Style Spotlight: Ginny Granato
Written by: Laura Prajzner | Photos courtesy of: Ginny Granato
A style icon who transcends her own Instagram feed, Drexel D&M’s own Ginny Granato shares her style secrets, unique shopping habits, and fashion industry thoughts that are near and dear to her heart. Much like a good jacket, Ginny is the perfect statement and refreshment this industry needs.
Personal identity is reflected in dozens of artistic ways. My personal favorite—clothes! You’re telling the world who you are, or just yourself by the glances you get of yourself passing by a street window. However, in a world filled with an overload of content, perpetual materialistic tendencies, and fast-moving trends tied up in the pretty package of fast fashion... it’s hard to imagine there are individuals remaining true to their own style. How is personal style defined? Are we even free to express ourselves to the max, or are the pressures of fashion too much? Are we allowed to wear what we want no matter what? Who’s someone who’s got it right? … Ginny Granato.
“Fashion is everything to me. I truly don’t feel like I’m myself without it.” Design & Merchandising’s own and 2022 FSF Scholarship recipient, Ginny Granato, remarks on her love of clothing. As a senior, Ginny can confidently describe her style. She has dreams of raiding the wardrobes of Rolling Stone’s Brian Jones and the iconic Jimi Hendrix. Ginny describes her style as “neutral bohemian 70s style.” She loves to style the late 60s/70s, but with a much more neutralized palette. This style is the bloodline that is Ginny’s core aesthetic. Ginny finds that her passion lies in helping others to curate their own style to authentically represent who they are, just as she has found in her own self-discovery. You can spot Ginny most wearing creams and oranges because she loves the comfort and warmth those colors evoke.
Now, how can we all be as cool as Ginny? “I actually don’t shop in stores super often which sounds weird!” Ginny is an avid Poshmark and eBay shopper. She thrives on a good hunt and a good deal. The nature of these shopping methods allows Ginny to give these hidden gems a new story and new personality.
As these items get passed down from wearer to wearer, the stylization changes and the interpretation becomes your own page in the book.
In the great fight against fast fashion, Ginny practices her methodology of mediating on a piece of clothing and thinking about how it can be a new addition to her wardrobe. And if she cannot stop thinking about it, she just must have it. If Ginny is shopping in a store, her Philly favorite is Retrospect Vintage with its fun atmosphere and great curation and variety of finds. Safe to say that Ginny loves the treasure-hunting aspect.
Like all great fashion icons, there must be at least one style mishap. As a fellow private Catholic school attendee myself, this one is a doozy. “Without thinking, I accidentally wore a shirt with the Aoxomoxoa cover for Grateful Dead to my private catholic school (which shows a good bit of art that pretty clearly represents genitalia…oops). It was 6am when I had to get dressed, in my defense.” Regardless, no piece that has joined the wardrobe of Ginny Granato would be a regret of hers. She believes that every single clothing piece makes up her identity. To avoid such outfit mishaps again, her “getting ready regime” now is to do her hair, makeup, and then get dressed in the clothes that she picked out the night before. Her favorite season to dress for is late fall because of the versatility in styling — shorts or a jacket, or both!
“My favorite outfit of all time is probably where I put this lace duster and collared blouse under a giant shaggy coat. I belted it and used a scarf as a half shawl thing. I paired it with these really fun suede moccasins and a Western hat. I just thought it was a really interesting combo of textures and a cool way to use a scarf!”
Her favorite piece of all time is a jacket with hundreds of vintage coins sewn into it. She often finds herself embellishing clothes with tapestry materials and vintages laces to give her outfits that special Ginny touch—the essence of her. Her best style secret is putting a belt over just about anything, as it can easily elevate an outfit! Currently, she is obsessed with historical fashion. She wants to see the trends of Capelets, bliauts, Tudor ruffs, and Victorian boots return to the streets of Philadelphia.
Take one glance at Ginny’s Instagram and, immediately, you’ll think of the brand Free People. She is their #1 fan. Although in recent years they have strayed from their boho identity, Ginny still loves all her pieces from the brand. Etro is also another favorite of Ginny’s, as they feature lots of intricate patterns, textures, and ways to layer all these concepts together.
In resonating with these brands, she has learned how to best represent not only herself in the fashion world, but more importantly, her own happiness. As she is in her senior year at Drexel, she has had the time to develop her own opinion and stance on the fashion industry: “I think the industry needs to be more diversified in facets that aren’t just marketing. Representation is always important, but it’s not enough and too often it’s only because of external pressure.”
“Too many companies aren’t utilizing different perspectives and diversifying their teams. Fashion is really only listening to the same voices, and it needs to change.”
On the surface, fashion is harmless and fun. As it should be! Sadly, that is just not the case, realistically. It’s no wonder that some of us are still struggling to find our specific niche. As Ginny enters the fashion world post-grad, she won’t compromise her own values, style, or strong habits. The fashion industry is not ready for Ginny!