Lydia is author of the bestselling 'How to Read a Dress: A Guide to changing fashion, 1550-1970', published in 2017 by Bloomsbury. Its follow-up, 'How to Read a Suit', was published in February 2020. These are visual guides to men and women's fashion across five centuries, presented in a highly accessible and visual format underpinned with rigorous academic research. Lydia runs the popular Instagram account @howtoreadadress.