There isn’t a cloud in the sky when Mayor Mattie Parker steps out of a black SUV as her entourage follows her into the Crescent Hotel with purple hat boxes and black garment bags in hand. She’s definitely in charge but is as warm as the unseasonable November day in Fort Worth’s cultural district.

“I’m Mattie,” she says from an elevator heading to the fourth floor. “I’m glad to know you.”

She’s learned to be serious, taking office at 37 when her age quickly became a lightning rod for positive and negative attention.

“It was this fixation I didn’t expect,” she says. “Because of that, I have been careful about how I dress. But at the same time, I’m only 41; I don’t want to be stuffy.”

And she isn’t. Not only is the fair-skinned, fair-haired Hico native impeccably dressed, modeling one jewel-toned suit after another, she’s stunningly beautiful.

Adjusting a turquoise Escaramuza scarf under her neck, she’s like another piece of art in the impeccably curated room. The National Cowgirl Hall of Fame gifted the scarf to induction ceremony attendees. It’s a Nicole Sheridan design for the influential Kit Moncrief, both Parker’s friends.

“I’m lucky because I represent a city so rich in Western heritage,” she says. “Mixing professional business and western wear is pretty easy.”

Parker’s closet staples include blazers and tailored suits. Her best friend, rodeo queen Kadee Coffman Blair, regularly lends the mayor embellished blazers from her collection. And while Parker keeps accessories minimal, she loves unique pieces with a story. She points at her Longhorn earrings by designer Susan Shaw as an example, a gift from Western icon Pam Minick, and a Carrie O’Keefe bolo she received from Ed and Sasha Bass.

She isn’t confined by the cowgirl aesthetic, though, noting how others have already “nailed” that look.

“I think you can get away with anything in Fort Worth,” Parker says. “There are a lot of different influences; it’s not just Western. Art Deco is incorporated throughout the city and is a big part of our history.”

As a political leader, mother of three—a daughter and two boys—and wife to husband David, she requires a flexible wardrobe that accommodates ballpark events during the day and galas at night, admitting to a pair of sneakers she keeps in the car.

“It’s a lot of running around,” she says while laughing. “A curated closet is a big time saver. All of my suits go together. I’m not drawn to labels, but I have a ton of Veronica Beard right now. I ask myself what I like wearing and go from there. I believe in shopping your closet.”

Parker takes advantage of online shopping and rental sites like Rent the Runway and Poshmark, calling them a cost-effective secret weapon during event season.

“Could you imagine if I bought a new dress for everything?” she asks incredulously.

The vintage and consignment shops around Camp Bowie are favorites of Parker, and she names Esther Penn, You Are Here and Studio 74 Vintage as her go-tos.

And while she doesn’t splurge on much, every woman has a weakness.

“I like red bottoms,” Parker says through her fingers. “If I’m spending money, it’s on heels. It’s a problem.”

She wears Apostrophy from Louboutin with a tasteful 4-inch heel for her 5-foot, 7-inch frame and often pairs them with a midi-length silk skirt. The designer’s website says the shoe embodies “understated refinement,” also a perfect description of Parker. Her favorite boot brands include female owned and operated CITY Boots, from local Lizzy Chestnut Bentley and Ariat, run by CEO Beth Cross. And of course, the ever classic Justin Boots.

Parker is choosy with trends, often finding them distracting, reminiscing on a choker-clad Gwen Stefani phase that still makes her wince.

“I didn’t have style in college or my 20s,” she says. “But I’ve always enjoyed being adventurous and creative with clothes.”

Today, Parker says she wants to be authentic, seeing personal style as a form of expression that requires self-awareness and time to develop.

“When you have young children, it’s hard to have style because you’re just trying to survive,” she says. “There is a stage of liberation when your children are a little older. Maybe your body’s bounced back, you’re taking care of yourself again, and you feel more sure of yourself. Many women don’t talk about that, but it leads to many of us finding ourselves in our mid-30s and 40s when our style has evolved in a way that we’re really proud of.”

And all of Fort Worth can be proud of Parker, who’s more than a style icon—she’s a role model, and she’s just getting started.