Having Choice: A Refined Slab Serif Typeface
The cursor blinked on the blank canvas of my latest project, a digital lifestyle magazine dedicated to slow living and intentional design. I had the copy ready, the images curated, and the color palette settled into soft earth tones. Yet, something was missing. The header font I had initially selected felt too loud, demanding attention rather than inviting it in. I needed a typeface that could carry weight without shouting, something that balanced authority with a delicate touch. That was when I introduced Having Choice into the layout.
As a designer who spends countless hours tweaking kerning and leading, I have learned that the right font does more than display text; it sets the emotional temperature of the entire piece. Having Choice is a sharp, elegant slab serif typeface that immediately struck a chord. Its unique glyph construction offers a valid choice for serious projects that require a clean look but still demand personality. In this article, I want to share how this specific font transformed my editorial workflow and why it might be the missing piece in your own design toolkit.
The Personality of Precision
Slab serifs are often associated with boldness and industrial strength. Think of vintage posters or heavy headlines in broadsheet newspapers. However, Having Choice subverts this expectation. It retains the structural integrity of a slab serif but refines the edges to create a sense of sophistication. The strokes are crisp, and the terminals are precise, giving it a modern typography feel that works beautifully in contemporary editorial design.
When I dropped Having Choice into the masthead of my lifestyle blog redesign, the change was instant. The font did not just sit on the page; it anchored it. There is a calmness to its rhythm. It feels relaxed yet confident, making it an ideal premium font for brands that want to appear established and trustworthy without seeming stiff. For publishers and content creators, this balance is crucial. You want your audience to trust your voice, and the visual identity is the first step in building that rapport.
Building Visual Hierarchy in Editorial Layouts
One of the greatest challenges in creating a digital magazine or a printable planner is establishing a clear visual hierarchy. Readers scan before they read. They need signposts to guide them through the content. This is where a strong display font becomes essential. I used Having Choice primarily for H1 and H2 headers, as well as for pull quotes that break up long-form articles.
In a recent coaching workbook I designed, I needed section headings that felt important but not aggressive. The clean lines of this typeface allowed the subtitles to stand out against the body copy without overwhelming the page. It creates a natural pause for the eye, encouraging the reader to stop and absorb the information. Whether you are designing a recipe ebook, a wedding guide, or a course PDF, using a distinct typeface for headings helps organize complex information into digestible chunks.
The font’s elegance also makes it suitable for decorative accents. I experimented with using larger point sizes for chapter openers in an ebook layout. The result was a sophisticated entry point that signaled a shift in tone, preparing the reader for a new section. This versatility makes it a valuable asset for anyone involved in brand identity or packaging design, where consistency across different mediums is key.
Readability Across Mediums
We live in a multi-screen world. A font must perform well on a high-resolution desktop monitor, a cramped mobile screen, and in printed formats. During my testing phase, I exported several PDFs and viewed them on various devices. Having Choice held up remarkably well. The sharpness of the slab serifs did not pixelate or blur on smaller screens, maintaining its clarity and impact.
For newsletter graphics, where space is often limited and attention spans are short, having a font that reads quickly is vital. I used it for the main headline in a weekly creator newsletter. The clean look ensured that the message was communicated instantly, even in the preview pane of an email client. For print materials, such as a printable planner or a physical magazine, the weight of the font provides excellent contrast against white space, ensuring that the text remains legible and inviting.
However, it is important to note that Having Choice shines brightest as a display font. While it is beautiful, its character is best utilized for titles, subtitles, and short bursts of text. For long-form body copy, I paired it with a highly readable serif font or a clean sans serif font. This combination creates a harmonious contrast that enhances the overall reading experience.
Thoughtful Font Pairing Strategies
Selecting a headline font is only half the battle; the other half is finding the perfect partner for the body text. Because Having Choice has such a distinct personality, it pairs well with neutral companions. In my lifestyle blog project, I paired it with a classic humanist sans serif for the navigation and captions. This kept the interface clean and modern, allowing the slab serif to take center stage in the headlines.
For a more traditional editorial feel, such as a literary journal or a historical feature, I experimented with pairing it with a warm, old-style serif font for the body copy. The contrast between the sharp, geometric slabs of the header and the organic curves of the body text created a rich, layered aesthetic. This approach is particularly effective for wedding guides or luxury brand publications where a sense of heritage and craft is desired.
When considering font pairing, always look at the x-height and the stroke contrast. You want the two fonts to complement each other without competing. Having Choice is flexible enough to work with both modern minimalism and classic elegance, making it a versatile choice for diverse design assets.
Practical Considerations for Creators
Before integrating any new typeface into your commercial projects, there are practical steps to take. First, check the included styles. Does the font family offer multiple weights? Having access to light, regular, and bold weights allows for greater flexibility in your design system. I also looked for alternates and ligatures, which can add a custom touch to logo design or special headings.
Multilingual support is another critical factor if you are working with international clients or creating content for a global audience. Ensure that the font supports the character sets you need. Additionally, verify the file formats. OTF and TTF are standard for print and desktop use, while WOFF and WOFF2 are essential for web design to ensure fast loading times and optimal rendering on browsers.
Finally, always review the commercial font licensing. Whether you are using Having Choice for a paid newsletter, a client publication, or a digital download on a marketplace like Etsy, understanding the license terms protects you and respects the type designer’s work. Investing in a properly licensed premium font is an investment in the professionalism and legality of your brand.
In the end, typography is about making choices that serve the content. Having Choice offered me the elegance and structure I needed to elevate my editorial design. It turned a standard layout into a cohesive, engaging experience. For bloggers, publishers, and designers looking to refine their visual voice, this slab serif typeface is a compelling option worth exploring.
