'Glee' chic

Character: Mercedes Jones

Wearing: Vest from Forever 21 and everything else (including shoes) from Torrid.

Her signature style: "Whatever I'm feeling is what I put on in the morning."

How her character's style differs: "We both like bright colors, but I'm a little more sophisticated and she's a little frilly."

Favorite designer: Doesn't have one. "I just really like clothes."

Makeup must: MAC concealer.

Character: Rachel Berry

Her signature style: "Casual-clean-bohemian."

How her character's style differs: "I'm a little bit sexy Rachel Berry today. But she wears lots of argyle sweaters."

Signature item: The high heels she's wearing (the heel is breaking!).

Favorite designer: Theory (right now).

Makeup must: Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage.

Wearing: Anthropologie dress and Christian Louboutin heels.

Her signature style: "I'm very passionate about Anthropologie dresses right now. I brought three on [the Gleek tour]. Then I have one from Kitson and we did the Forever 21 run. I love Joe's and AG jeans. They're like wearing paper."

How her character's style differs: "Tina is Hot Topic. She wears dark clothes with chains -- it's very heavy, which is really fun for me to do because I love the frilly dresses and dainty necklaces."

Signature item: Shoes! "I just saw these fuchsia heels and I didn't get them, but might have to go back."

Favorite designer: Christian Louboutin (whose shoes have distinctive red soles.)

Peace at the State Fair There's a groovy new booth at the State Fair this year -- Peace Pavilion (Dan Patch and Underwood). Pam Mondale and Kate Heegaard Hartfiel collaborated and searched the planet to find peace symbols, the word peace and even items that symbolize the idea of peace for their message-laden shop. You'll find jewelry, such as silver dollars with the peace symbol punched out of them (owned by Yoko Ono) to clothes to astroturf doormats to belt buckles. Prices range from $1 to $150, though most items are $5 to $25.

Sales and events At the State Fair spectacle, you can get a deal on spectacles. The Spectacle Shoppe (www.spectacleshoppe.biz) is offering frames and single vision prescription lenses (+ or - 4.00) on any frame priced $259 or less. There are thousands to choose from and the usual rate for such a package is $508. Five percent of proceeds go to the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank. You can get in on the deal at the four stores (New Brighton, 651-636-3434; West St. Paul, 651-450-6666; Downtown St. Paul, 651-628-4444; Burnsville Center, 952-892-6666) and at the Minnesota State Fair (612-636-3434 in the Historic Grandstand). You can also donate your old glasses.

Thursday night, there will be a Goldenwear trunk show at Fashion Avenue II (810 E. Lake St., Wayzata, 952-224-7014). Designer Nancy Golden will be there with her collection of leather jewelry and accessories, including flowers ($45), agate necklaces ($95), leather-link necklaces ($175), and belts and hip sacks ($300). She gets many of her raw materials from her son, Nate Berkus.

This Saturday, back-to-school shoppers can get some inspiration during the KidsChange Extreme Teen Makeover event at the Mall of America. From noon to 3 p.m., "America's Next Top Model" winner Jaslene Gonzalez will host and consult with previously selected teens. Clothes by Southpole (available at Sears) will be featured and hair-styling will be by Regis.

Shu Global Footwear (1041 Grand Av., St. Paul, 651-224-3570) wants your old shoes. Through Sept. 7, donate your gently worn footwear and you'll get $20 off regular-priced shoes and $10 off sale shoes. Your hand-me-downs will go to Soles4Soles, which distributes shoes to those who need them around the world.