Lydia Millen on her most treasured possessions, the one piece of gardening advice she has for others and her dream dinner party guestlist …
Lydia Millen is a digital creator and author – and more recently, a keen gardener and beekeeper. One of the original influencers, Lydia has been creating lifestyle content since 2011, and is perhaps most known for her Youtube channel which has over one million followers. Her debut book, Evergreen: Discover the Joy in Every Season, designed to encourage readers to connect with nature, was published in 2023. A follow–on, the Evergreen Journal, will be published in December.
With her signature British heritage style, it’s no surprise that Lydia’s fashion CV has grown – with collaborations and edits with brands including Fairfax & Favor, Holland Cooper, Karen Millen and now Irish brand Sinead Keary the Label. Lydia has escaped city life for the countryside, where she now lives with her husband Ali Gordon, surrounded by cats, dogs, chickens and “about 50,000 bees”. We sat down with Lydia on a recent visit to Dublin …
1. The most memorable outfit you’ve ever worn … I really love an excuse to get dressed up. I think that, for me, it’s part and parcel of what I love about getting dressed in general. Things like getting dressed for Ascot is up there. I would probably say the blue dress that I wore to Ascot two years ago was a moment that I’ll never forget. I felt really extra special in that one.
2. Describe your fashion uniform … My fashion uniform would be something that’s probably elegant, but also comfortable. I’m not someone who likes to sacrifice my comfort for the sake of style, and I think you can always tell when someone’s uncomfortable in something that they’re wearing. Really beautiful tailored trousers that also feel like pyjamas are really up there, and I think that’s why I love Sinead Keary’s The Sandra [satin] trousers so much. They are the most comfortable and beautiful, and they make your legs look 100 miles long.
3. Three things you always keep in your handbag … I think that some of these are essential, but also some of them are very practical. First up, I’m on a bit of a natural nail journey at the moment and I stopped wearing gel nails at the beginning of the year. I think that always having hydrated cuticles kind of makes all of the difference, so I have the Navy Cuticle Balm. It’s super small, fits right in there.
Then this is my practical one, I would say. I am someone who swears by good old Sudocrem, and I didn’t know that they did this handbag size one, but it has changed my life. I put it on everything – if I get a mosquito bite, if I’ve got a spot – anything, this saves the day.
And finally, I have a lip balm in every handbag, pocket, drawer, everywhere. I think that having a good tinted balm is really good just for zhuzhing up. This one is the tinted 8 hour from Elizabeth Arden, and it’s beautiful.
4. What is your most treasured possession? I’m quite a sentimental person, so anything that has been given to me by people that maybe are no longer with us are always up there with my most treasure treasured things, but I have a few pieces of jewellery from my grandma and, honestly, when I get to wear them it really feels very special.
5. How do you like to switch off? My favourite way to switch off is definitely spending time in nature. For me, that’s hugely important. It gives me such a sense of perspective and reminds me that, a lot of the time, the things that I’m worrying about or concerned with, or anything that’s costing me my peace, is usually quite insignificant when you think about how big the world is and what happens every day in nature.
6. The best piece of gardening advice you’ve received? I would actually say it’s not a piece of advice I received, but it’s what I realised is that, as humans, we overcomplicate things. If you want to start gardening, just start. Don’t think about it, don’t worry about it, give it a go. You’ll learn every time something goes right or wrong, and you will love every moment of it, so just get the seeds in the soil.
7. The first thing you think of when you think of Ireland? Do you know what, I think it’s the warmth of the people. I remember when I first came here many years ago now, and I remember just being awestruck by the people and how welcoming [you are]. Just like a a hug of a human and I think that will always be my first thought.
8. Your favourite item from the Sinead Keary X Lydia Millen Edit? That feels like the hardest question to answer because there’s so many spectrums! I mean, the Sandra Suit is like that moment where you feel your best, but then you’ve got the cosiness of The Lily [cashmere bow back sweater] and The Maire [polo knit sweater]. The Maire jumper feels new and fresh, and it’s just so elevated with the collar and the cuffs. Then there’s The Jessica [longline] coat and [bamboo sleepwear] Evergreen pyjamas, how do I choose? You’re gonna have to choose for me!
9. Your favourite daily ritual? At the moment, my favourite ritual is in the evenings. I have just released my second book, which is the Evergreen Journal, and it basically guides the reader through the seasons. It’s so wonderful because it asks you really interesting questions whilst it also helps you find the joy in that month. And I can stick mementos that I find on my dog walks, or from moments that I enjoy every day in life, and it becomes this little keepsake. It’s just a way to spend less time scrolling on my phone and more time doing something that fills my cup.
10. Three dream dinner party guests …
“Queen Elizabeth II, Joanna Lumley and [Christopher] Biggins, I think that that would be absolute carnage!”
Irish designer Sinead Keary has enlisted digital creator and author Lydia Millen for a second collaboration. Sinead Keary the Label Edit II has launched with an eleven-piece capsule collection, offering an update on the first edit’s beloved staples in a new colour palette. The Jessica coat, which was a sellout in ivory last winter, returns in a rich burgundy shade (€348). One of the label’s bestselling items is The Sandra trousers (€125), originally available in black and champagne, they now also come in burgundy. New for this season is The Ruby sweetheart blazer (€165), a vintage inspired blazer with a sculpted waist that you will wear all through the festive season and beyond. @sinead_keary_personal_shopping
