Podcast

Real Talk

Arts, Fashion & Beauty, Society & Culture

Real Talk is a series of intimate conversations where Kristen Naiman and her guests explore style as a path to self-knowledge and expression—using the contents of our closets to better understand who we are and who we’re becoming. In the second half, the show opens up to listeners, offering a call-in space to untangle their style dilemmas. Tune in every Wednesday for new episodes of Real Talk, presented by The RealReal.

Fashion & Beauty chart
#75
Episodes
10
Releases
Every two weeks
Typical length
42 min
On air since
2026
Latest episode
6 days ago

Episodes

10 episodes, newest first

  1. Bronwyn Newport (‘RHOSLC’) on Dressing Loud After Growing Up Mormon

    Season 1, Episode 9

    Show notes

    Today on Real Talk, The RealReal’s Kristen Naiman sits with fashion historian, archivist, and TV personality Bronwyn Newport (The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City). They unpack Bronwyn’s playful approach to personal style, from growing up Mormon with strict modesty rules to embracing a life of “zero rules” when it comes to getting dressed. Then, they discuss the difference between fashion and personal style, red carpet dressing, the myth of “timeless” wedding looks, and why Bronwyn believes clothing can be a form of joyful resistance.

    On the back half, Bronwyn reflects on dressing through life’s transitions, the distinction between clothing as armor and hiding, and how her love of drag and LGBTQ advocacy shapes her understanding of self-expression. Along the way, she shares her hyper-specific approach to shopping secondhand, favorite fashion rabbit holes, and the joy of dressing for yourself rather than an audience.

    To close, Kristen and Bronwyn offer guidance to two callers: one hoping to break free from a wardrobe of “boring basics,” and another navigating personal style postpartum while breastfeeding.

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

    36 min
  2. Designer Isaac Mizrahi Gets a Sick Sense of Glee Looking Back At Unzipped

    Season 1, Episode 8

    Show notes

    Today on Real Talk, Kristen sits with fashion legend Isaac Mizrahi. They discuss the re-release of the -groundbreaking, cult-classic documentary Unzipped that covers his 1994 Fall collection, the role of fashion and culture now, his mother, whether or not style is inherent, the iconic models of Unzipped, and the lost art of sketching designs.

    Then, they cover his social media presence (including seeing beauty in furniture on the sidewalk), dressing intuitively, the chemistry of a good collaborator, and how he thinks about clothes post-Unzipped.

    To close, they discuss what excites him about the idea of ‘design for all’ as the creative director of Target.

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

    35 min
  3. Lena Dunham on Reinventing Herself and the Joy of Wearing Vintage

    Season 1, Episode 7

    Show notes

    Today on Real Talk, The RealReal’s Kristen Naiman sits with writer, director, and actor Lena Dunham for a live conversation at The RealReal SoHo. They begin with Lena’s approach to personal style going all the way back to before “Girls” made her a public figure: from resale finds and vintage treasures to her rejection of fashion “rules,” quiet luxury, and body-based dressing advice. Then, they unpack her formative style influences, the designers and cultural icons she returns to again and again, and how clothing can serve as a form of self-expression and character-building.

    Lena reflects on dressing through public scrutiny, health changes, and different chapters of her life as chronicled in her bestselling memoir Famesick. They also dive into her favorite RealReal finds and the joy of dressing outside the algorithm.

    To close, Lena and Kristen take questions from the audience on dressing loudly after 40, moving beyond a vintage-only wardrobe, finding the right walking shoes for New York City, and more.

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

    49 min
  4. Writer Aminatou Sow on the Style Myth of the High Heel

    Season 1, Episode 6

    Show notes

    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.

    43 min
  5. Sam Fragoso (‘Talk Easy’) on Dressing with Care in the Video Podcast Era

    Season 1, Episode 5

    Show notes

    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.

    34 min
  6. Avery Trufelman (‘Articles of Interest’) Tells the Stories Behind Our Clothes

    Season 1, Episode 4

    Show notes

    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.

    42 min
  7. Cook and Author Alison Roman on Finding Your Style in the Kitchen and Beyond

    Season 1, Episode 3

    Show notes

    Today on Real Talk, The RealReal’s Kristen Naiman sits with beloved cook and author Alison Roman. They begin by unpacking Alison’s intuitive approach to style: blending the high and low, finding her signature uniform, and landing on her signature red nails. Then, they discuss hosting, motherhood, personal rituals, and how getting dressed can feel both practical and expressive.

    To close, Kristen and Alison offer guidance to two callers: one trying to build a wardrobe of staples that feel personal instead of trend-forward, and another figuring out how to maintain style—and feel like herself—while dressing for cold weather in New York City.

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

    40 min
  8. Director Janicza Bravo Finds Herself Through Styling

    Season 1, Episode 2

    Show notes

    Today on Real Talk, The RealReal’s Kristen Naiman sits with award-winning writer and director Janicza Bravo. They begin by unpacking their formative collaborations as stylists, uniform dressing, and the vast, 20,000 photograph archive that guides Janicza’s creative process. Then, they discuss dressing for work, the differences between LA and NYC style, and the story behind a legendary Schiaparelli suit.

    To close, they offer guidance to two callers: one seeking clarity on how to dress for work at a synagogue while balancing masculine and feminine styles, and another relearning how to dress for Canadian seasons after years in Los Angeles. They also celebrate the bathrobe.

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

    50 min
  9. Casting Director Jennifer Venditti (‘Marty Supreme’) Sees Personal Style as Character Development

    Season 1, Episode 1

    Show notes

    In our inaugural episode of Real Talk, host Kristen Naiman speaks with Oscar-nominated casting director Jennifer Venditti. They discuss the intuition that guides Venditti’s casting work across runways and films like Euphoria and Marty Supreme, what it feels like when something truly magical unfolds in the casting room, her evolving relationship to home and nature, and how she learns to live with beauty without becoming attached to it.

    In the second half, Kristen and Jennifer offer guidance to two callers: one considering a capsule wardrobe as she prepares to move in with a partner, and another seeking the confidence to blend masculine and feminine influences while experimenting more freely with personal style.

    To learn more and subscribe to Real Talk, visit www.therealreal.com/real-talk. New episodes air on Wednesdays.

    To call into the show, email us at realtalk@therealreal.com.

    52 min
  10. Welcome to Real Talk, Presented by The RealReal Trailer

    Season 1

    Show notes

    Everything we wear tells a story.

    Sometimes it’s about who we’ve been, sometimes it’s about who we’re becoming. Sometimes it's about a conversation we're having with ourselves and the world around us.

    This is Real Talk, a new podcast where Kristen Naiman sits with creatives, writers, and cultural voices, and we talk with you about personal style—and how the items in each of our closets help us better understand who we are.

    In the second half, the show opens up to listeners, offering a call-in space to untangle their style dilemmas.

    New episodes of Real Talk begin next Wednesday, March 25th, with Oscar-nominated casting director Jennifer Venditti. Presented by The RealReal.

    1 min