Today on Real Talk, Kristen sits with writer, interviewer, and Big Friendship co-author Aminatou Sow. They talk about the wide range of global influences that shape her style, the lasting impact of her diplomat parents, West African textiles, and her lifelong love of independent designers.

Then, they discuss dressing for mood and occasion, the power of tailoring, and why personal style has less to do with trends than intention.On the back-half, they unpack “shine theory,” resisting institutional dress codes, Aminatou’s tips and tricks for traveling, thoughts on comfort versus fashion, and the pieces she returns to again and again.

To close, they offer guidance to two callers: one navigating a postpartum style reset, and another wondering whether feeling sexy actually requires high heels.

To learn more and subscribe to Real Talk, visit therealreal.com/real-talk. To call into the show, email us at realtalk@therealreal.com.

Today on Real Talk, Kristen sits with Talk Easy podcast host Sam Fragoso. They discuss podcasting’s shift from audio to video, the role clothing plays in creating connection during interviews, the tension between public persona and private style, and Sam’s experience being dressed by designer Gabriela Hearst.

Sam also reflects on attending film festivals in his early years as a journalist, lessons on dressing from his mother, and how he makes his guests—like Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Warren, and Terry Gross—comfortable when they arrive at the interview table.

To close, Kristen and Sam speak with two callers: one deciding what to wear at a new office job, and another wanting to style a new bolo tie outside of special occasions.

To learn more and subscribe to Real Talk, visit therealreal.com/real-talk. To call into the show, email us at realtalk@therealreal.com.

This week on Real Talk, Kristen sits with podcast host Avery Trufelman. They begin by comparing notes on being “best dressed” in high school before unpacking Avery’s aesthetic point of view—how studying German, building her own visual world, and reporting on ritual and Catholic attire shaped her understanding of what she calls the “theater of beauty.”

Then, they trace Avery’s path from the podcasts 99% Invisible to Articles of Interest, including the moment she fell out of love with fashion, and how figures like Vivienne Westwood helped crystallize her thinking about style as language, rebellion, and cultural critique.

To close, Kristen and Avery offer guidance to two callers: one wondering whether personal style requires loyalty to a signature look or room to experiment, and another searching for more pockets—prompting a conversation about making, modifying, and rethinking clothing as something you build, not just buy.

To learn more and subscribe to Real Talk, visit therealreal.com/real-talk. To call into the show, email us at realtalk@therealreal.com.