I Hate Fonts Like This

They may look nice in a magazine spread, but if your audience only has a split second to read your message while walking, driving, or scrolling on their phone, skip the fancy script font.

I get it. These hand-lettered, "girly script" typefaces are everywhere right now. They're trendy, expressive, and yes... I use them too.

But if there's any chance your headline could be misread, it's the wrong font for the job.

Take this example. The capital D is looped so dramatically that my brain reads it as a P.

Instead of "Dine with Mom," I see "Pine with Mom."

That makes zero sense.

And I had to read it twice.

That's one extra cognitive step your audience shouldn't have to take.

Don't make me think! 

Good design isn't just about looking pretty. It's about communicating clearly and effortlessly.

If I were designing this piece and absolutely had to use this typeface, I'd jump into Illustrator and redraw that D until there was no question what it said.

Because the best typography is invisible. It delivers the message without making the reader work for it.

Now excuse me while I shake my fist like a grumpy old man…