5 Fashion Lessons from the Life of Lydia

By Tolu Karunwi

Lydia was a God-fearing woman who was a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira. Though she only exists via two verses in the Bible (Acts 16:14-15), there are several lessons we can learn from her when it comes to fashion of it all. So let’s get into it, shall we?

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If you’re going to lean into trends, do it boldly

Lydia was from the city of Thyatira which was renowned for its indigo trade. It was a hub for what was considered a prized colour, fabric that indicated nothing but wealth and prestige. As the centre for this thriving industry, Lydia clearly maximised the opportunity her city presented her becoming ‘a dealer in purple cloth’ (Acts 16:14). 

Honestly all this tells me is if you are going to play around with the trends of the day, make it count. Own it fully and thrive expressing yourself through this trend. We’ve witnessed a surge of various trends this year alone - from ‘quiet luxury’ to pink dominating summer because #Barbiecore -  there is so much to explore and have fun with. So let’s take a few pages from Lydia’s book and fully lean into trends, doing it our way and enabling our uniqueness shine through in the process!

- 2

A good colour scheme never hurt anyone

The Tyrian purple was the talk of the town in Lydia’s day. ‘Various hues of purple, mauve, lilac and periwinkle illustrated Lydia’s clothing industry.’ (The God who Speaks) This A/W we might think of reds, greys, whites, yellows, black as the kaleidoscope of colours that reflect on our wardrobes. Clearly, Tyrians like Lydia were not afraid of owning their colour, it’s lowkey giving they developed the Pantone code for purple. 

It’s always fun to develop a ‘uniform’ of some sorts and to build this with a specific colour scheme in mind. I am pretty sure Lydia and her community in Thyatira thoroughly enjoyed sauntering around the city in purple - a colour that symbolises royalty and wealth. In the same fashion, we can enjoy the colours of the season or better yet any colour that you love and gravitate to particularly. I am currently loving the fact that various shades of red are getting their moment as it’s always been such a bold hue and one of my favourite ways to express confidence. So the next time you go to your wardrobe, think of Lydia and don’t be afraid to give us that monochromatic outfit - it looks amazing on you, sis. 

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Fashion is fun and can also be lucrative

So one of the key things that is well-known about Lydia is the fact that she became very wealthy and successful as a result of her trade. Though I believe a lot of us are migrating from the #GirlBoss hustle-culture mentality and are embracing our soft girl eras, there’s something to be said about finding creative ways to use your assets. Assets being - whatever gifts God has placed in your hands. As it pertains to fashion, we love a good fashion girlie who is also about her business. The influencing space has blown up over the years and for good reason! For an industry that is so notoriously gatekept, it is amazing to witness the rise of thought leaders within the fashion space especially those from a range of different cultures and backgrounds. 

I believe Lydia would have been considered one of those type of ladies. She probably would have been invited to speak on a few panels, Forbes would have definitely recognised her on their 30 under 30 list and perhaps she would have mentored other young women who were also interested in working within the industry and making a meaningful living out of it. I mean, these are all predictions but it only goes to show that the world of fashion presents so many avenues of opportunity and if navigated with wisdom, can afford you a certain level of financial success that in this economy, is welcomed. So please don’t neglect that gift God has given you, that ‘great eye’, or amazing sense of style! But also enjoy yourself through it all, because ultimately we’re daughters of a King. 

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You can get inspiration from anywhere

New York. Tokyo. Milan. Paris. London. What do all these cities have in common? Well, they have developed a strong reputation for being the fashion capitals of the world. People travel from wide and far to experience these cities and the plethora of inspiration they provide from simply walking down the street. 

The city of Thyatira was very much like these cities, known to be a melting pot of many nations and also known for its thriving guilds which meant that there was a perfect combination of skilled individuals like Lydia as well as a blend of cultures that would express and add to the creativity housed within the city. 

Location plays a big part in our fashion choices. Residing in a city like London offers so much, from the subversive punk style in the 70s, to the Y2K domination in the noughties - the city has always developed its own peculiar fashion language. It’s always worth looking up and soaking in the inspiration that is always around us. One of my favourite things to do is to observe street fashion because truly, that is where the fun is at. To bear witness to people’s creative minds and how they choose to express themselves through fashion is so exciting! I’m sure it must have been the same for Lydia - the satisfaction of seeing her customers wear her fabric in a myriad of ways is the same satisfaction we can get from embracing where we’re at and the endless inspiration that can flow as a result

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Be purposeful with your choices and don’t lose yourself, fashion is but a tool of expression

What is most inspiring about Lydia’s story is the fact that at the heart of her business was a desire to help people - especially servants in God’s ministry. Paul happened to be one of those servants passing by her illustrious city and as a result of her openness and warmth, she not only had the opportunity to help house Paul and the apostles but she gained something far greater - the salvation of her soul. And this extended beyond just her, it’s said that her entire household were also saved and even baptized! (Acts 16:15)

‘Maintain the spiritual glow, which, by God’s grace Lydia was able to do as she cared for her business interests and pursuits which were no bar to her spirituality. Too often, we allow the secular to rob us of our glow. Our affection becomes too set on things below.’ ~ James Moffatt 

Clearly, Lydia walked with purpose; she had a strong ESG-strategy if you will! Above all, she entrusted her business to the Lord and allowed him use it for his glory, willingly offering her home to support the ministry. She housed Paul and Silas after their time in prison with her home becoming their sanctuary and a key hub for all those involved in the mission of spreading the gospel. 

In the same way, we can choose to be intentional when it comes to how we serve fashion lewksss and more importantly how we serve each other. Fashion is but a tool for expression, what will live beyond us is how we treat one another.