As your children head back to school and enjoy all of their back-to-school clothes, it’s also a good time for you to reevaluate and update your own wardrobe. As a father, you’re one of the leading figures representing your family — your presentation and appearance should be just as carefully thought out as your actions. Below are four simple tips to help you maintain a respectable appearance while spending time with the ones you love.

1. Shop with ‘Double Ds’ in mind – When shopping for clothing, two key words to keep in mind are: dark and durable. Dark fabrics are great for hiding stains. Weather permitting, wearing rougher weaves — such as tweeds — are great for concealing coffee spills and stains left behind after a meal. Grey flannel trousers are a flawless option: they are strong, stain concealing, and have a professional appeal to them when accompanied by a blazer. Clothing that can be laundered at home are great time and money savers. Try to buy shirts that have wrinkle resistant qualities and are of 100% cotton.

2. Make time for yourself – While the thought of getting any less sleep may sound quite unbearable to you, being dressed and groomed before your children wake up is worth the extra 20 minutes. By doing this, you’re not only doing yourself a favour — you’re teaching your children how to properly prepare for the day, and that morning routines are important. Good job, dad!

3. Always have a back-up – If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. It’s a great idea to have a ‘just in case’ set of clothes tucked away at your office — place a shirt, suit, and tie into a garment bag. In the event that you are late to a meeting because your daughter falls ill, you will have — at the very least — saved some time and be prepared for that important meeting. You will be very grateful if/when you do need to use it.

4. Take a lesson from Mr. Clean – Learning how to properly remove stains is a useful skill every man should learn. A good habit to get into is brushing off your wool jackets after each wear. Food and dirt require very little to stain clothing; it goes mostly unnoticed until you need to wear your custom suit and realize that it’s not presentable. For stains and spills, here are three rules to adhere by:

1. Act quickly. The longer you leave the stain untreated, the harder it will be to remove.

2. Read the care tag and stain removal directions carefully. Do not soak the entire garment if the action is not specified — spot clean the stain before proceeding to routine cleaning of the garment.

3. Be patient, and, if in doubt, send it to the dry cleaners’ ASAP for extra care.

For a quick solution when you’re in a pinch, stock up on Tide to-go pens. Keep one in your office, car, and kitchen. Trust us, these little guys work miracles.

As a father, you’re bound to undergo a plethora of sticky scenarios. We can’t teach you the tricks to being a great father, but we can assist you with keeping a balanced and respectable look while you handle the wonderful joys of fatherhood. So go ahead — dress well, look great, and enjoy!