Richard Madden, Taron Egerton and Daniel Craig. “This usually means a loose-cut trouser in cotton canvas or cord. Subtle branding is allowed from the teenage style police – anything over the top would be vetoed.”

“A big swishy – and crucially, dark – winter coat is definitely your friend,” Davis says. “And a good way to distract from or cover any wardrobe shortcomings.”

Even if planning out a whole outfit the day before is a stretch, skincare is something best done in advance. “At night, skin naturally switches from defence mode to repair mode, making it the optimal time to apply moisturisers, anti-ageing creams, blemish treatments and eye gels,” says the grooming expert Lee Kynaston. He notes that it’s while you’re asleep that your skin loses the most moisture. “Moisturising before you crash is a good way to ensure you wake up looking better than when you went to bed.”

With that sorted, don’t forget a spritz of fragrance before you leave the house. “I’m a firm believer that outer appearance is affected by inner confidence,” Kynaston says. “To look good you first need to feel good – and the simplest way to achieve that is by applying a little of your favourite fragrance every morning. But don’t take my word for it – a study conducted by Duke University Medical Center in the US revealed that daily use of fragrance can improve the mood of men in middle age. Think of it as eau de confidence.”

Please remove those too-tight trousers. “Skinny jeans have had their day,” says Lauren Cochrane, senior fashion writer for The Guardian and author of The Ten. “It’s time to gently explore other shapes. Wide-leg jeans can be fun, maybe worn with a chunky sneaker.”

But don’t think you have to go the full flappy gait of TikTok tutorials. Just take what you know and tweak it. “Lean into dad sneakers with a straight-leg jean or chino with a shorter length rather than a roll-up,” Cochrane says. “Straight cuts in a darker wash are a sleeper style update, and a really easy win – they’re comfortable, and look new without being scary.”

If you do lean towards the wider legs of Gen Z, Cochrane suggests that you carefully consider what you wear above your waist. “Maybe elevate with a sweater, rather than a slouchy hoodie, which feels a bit kidult,” she says.

When trying out wider cuts for the first time, start with “drawstring trousers in a cord, cotton or flannel wool,” Scourfield suggests. “Something with an easier, softer drape than denim.”

While we’d make a case for keeping up with – or at least being aware of – the latest trends when it comes to your clothes, hair is one area where some of us need to learn when to let it go.

“There’s a tipping point in every man’s hair-loss journey where top fluff just stops being funny,” Kynaston says. “Almost every barber I’ve ever spoken to suggests that when this point comes, it’s best to bite the bullet and go for a shorter crop, keeping the sides and back as short as possible and allowing a tiny bit more length on the top to give the impression that you’ve more hair than you really have.

“A clever hairdresser will also be able to give the illusion of fuller hair by using cutting techniques such as ‘blunt cutting’, while applying a little matt styling paste will add texture without weighing hair down.

“Sporting some facial hair is a great way to draw attention away from your thinning thatch,” Kynaston adds. “For convenience, or bad hair days, there are always hats.”

You’re on a tight schedule. You need a watch. But which watch? Watch writer Chris Hall suggests a “chunky timepiece”. “As we do battle with stairgates and scooters, a watch can easily catch some collateral damage,” he says. “I’d go for a dive watch like a Bremont or a Panerai, not because the environment could become extreme, but when you’re trying to think about six or seven other things, you want a watch you only have to glance at for the briefest millisecond to check the time.

“An option for the more passive-aggressive or helicopter parent might be a chronograph, to introduce a sense of urgency to the morning tasks,” Hall adds. “Two minutes to brush your teeth – go!”

Yes, yes, we all know that a full 40 winks is the key to looking your best. Now, if you could kindly tell our children…

“Nothing reveals stress or a bad night’s sleep quite like eye bags and dark circles,” Kynaston says. “What’s more, the eye area, where skin is especially thin and delicate, is often the first part of the fade to show the signs of premature ageing. A decent eye product is the surest way to tackle these issues. Opt for a gel if puffiness is your problem and a cream if your dark circles rival Uncle Fester’s.”

Kynaston suggests turbocharging the effectiveness of products by keeping them in the fridge. “At a push, plonking two cold spoons on your eyes will work, too, though it’ll probably ruin what little credibility you have left with the kids,” he adds.

There are also those among us, however, who lean into the lack of lie ins. “I use it to my advantage,” says David McKendrick, creative director and the editor of Paperboy magazine. “Clients tend to ‘bend’ to the tired, vulnerable dad, doing his best to be a father and run a business. I drop in, that I ‘let’ my wife sleep in. Client: ‘Maybe we won't ask him to completely start from scratch with the project.’ Got to make it work for you…”

“Pick shoes you won’t get delayed lacing up,” Halls says. (So, 14-eyelet Dr Martens are out.) Scourfield suggests slipping into Chelsea boots or loafers – “precious seconds saved”. But for most modern dads, sneakers are the staple, and classics such as adidas Sambas will always look good.

Davis says that On and New Balance models are de rigueur in north London. “I’d like to see something a bit more considered, but still smart,” he says, citing Common Projects. “Either that or go full mid-life crisis with a pair of Nike SB x Air Jordan 4s. Your children lost respect for you long ago, what have you got to lose?”

Speaking of children, now you’ve got your shoes on, what’s the secret to getting them in theirs? “You’ll laugh, but my four-year-old daughter will often use a shoehorn,” says George Glasgow, CEO and creative director of shoemaker George Cleverley. “She sees me doing it and thinks it’s very funny, so she insists on using one as well.”