A new month is upon us which means it’s time again to dive into the ins and outs of a featured free Google Font.

October is here, everything is pumpkin spice flavored and the holidays are inching closer and closer. Until then, October is a month for tricks and treats. Where do fonts fall within the two? No need to be afraid— if fonts were candy they’d be the king size candy bars the cool neighborhoods pass out at Halloween. This month’s featured font is bold, charming and a real treat. If you’re looking to show off some personality, look no further than free Google font, Lilita One. Lilita One is a display font that comes in 1 style and has a soft, friendly look. 

FYI: A display font is a font with expressive details meant to grab a users attention, usually in headlines, and therefore is great for setting the tone of a design!

Display fonts can be a lot of fun to work with when done correctly. They usually consist of very distinct details that work better at larger sizes, like headlines or titles. Think headline on a banner graphic, for example. Because of this, display fonts are not the best choice for body fonts since the expressive details of the letterforms can sacrifice legibility at smaller sizes. Lilita One has a slightly condensed look with rounded edges that make it a perfect fit for any industry with a light hearted personality. A kids clothing brand may find success in using this font due to its bold and playful look. The condensed letterforms I mentioned earlier give Lilita One a lean and energetic look that could work great for a hobby brand or pet supply shop.

Since Lilita One is a display font with more personality than your average sans serif or serif font, pairing it with a simpler font is important in order to create a thoughtful balance in a design. Like I’ve mentioned before, using complementary fonts is an effective way to add meaning to your design. Grab your pumpkin spice latte and strap in for a crash course in which fonts you can use alongside Lilita One to enhance your design.

Karla

Kicking things off this month is Karla. Karla comes in 4 styles and has rounded letterforms that compliment the rounded nature of Lilita One. Its sleek look balances the bubbly nature of Lilita One, creating a nice contrast between headlines and body text for a pleasant user experience. The overall softness created by this font pairing makes it a great contender for a brand within the Clothing and Home and Garden industries. 

Cuprum

Next, I chose Cuprum. This condensed sans serif comes in 4 styles and pairs particularly well with Lilita One because of its clearly opposite features. Cuprum is lean, geometric and thin whereas Lilita One has an inherently bold and chubby look. Cuprum has a tech-y, more masculine look, making this font pairing perfect for the Electronics industry. 

Varela Round

Wrapping up our October font pairings is Varela Round. Varela Round has rounded letterforms just like Lilita One, creating a perfect harmony between the two because of their similar qualities yet are different enough to create a strong contrast. Its easy to read letterforms make it a great option in both headline and body copy scenarios but for this example it works particularly well as a body font. The overall softness created by this font pairing makes it a great contender for use within the Toy and Game industry due to the shared rounded qualities of each font. Rounded letterforms feel friendly and approachable, and Lilita One and Varela One each embody those traits.

If you noticed that each example used Lilita One as the headline font then you were paying attention! Remember I mentioned earlier that Lilita One is a display font which are best used for headlines? Designers (including me!) recommend against using display fonts for body copy because the details of each letterform can get lost at smaller sizes, resulting in an unpleasant user experience. Otherwise, keep Lilita One in your back pocket the next time you’re in need of a friendly, rounded font. Check back next month as we explore a new font and dive into its potential.