Moses Cooper, Jr. has been dressing his best for a half century. A Toledo resident since he got out of the Army (he saw this area during his military stint and fell in love with it), he drove a bus for TARTA for 39 years. Always looking his stylish best. Now an 86-year-old resident at Senior Star at West Park Place senior living community, he’s still drawing looks and compliments for his excellent sartorial sensibilities.
What does style mean to you?
Well, I’ll tell you what. My dad worked in the coal mines when I was a little kid. And at dinnertime, he would get dressed up. I mean, he would get DRESSED UP. And I’d say, “Hey dad, where you goin’?” And he’d say, “To dinner.” He was my idol. And I said to myself, If I’m going to be a man, I need to be like him and dress up for dinner. And here I am.
So you’ve always
been pretty fashionable?
Oh, all my life. In fact, I don’t say this in a mean way, but you know Colin Powell, when he was in his military uniform? Well, they called me Colin Powell, because I drove a bus and our colors were dark blue, you could wear a white shirt or a blue shirt with a maroon tie. I went with the white shirt, with the maroon tie and the blue suit. It had my insignia on it, I had the gold stripes on the sleeve… I don’t know why I didn’t get a picture of that. People’d get on the bus and they’d say, “They got new uniforms?” And I’d say, “No.” And they’d say, “Well why are you so different from the rest of the drivers?” That’s just me.
What’s a fashion rule you live by?
I don’t look at no prices, if I see something I want, I upgrade. Because you can’t take it with you.
Moses Cooper, Jr.
Age: 86
Retired TARTA bus driver
Moses Cooper, Jr. has been dressing his best for a half century. A Toledo resident since he got out of the Army (he saw this area during his military stint and fell in love with it), he drove a bus for TARTA for 39 years. Always looking his stylish best. Now an 86-year-old resident at Senior Star at West Park Place senior living community, he’s still drawing looks and compliments for his excellent sartorial sensibilities.
What does style mean to you?
Well, I’ll tell you what. My dad worked in the coal mines when I was a little kid. And at dinnertime, he would get dressed up. I mean, he would get DRESSED UP. And I’d say, “Hey dad, where you goin’?” And he’d say, “To dinner.” He was my idol. And I said to myself, If I’m going to be a man, I need to be like him and dress up for dinner. And here I am.
So you’ve always
been pretty fashionable?
Oh, all my life. In fact, I don’t say this in a mean way, but you know Colin Powell, when he was in his military uniform? Well, they called me Colin Powell, because I drove a bus and our colors were dark blue, you could wear a white shirt or a blue shirt with a maroon tie. I went with the white shirt, with the maroon tie and the blue suit. It had my insignia on it, I had the gold stripes on the sleeve… I don’t know why I didn’t get a picture of that. People’d get on the bus and they’d say, “They got new uniforms?” And I’d say, “No.” And they’d say, “Well why are you so different from the rest of the drivers?” That’s just me.
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What’s a fashion rule you live by?
I don’t look at no prices, if I see something I want, I upgrade. Because you can’t take it with you.
