We are loving little cardigans right now. Partly because First Lady Michelle Obama is such a fan; seeing her wear them so often makes us remember how cute they are. (She’s wearing her favorite cropped Azzedine Alaia black cardigan here during her visit to Europe. Photo from New York Magazine.)And partly because this time of year is notorious for buildings not getting the a/c quite right. You go to work and it’s cold at your desk, but by the afternoon you’re hot and bothered (and not in the good way).

So we’ve dropped by a bunch of our favorite stores to check on their cardigan supplies. Our only sweater rule, besides the fact that they must be irresistible, is that they be appropriate for work. We chose solids and neutrals (such is the job description for the sweater that stays at the office) and we ignored the florals and stripes. They’re creative, but they tend to be the entrée, not the side dish.

Here’s a perfect example: A lightweight V-neck cardigan at Ann Taylor that could button over nearly anything and look appropriate. Made of a combination of viscose, silk and nylon, it’s shown in pewter, but also comes in the warmer mocha mélange. ($30, was $70, above left) If you like the color but want a more contemporary style, we’re digging the three-quarter sleeve open cardigan at Banana Republic. Gathered softly around the neck and shoulders, it hangs freely to just below the waist; the sleeves push up for that hard-at-work look ($25, was $59, above right).

J. Crew is already linked with the new administration, and they’re working it. Their Jackie cardigan (subtle, eh?)  is hip length (perfect if you want to belt it) and made of a superfine knit that gives it a bit of a sheen. It’s shown in melon, but comes in 14 solid colors, from pastels to brights. We’re particularly enamored with the shell pink and the endive, but we don’t know what they were thinking on the golden cypress ($59.50, above left).

You’re a ruffles kind of girl? We’re sending you to Sundance, where the cropped lighthearted linen cardigan is made of jersey-knit linen and cascades down the front in a soft ruffled V-neck. It comes in citron or gray sage, and we can think of uses for both ($65, above right). We’re also feeling the creative vibes from their steel blue heather cloche cardigan; with its baby-doll silhouette and gentle bell sleeves, we don’t stand a chance of looking cookie-cutter ($40, was $98, below left).

OK, this has to be a favorite shape. The AB Studio cardigan at Kohl’s is gently fitted through the waist, with a long ribbed hem and a gathered three-quarter sleeve. The V-neck allows a bit of your blouse or dress to show at the neckline; or just wear it over a cami for an updated look. ($28, was $48, above right).

We’ve put Topshop on our regular rounds now, eager to see how it measures up to other things we find. It did well today, producing a short knitted cardigan in fuchsia (one of the season’s hottest colors) with eight tiny buttons running down the front and short bands of gathers trimming the front shoulders ($40, above left). We couldn’t decide which we liked better: it, or the knitted scoop neck cardigan in taupe; with its crochet work around the neck and down the front. It, too, caught our eye as something special ($70, above right).

Bluefly, Bluefly, Bluefly. Search on “cardigan” here and you get more than 330 choices. Talk about riches. But we chose two we loved: The Hayden black cashmere open cardigan, which is so sophisticated it nearly hangs like a jacket ($139, above left), and the Autumn cashmere pintucked cardigan, because it looked so delicate and feminine ($72, above right). If you’re not liking the limoncello color, it comes in three others. But it’s growing on us.

For the days when you want the coziness of a big cardigan (but could do without the bulk around the hips), the Pima cotton Madigan shrug at Peruvian Connection is all that and more. It’s got an exaggerated ribbed collar and full-length sleeves, but is shaped like a shrug and curves around to the back while staying above the waist. It looks like genius ($139). And OK, we lied. We did choose one sweater with a pattern. But it’s still neutral, and will still coordinate with nearly anything. It’s the Pima cotton Four Corners cardigan at Peruvian Connection  ($398), an intarsia knit design that borrows from a Navajo blanket. It’s exquisite, and will take you nearly anywhere.

Even the White House, we suspect.

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