Q: I'm a music teacher, and at August band camp it can get ridiculously hot. A lot of blogs tell how to dress professionally during the summer, but they are geared to people who work in an air-conditioned office. I also look very young, so shorts, flip-flops and tank tops don't work, and are against dress code anyway.

A: Dressing professionally for outdoor summer work is challenging, but far from impossible. Start by investigating Athleta, Title Nine, Toad&Co and prAna, athletic-wear companies that also produce durable streetwear. They can hook you up with skirts, skorts and dresses that wick, won't wrinkle and look chic and sleek in the summer heat. Next, stock up on unlined cotton pants in cropped lengths, which can be found at virtually any mall store. It's amazing how far a little ankle exposure can go toward keeping you cool.

On top, trade plain jersey tanks for linen knit or cotton sweater shells, which breathe beautifully while looking polished. When you want a bit more coverage, skip cardigans and try short-sleeved linen camp shirts instead. You can wear them as makeshift jackets with tanks and pants, or tie them at the waist over your dresses. Depending on how much walking you do, footwear can be anything from closed-toe sandals to simple oxfords.

Finally, choose fun and funky earrings over necklaces and bracelets. They'll add sass to your look, but won't stick to your collarbone and wrists in the punishing humidity.

What to wear with wide-leg pants

Q: I love the trend of wide-leg fluid pants, but I am not sure how to style them. I am short-waisted, so I have not tucked in anything in a long time. What tops would work best? Do I have to tuck them in?

A: Many women are styling their wide legs with tucked tops these days, in part because a tucked top balances the natural volume of the pant's shape. If you're worried about emphasizing your short-waistedness, tuck, then add a slim belt about an inch below where the pants meet the top. This creates the illusion of a slightly lower waist and balances your proportions.

However, tucking is not a requirement! A longer crop top — something that hits an inch or so below your navel — is a great alternative that can be worn untucked. Just make sure it isn't too billowy or loose. Offset the flowy pants with a fitted or structured top; ponte, poplin and ottoman are great fiber choices, and tops with princess seams or closefitting designs will work best.

Find out more about thrifted items

Q: How do you go about finding information on thrifted items that seem to have come from nowhere? About a month ago, I thrifted the most wonderful pair of slim pants, and I would love to get another pair. But Google as I may, I can't track down the brand or where it might be sold.

A: Oh, I feel your pain on this one, my friend. Some fabulous thrift store finds are brands that are now defunct — I still find garments from Petite Sophisticate, which went under more than a decade ago — or from small brands with no web presence. Aside from Googling, your main options are to post a photo of the tag to social media and see if it rings any bells within your network, or take the garment to a local tailor to see if he or she recognizes it.

You can also poke around eBay and Etsy, where vendors may bury brand names deep in their listings, or post a question to the Vintage Fashion Guild forum or Styleforum's vintage clothing and accessories thread. You might luck out and connect with a friendly expert who can point you toward more items from the same brand.

Sally McGraw is the author of Already Pretty, a daily blog about the intersection of style and body image.