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Perhaps this is stating the obvious, but most offices conform to an inverse law of climate control: icebox temperatures in the summer and arid heat in the winter.

With the exception of work environments that eschew air conditioning (commendable but uncommon) and have desks situated near windows (great view but drafty), this law has widespread wardrobe ramifications in terms of achieving a personal thermostat that makes you most productive.

Sweaters are the catch-all for feeling comfortable. Worth exploring, however, is why some sweaters are more suitable than others.

Variables such as thickness, style, detailing and colour can affect whether knitwear looks ski-chalet chic, Mr. Rogers fusty or professionally attired.

“I'm not sure men know what to do with them,” says Leah Morrigan of Toronto's Image Consulting for Men.

Incidentally, her first job out of high school was in the sweater department at Eatons. “It was the eighties so there were a lot of boxy, dropped shoulders.”

These days, thanks to finer yarns and more affordable cashmere and Italian merino wool blends, men's knits are slimmer and can be worn under jackets or as an alternative to them.

Laura Adams of the LA Image Consulting Group in Toronto says women should save chunkier knits for weekends and that finer-gauge sweaters can look as smart as a jacket when worn properly. Translation: Avoid sleeveless versions. “I don't think having arms showing in the winter, especially if we're pasty and white, is that appropriate,” she says.

This is why twin sets work so well.

Embellishments, however, are for evening. “No beading, no sequins, no fringe,” says Ms. Adams, noting that somehow these treatments have crept into daytime. Suitable's stance is not as severe, but simply that a little trim goes a long way.

Giving thought to what a sweater may reveal is also a wise idea. “Good bras are important,” Ms. Adams advises. “If it gets chilly in the office, you end up with the guys looking at your chest and not your face. Also, if [sweaters] are tighter, you see the bulging from the bras which isn't very nice.”

Both image consultants give solid-colour turtlenecks a thumbs-up; just choose carefully because the colour is so close to your face. “If you have a sallow colouring and you're wearing yellows and limey greens, you can look deathly ill,” Ms. Adams says, jokingly. “If you're trying to get Friday off, it may work to wear them on Thursday.”

But the cold, hard truth about lighter-weight turtlenecks is that they look best on men who aren't carrying extra weight. This can be solved by topping them with a jacket (a pocket square rounds out the look).

Of course, then overheating becomes a concern; no one wants to be sweating in their sweaters. Ms. Morrigan recommends the sweater vest. Guys can channel Bill Cosby with confidence; as it turns out, the bookish look is back. Club Monaco currently has some striped and argyle versions in merino wool (cardigans from $99 to $199 and vests from $89) that put a fresh, contemporary spin on the classics.

“Cardigans can soften a look, as opposed to a jacket, which gives a harder shoulder,” she says. Her stylish update is to wear a vest in a similar colour family as the shirt and to select a tie that relates to that scheme.

Both image consultants agree that V-necks and crewnecks should never be worn at the office without a collared shirt underneath. Miami Vice, anyone?

And now for some reminders about sweater maintenance. Machine washing is fine: Choose the gentle cycle and a mild detergent such as Zero by Woolite. If you really want to give knits the five-star treatment, The Laundress Wool and Cashmere Shampoo ($24.95 at Neat Storage Essentials, www.neatstorage.com) helps protect the yarn and has a cedar scent (to repel moths).

A fabric comb such as the De-Fuzz It (widely available in drugstores) can solve pesky pilling problems (which occur when stray fibres get tangled). Bear in mind that in removing the bad fuzz, you are also scraping off some of the good fuzz.

Which leads me to some sage words from my father, a cool guy with a warm heart, and an expert when it comes to cashmere: “You can buy an expensive Italian sweater or one that's made in China and much cheaper, but the only ones that never pill are the ones that you don't wear.”