High quality, ethically manufactured menswear with a Californian outlook on life. Focused on comfortable and casual goods. For travel & leisure. 

A brief history...or rant

I knew I wanted to start a life style brand after finishing a marketing internship at Soft Boards Australia and then Volcom Clothing Australia in 2007. As an active participant in "action sports" growing up I always appreciated the cultural identity of wearing certain brands. As I got older though my tastes changed and the clothing the action sports industry was making did not aligned with how I wanted to present myself. While I still loved snowboarding, surfing, and skating; the style of those sports and brands turned into acrobatic corporate monsters. A lofty method or smooth backside 180 was replaced by the 1080.  Loud oversized prints, Redbull, and reality MTV shows had taken artistic expressions of style and movement with the mountain's, waves, or street and created action sports jocks. It was lame. 

I wanted the classic casual surf style of 1960's south bay where my family came from. Clean white t-shirts, good jeans, worn in denim shirts, a solid pair of boardshorts. I wanted a cleaned up style of the cut off Dickies and oversized flannels I wore in my 90's youth going to punk rock shows and skating with friends. Minimal or no branding. I wanted deep powder turns, and gliding elegance on a wave. Hucking, spinning, &  jibbing, was for the birds. Might as well be figure skaters or gymnasts with all that twirling. 

I started Favorite Pastime to be a cultural identifier of a grown up grom. I started Favorite Pastime as an opportunity to dive deeper into unknown territory to surf or snowboard. Aviation, driving 4x4s, fishing, hunting, permacultual, wilderness first aid, mountaineering, rock climbing, and Jui Jitsu are all activities I have used Favorite Pastime as a catalyst to explore and try. 

I am continually striving to make less things. I continually ask myself is thing going to make my life better or your life better? Kinda a silly thing when you're designing a t-shirt with a dune buggy graphic on it but for me god damn I still get excited seeing a Myers Manx driving down the street. So yeah a t-shirt with a buggy on it is fun.

Over the years my style hasn't changed much. The fits are roomier because I got fatter. My material needs are less and my lust for powder days and empty waves has grown. Time with my wife and kids, friends, and new experiences take priority. The clothing I make and sell is based around my real life. Theses are the items I wear the most day to day, and take with me on trips. I have beaten the shit out of all of these items and have determined they are what lasts and look great. 

I hope to keep your travel bag light and your experiences full. 

Sincerely,

Mat Crossan

Favorite Pastime Co.