Type Styles of the Rich and Famous

To sell a property like this one, you need to use typefaces that appeal to an upscale audience. Learn which typefaces work best, and what to do with them so they'll attract big spenders.

Typography Tells a Story

Well-designed typefaces are beautiful to behold. Their angles and forms can be an inspiration. But they also have a “personality,” and if you tune into what their shapes are trying to say, you can make those traits work for your business.

Let’s say on the other side of your town a company is developing an upscale neighborhood high on a hill overlooking the ocean. They’ve decided to call it “Grandview Estates.” Their tagline is “Rising Above the Rest.”

[Pretty snobby, isn't it?]

Now let’s say you’ve been asked to design the sign that will sit at the entrance to the neighborhood. You’ve been told that the sign needs to “reflect the caliber of people we want to attract to our estate properties.”

You know what that really means.

You need to attract rich people! Time to break out …

Type Styles of the Rich and Famous

Because you know, dahling, the rich and famous won’t be seen with just any old typeface. Only the best will do!

Here’s what to look for when you’re using typefaces to speak to an upscale audience.

1. Classic Forms

The rich and famous would like to think that they’ll always be that way. Using typefaces with classic forms that have been around since Roman times will help them perpetuate the illusion!

Even though the typeface should look like it’s been around since Roman times, you should stay away from Times Roman. Why? Because it’s overused. The rich and famous want to be distinct. That eliminates the Georgia typeface, too, and any other typeface that’s on the standard system menu when you first fire up your computer.

Instead, try serif typefaces that have some personality, like:

Bergamo

Crimson

Gentium

Latin Modern Roman

Liberation Serif

Linux Libertine

2. Calligraphic Feel

Classic typefaces include those that look like they’ve been penned by the hand of a distinguished calligrapher. What better way to say “I have so much money I don’t know what to do with it” than to look like you have a personal scribe who addresses all your correspondence?

These typefaces have the swashes and flourishes that will do the job:

Brock Script

CAC Champagne

Chopin Script

England Hand DB

Freebooter Script

Gabrielle

Quilline Script Thin

Scriptina

3. Set Them Loose and Open

Now that you’ve chosen typefaces from the lists above, let’s look at how we can set them so they communicate the upscale vibe we’re looking for.

One way to accomplish this is to set the serif typeface in all capital letters, and open up some space between the letters. You’ve seen this before:

For maximum effect, don’t spread the letters out too much. You want the words to be readable.

4. …or Tight and Solid

You shouldn’t spread out the letters in a script typeface at all. They’re designed to look like a calligrapher has written them in one sitting, sometimes in one continuous stroke. So set the script letters tight together so they flow from one to the other.

The idea below uses a script typeface set nice and tight, and a serif typeface set loosely. Fancy, schmancy, huh?

Our Little Secret

Here’s a surprise for you. Every typeface mentioned in this post is available at fontsquirrel.com for free. I promise not to tell the rich and famous you used a free typeface to attract them to their overpriced neighborhood!