By Ken Rickard
Advertiser Staff Writer

As I was preparing for my much-needed vacation, I had many of the usual suspects left on my to-do list.

I had to get someone to pick up my mail, get a haircut and find a ride to the airport.

Oh yeah, and make sure I had pants that fit.

It's just typical of a young local male (such as myself) to not have a decent pair of slacks in my closet. I'm that guy who would like to wear shorts and an aloha shirt to a wedding because I only own one pair of pants.

I don't want to oversimplify this by saying all younger men do not have nice clothes.

Some do.

There are some guys who care about what is in their closets. Y'know, they have the fancy pleated dungarees because they cruise at Ocean's or Pipeline on the weekends.

I never really needed pleats to go to Sidestreet Inn.

A lot of twentysomething guys have several decent pairs of slacks because of their jobs. The bank tellers and salesmen whom I know have at least five pairs of slacks to get them through the work week.

I recall getting by on just two pairs when I was in sales. I just needed to be sure to not wear the same one two days in a row.

Then there are the infamous restaurant workers who need to have the inevitable closet full of black pants. Unfortunately, they are no good for anything but work because without doubt, they'll all have that kitchen smell that will never wash out.

I know this because I've had my share of nasty busboy/Brand-X black pants that begged to be burned rather than laundered.

For me, being comfortable has always taken precedence over presentation. (Maybe that explains a few things about my social life.) Thankfully, there is no strict dress code in the newsroom where I work.

I remember my first quarter at Oregon State, wearing surf shorts and slippers around campus and hearing some of the locals comment that I "must not be from around there." It was probably because it was November and there was an ice storm going on.

Maybe my problem is that I've always just been a local boy at heart.

And in style.

If you want board shorts, I'm your guy.

A pair of jean shorts? I have about six of them.

T-shirts?

Do you even need to ask?

This time, just like on every other trip I've taken, I had to go out and buy a new pair of jeans and khakis, just in case someone wants to eat at "someplace nice." (When did khaki go from being a color to a style of pants?)

After the trip, I'll hang them in the closet until next year's Mainland outing.

And then I'll realize that they don't fit quite right anymore, just when I need them again.

Reach Ken Rickard at krickard@honoluluadvertiser.com.