Welcome to Real Life Style Blog!

Can changing your wardrobe really change your life? Of course it can! Imagine how light and powerful you would feel if 100% of the clothes in your closet were the right clothes for you right now. Imagine that your wardrobe reflected both your personality and your personal style, while suiting your lifestyle. That, ladies and gentlemen, is called Real Life Style. Want to be able to look and feel put together in just 2 minutes a day? You can.

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Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Your New Year's Eve Style Guide

The perfect Kate Spade purse for ringing in the New Year! ($328)


While most of our holiday events have come and gone, there is still one more party this year. New Year's Eve is always a fantastic excuse to wear an exciting and daring new outfit. The perfect New Year's Eve party outfit contains a touch a glamour topped with a heaping dose of sparkle, and is always sure to turn heads. For those still looking for an outfit, Real Life Style has got you covered! Check out these blog posts for lots of ideas you can still find in-store or online.




And of course, our Holiday Outfit Pinterest board!

On our Pinterest page you'll find clothes and accessories to make you look and feel fabulous this New Year's Eve, as well as some images of how to wear them! And a reminder to all of you on how to use our Pinterest boards: simply click on the image of the product you love, opening the "pin." Click through again to reach the website where you can purchase the item!

Happy New Year!

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Top Twelve Gifts for the Men in Your Life

In last week's holiday gift guide, we brought you Ten Cheerful Gifts for the Holiday Host or Hostess. For this week's post, we present the top picks for the men in your life. Whether it be your husband, your brother, or your dad, we've got the best gifts for the pickiest guy on your list. Look out for next week's post with gifts for women. Happy holiday shopping!




Is the man in your life addicted to his iPhone? These gloves are not only made with high-quality leather and lined with cashmere, but they also have flip-back technology on the thumb and pointer finger for touchscreen use!




The self-proclaimed "Netflix of ties," Freshneck is perfect for the fashion-obsessed man in your life. Simply choose from their selection of ties, pocket squares, and other accessories, add your favorites to your "queue," then receive your top three in the mail and wear all you want! Whenever you decide you're ready for some "fresh" looks, mail them back and receive the next three ties from your queue. 




For the man who needs help curating a trendy new look, choose from one of the many gift sets from Everett. Choose from more simple, solid colors or go all out with camo print or paisleys. I love that they come pre-packaged in a cigar box!



Armstrong and Wilson Pocket Squares - In The Wild, $55 - Stain Glass, $65 - Salad with Raisins, $80

Created by two of Esquire Magazine's "Best Dressed Real Men," Armstrong and Wilson has the best selection of pocket squares for any man's suit. Whether he wants a funky print or a simple white square with blue trim, these buttoned pocket squares are a great gift for any man who loves to accessorize.




No man could say no to a Birchbox subscription! With samples of all the top grooming products sent monthly, he'll be able to discover new brands and purchase straight from the Birchbox website. 




The perfect stocking stuffer, Dapper Classics has men's socks in every color and pattern combination he could dream of.



Every man should have a classic cashmere sweater in a neutral color. Everlane uses the same manufacturers as designer clothing, yet offers high quality at a more reasonable price.




Give him an iPad sleeve that will impress his boss and coworkers.




We love all things skull and crossbones in my house. Pajama pants too “old” for the man in your life but you can’t look at his holey sweats from college for one more minute? How about these edgy J. Crew PJ pants I bought my husband last year?




Is he picky about his cologne? This Sephora gift set includes 10 samplers and a coupon to redeem for a full-sized bottle of his favorite fragrance.




Perfect for keeping pens and electronics organized inside his work bag for easy (and super chic!) access.




Does your husband dress well at the office but lose it on the weekends? This J. Hilburn belt allows you to choose your own combination of leather or suede and stitching. I got my husband chocolate suede with blue stitching for his birthday this year and he wears it all the time.


Thursday, December 5, 2013

Ten Cheerful Gifts for the Holiday Host or Hostess

Looking for just the right thing to bring to your boss’s annual holiday shindig, or your 20-something sister-in-law’s first ever holiday cocktail party? We have something special for every event this season. Happy Holidays!


So many parties this season, too many hostess gifts to buy? Get Nate Berkus’s name and style at a great price. Fill this vase with freshly trimmed branches and garnish with a bow for a fancy gift without a fancy price tag.




Etsy is THE place to look for adorable gifts with a personal touch. Your host can spread these knives around a communal cheese plate and serve with after dinner drinks. Order a set now and have them ready to gift for that last minute invite to a sophisticated soiree. I dare you not to buy a set for yourself!




What 20-something girl doesn’t love an extra touch of glitter in her household? These coasters would look beautiful under champagne glasses at a New Year’s Eve party. My regular readers, and my clients, will recognize these coasters as matching my glitter iPad case!




This candle smells amazing and your host will want to keep the jar on his or her desk as a small stash spot after they burn through the wax.




The ideal addition to any holiday bar cart! Gift this bottle opener with a case of fever tree tonic water. I like to bring a case of their ginger beer, a bottle of grenadine and a jar of good maraschino cherries to parties for a fun non-alcoholic option. Thanks to my friend Jim for that idea!




These locally-made chocolate truffles are seriously incredible. The Christmas flavors are Bavarian Gingerbread and Austrian Linzer Torte, but there are also Chanukah flavors and addictive around-the-world toffee bars. Their November holiday collection was my go-to Thanksgiving party hostess gift this year.




 For the extravagant art lover…Don’t know what to bring to your hedge fund friend’s formal Christmas dinner? These gorgeous Damien Hirst prints reflect off the silver tea cups and are a steal at this price.




Stand out among your colleagues with this practical but charming host/hostess gift at the boss’s annual holiday party. Be sure to order ahead of time!




Slow and steady wins the cutest bottle stoppers! Give these stoppers with vintage bottles to serve water and homemade sodas.




What perennial hostess wouldn't appreciate a fresh pair of shiny serving spoons to brighten the holiday table?

Happy hostess shopping!

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

It's a Black Friday Extravaganza!

It is that time of the year, sale madness! If you love the thrill of the hunt, we have brick and mortar sales for you. We even have the outlets covered. If like me, you'd rather stay out of the fray, scroll down for the online sales. Either way, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are a great time to score some serious deals if you have your holiday shopping list ready. Happy Thanksgiving, Hannukah, and shopping! 




Brick and Mortar Stores

While many of the in-store deals are also available on store websites this year, there are a few "door buster" sales that may be too good to pass up. J.C. Penney will be having their special door busters from 8pm on Thanksgiving to 1pm on Friday, during which women's boots will be marked down to $19.99, costume jewelry will be 50-60% off, JCP brand clothing will be 60% off and more.
















For the ultimate collection of stocking stuffers, head to Sephora for their "Dealtopia" sales. With tons of products marked down to $10, you're sure to find something for your gift list and for yourself! These are available online and in stores, but only while supplies last.

Black Friday Preview: The Art of Shaving The 4 Elements of the Perfect Shave Set  #Dealtopia #Sephora #blackfriday






J.Crew is also having a huge sale, so now is the time to score some essentials for both work and play! Head into stores or go online to get 30% off your entire purchase. I think I might need to get this stone statement necklace...It might just be the most perfect holiday party necklace ever!













Outlet Sales

The newly opened Tanger Outlet Mall at the National Harbor is home to Theory, Cole Haan, J.Crew Factory and more of my favorites. If you're a late night shopper, look forward to more deals. Between 10pm and 3am on Thanksgiving night, receive an extra 20% off.  Between 3am and 6am Friday, you score an extra 30% off. I can't wait to check this place out!




Potomac Mills is also hosting Black Friday beginning Thanksgiving day. With the Bloomingdales Outlet, Saks Off 5th, Neiman Marcus Last Call, and Nordstrom Rack, Potomac Mills can be one of the most rewarding places to shop for discounts. Check here to see each store's special deals. And if you can't get out of the house for Black Friday, check back on December 13-15 for another weekend of special sales.




If you like to plan out your Black Friday shopping ahead of time, Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets has every store's sales posted online now! You can find deals such as Buy One Get One Free premium denim and men's suits at Saks Off Fifth, 30% off the entire store at Theory and Diesel, and 50% off all Nine West boots.



Online Deals

If you haven't started browsing Hautelook yet, now is the time. Now an online extension of the Nordstrom brand, Hautelook is a flash sale website and app that updates twice a day with events featuring limited quantities of discounted brand name clothing. On Black Friday, the site will be posting new sales every hour. If this interests you, set up notifications on your phone so that you can stay on top of the game. Of course Nordstrom will be hosting their own sale too. Save 25% on select merchandise starting today.





Looking for a present for the person who has everything? C. Wonder should have you covered. With monogrammed decor and gorgeous accessories, your gifts from here will be a hit. While I can't tell you about the discounts just yet, check back on my Facebook and Twitter for very special deals! This is one online store I will ABSOLUTELY be hitting for my own holiday shopping list. How cute is the popcorn machine?













ASOS is a great place to shop for yourself and for others. This British e-store has a huge selection, especially if you shop special sizes, such as petite, plus and maternity. The sale starts on Thursday, so be sure to check my social media for the promo codes!











Don't forget to check Real Life Style's Facebook and Twitter for other special deals all weekend. Happy Shopping!