I Moved To Paris Two Years Ago, Here’s How My Style Has Changed

In a move that would’ve made any teenage Françoise Sagan obsessive jealous, two years ago, Moya Mawhinney packed a suitcase and left Northern Ireland to start a new life in Paris. As one of the people watching Moya document this journey on her YouTube channel, I was fascinated by the behind-the-scenes look at a lifestyle that seemed to have been lifted straight off a Pinterest board, and fully invested in the painstaking apartment hunt that ultimately led her to the light-filled studio she’s Zooming in from today. Ongoing building work notwithstanding, the studio is the stuff of Parisian dreams – all high ceilings and huge windows with romantic views of the arrondissement.

Now that she’s settled into a life of reading by the Seine and attending Chloé shows, I’m keen for more intel on how living in the city has influenced this art history student-turned-influencer’s style. Is it now all monochrome ensembles and Breton stripes, with a Jane Birkin basket thrown in? Not so much. Per Moya, living in Paris has allowed her to observe up close what goes into crafting the illusion of effortlessness.



The city has taught her that “effortless” style is often the result of perfect tailoring, strategic accessorising and careful curation, the 25-year-old notes. Moya’s Parisian style journey, much like her apartment hunt, has been an evolution. “From the beginning of my YouTube journey to now, I’ve really grown up.

Maybe that’s just the frontal lobe developing,” she muses. When she first arrived in the city, “I just wanted to feel comfortable, so I really went back to basics,” Moya says, noting how she was swiftly swept up in Paris’s fashion scene. “I built a sort of uniform for going to wine bars, or out with friends, or to a party.

I wasn’t used to being around all of this, so it really helped to keep it simple.” Growing up in Ireland, Moya’s mother – who has always had a passion for secondhand fashion – instilled a love of quality materials and tailoring in her daughter, a foundation that continues to shape how Moya gets dressed. “When I’m shopping, I gravitate towards natural fabrics like cashmere or wool – things that feel good on my skin,” she explains.

Finding a good tailor has been life-changing, she says. “I get all my jeans tailored now and it makes all the difference!” As for her observations of stylish women in her adopted city, Moya says it’s a combination of attitude, confidence, and a knack for balancing masculine and feminine elements in an outfit that makes Parisian style so distinctive. It’s an approach she has found herself emulating.

“Pairing tailored trousers with a floaty silk blouse or a structured blazer with a slip dress – that approach works well for my body type,” she explains. “There are so many women [here] who are just dressed so effortlessly. I hate to use the word chic but sometimes it’s the only one to use.

It’s a bit of a cliché, but it’s just true. The French are really good at balancing feminine and masculine silhouettes: a tailored trouser with a floaty Chloé silk blouse, or doing a really structured blazer with a tiny silk slip dress. It’s very Saint Laurent.

” The people around her have also played a key role in her style evolution. “My friends have introduced me to brands and styles that suit me. While they have distinct styles – some more playful than mine – I draw inspiration from them while keeping my wardrobe pared back,” she shares.

It’s been a gradual process of figuring out what works for her. “Only recently have I felt truly comfortable in my own skin and style. I still feel like I’m at the early stages of defining my style.

Maybe in 10 years I’ll have fully nailed the Parisian look!” Naturally, Jane Birkin’s name does crop up in this conversation about French-girl style. Moya cites the “Margiela collection for Hermès that Birkin wore” as her dream wardrobe. “Oversized knits, deep V-cuts.

.. it’s comfortable yet polished,” she says.

Beyond that: “I imagine myself as a Chloé girl by day and a Saint Laurent woman by night. It makes me excited to be a woman.” Beyond luxury fashion, “having a uniform simplifies things”, she says.

“When you have reliable basics, it frees up mental space. My go-to at the moment is a cashmere turtleneck from Extreme Cashmere. It’s oversized and so cosy, but also easy to dress up,” she says.

She’s also on the hunt for the perfect leather jacket. “I found a vintage one in Belfast for £10 that lasted me through university and beyond, but I’m ready to upgrade.” On the topic of preloved fashion, Moya isn’t foraging for treasure in real life – despite having the vintage boutiques of Paris on her doorstep.

For her, it’s all about Italian Vinted. “Those ladies in the countryside have archives of Prada. I have to stop myself from buying it all.

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