Are you on the lookout for all of the best classic & elegant serif fonts? Or perhaps classy fonts that convey an elegant look? If you are, then you’re in the right place!
Choosing a font for a project isn’t always an easy task but this list of professional classic and elegant serif fonts will make the task a little easier.
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When it comes to typography, the beauty is in how well it expresses your voice. Serif fonts have a lot to offer in terms of simplicity and elegance.
These fonts always add flair to your typography, really helping it stand out. If you’re working on a logo or branding project, be sure to check our post on the best serif fonts for logos.
But before you dive in, you may want to consider this incredible offer below.
Top 10 Classy Fonts for Classic & Elegant Designs
If you’re looking for something classy, classic, and elegant, see our list of the best classy fonts below.
Classy fonts usually come in different shapes and forms, but one giveaway for an elegant typeface is its tasteful curves and luxurious swashes.
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Let’s go over the top picks in this category, to better give you a glimpse of what bundles you can use for your Class A-targeting projects!
- Giveny – Classy Serif Font
- Pierson An Essential Serif Typeface
- Gadhen – Classy Fonts
- TAN Aegean
- Megante – Classy Font
- Holland Classy Font
- Ahayo – Classy Elegant Font
- MABOZ Classy Advertisement Font
- CEDRIC – Classy Condensed Font
- Bastine Modern Classy Serif Font
For the complete list, scroll on!
Also see our features on the best regal fonts, and the best luxury fonts.
UNLIMITED DOWNLOADS: 50 Million+ Fonts & Design Assets
Download all the Elegant Serif Fonts you need and many other design elements, available for a monthly subscription by subscribing to Envato Elements. The subscription costs $16.50 per month and gives you unlimited access to a massive and growing library of over 50 million items that can be downloaded as often as you need (stock photos too)!
Classy Fonts for Classic & Elegant Designs
1. Giveny – Classy Serif Font
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As if designed specifically for magazines and publication headlines, Giveny does a tremendous job of looking stunning in simplicity. This all-uppercase font bundle is arguably one of the fiercer-looking picks from the bunch but equally as classy and sophisticated.
2. Pierson An Essential Serif Typeface
A classy serif font never goes out of style, and Pierson is proof of that. Complete with a ton of styles and variations, you’re free to pick both thick and slender versions of the font.
Classy, pretty, legible, and light on the eyes—what’s not to like?
3. Gadhen – Classy Fonts
Anyone who says funky display fonts can’t be classy hasn’t seen Gadhen – Classy Fonts yet. Great for both small texts and large signages, this trendy headline font is as crisp and sophisticated as it gets.
4. TAN Aegean
TAN Aegean is an elegant typeface that makes clever use of swashes. Great for branding designs, marketing projects, and headlines, this classic favorite is a best seller for obvious reasons.
5. Megante – Classy Font
Megante‘s chic overall shape and its striking combination of thick and slender make it a standout. Suitable for branding and marketing efforts, this bundle comes with uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, basic punctuation marks, and TTF, OTF, and WOFF formats.
6. Holland Classy Font
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Nothing says elegant the way a signature font does. So if this is the aesthetic you’re gunning for, try Holland Classy Font. Loaded with both uppercase and lowercase letters, this bundle also comes with basic punctuation marks, multi-lingual support, and numbers.
7. MABOZ Classy Advertisement Font
Designed specifically for eye-popping billboards and advertisements, MABOZ does a swell job of immediately capturing one’s attention. Mixing thick and slender and packing odd-shaped holes inside a few characters, this classy font bundle is a standout for reasons that don’t require elaboration.
8. Ahayo – Classy Elegant Font
Another expensive-looking sans serif on the list is Ahayo. Combining thick structures with slender lines, this pick feels straight out of a premium product’s logo. Featuring only uppercase letters, this bundle makes for a spectacular option for headlines and branding projects.
9. CEDRIC – Classy Condensed Font
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If a classy condensed font is what you’re after, then CEDRIC might just be up your alley. Made of chunky characters with narrow inside gaps, this pick is catchy and fun to look at.
10. Bastine Modern Classy Serif Font
Bastine is a contemporary, sophisticated serif font that features a plethora of unique alternative glyphs and ligatures created using unique style, regular, and outline. Perfect for magazines, branding projects, advertising materials, and headlines, there are plenty of things you can create with this one.
11. Amoore – A Classy Handdrawn
Are hand-drawn fonts more of your thing? If so, you’re going to enjoy making designs with Amoore, a classy hand-drawn font. Loaded with all uppercase letters, punctuation marks, and numbers, this font bundle makes for a fantastic headline.
12. Valky
Valky is a classy modern typeface that features occasionally exaggerated swashes and a combination of thick and thin structures. Suitable for branding logos and other similar projects, this striking pick is one of the more visually memorable options here.
13. TAN – ALASTAIRE
Working on a book cover? You might want to use TAN – ALASTAIRE. Complete with both uppercase and lowercase letters, this display script is perfect for a variety of designs and illustrations.
14. Rutch Display Font
Rutch is a funky-looking display font that’s both trendy and elegant. Legible enough to be light on the eyes and distinct enough to stand out, this all-uppercase wavy contender is a visual feast for plenty of reasons.
15. Frankfute Classy Font
Frankfute is ideal for stunning titles and logos. Featuring numbers, symbols, and both uppercase and lowercase letters, this pick here is equally distinct from previous contenders. Here, all of the fonts, including web fonts, are included, as are OTF and TTF files.
16. Bon Vivant Family
Bon Vivant is a font duo that features script and serif fonts. Designed primarily for elegant branding efforts, this upscale-feeling font bundle is great for premium products and experiences.
17. The Chatalestick – Classy Font Duo
Another classy font duo you might like is The Chatalestick, a strong condensed sans serif and a classy script font. It’s perfect for a lot of design projects, too, although you’ll want to note only the script option has small letters.
18. Blessing – Classy Handlettered Font
If you’re looking for a hand-lettered font, then Blessing may be just that—a blessing. As if written with a marker, this pick feels authentic, warm, and familiar.
19. Eugusto Display Typeface
Another sans serif stunner in the bunch is Eugusto Display Typeface. Featuring 3 styles and over 350 glyphs, this bundle is beyond complete. If you’re looking for a fun mix of playful and elegant, this soft-edged font pack is a strong contender.
20. Rossanova
Does your project call for a cute and trendy but classy typeface? Then Rossanova might just be the solution for that. Featuring soft and rounded edges, this thick-structured font bundle is suitable for plenty of designs.
UNLIMITED DOWNLOADS: 50 Million+ Fonts & Design Assets
Download all the Classy Fonts you need and many other design elements, available for a monthly subscription by subscribing to Envato Elements. The subscription costs $16.50 per month and gives you unlimited access to a massive and growing library of over 50 million items that can be downloaded as often as you need (stock effect & element packs too)!
28+ Classic & Elegant Serif Fonts
Here is an overview of 12 of the best classic serif fonts but for more, scroll on. We feature classy serif fonts, luxury serif fonts, and premium serif fonts.
You’ll find fresh picks as well as tried and true old serif fonts. Now let’s dive in!
1. Nimbus Roman No 9
The Nimbus Roman No 9 is a classy and elegant font that can work well for more sophisticated projects. Created by URW Studio in 1987, it looks very similar to the Times New Roman font and generally carries the same overall tone. This is a true classic serif font.
2. ITC Garamond Light
Created by Tony Stan in 1975, ITC Garamond Light has ITC’s signature house style. Much like most serif fonts, it works for serious and elegant messaging. As the name conveys, Claude Garamond’s typography work inspired this font.
3. Minion
Minion was created in 1990 by Adobe Systems inspired by the late-renaissance era. Designed by Robert Slimbach, it’s intended for body text, keeping legibility uppermost in mind. Minion is a balanced and clean font that can be great when used to convey more serious messaging.
4. URW Antiqua
URW Antiqua was designed by Hermann Zapf in 1985, alongside URW Grotesk — a sans serif font that goes well with it. The font by itself is great for conveying more elegant themes.
5. Times
The Times font is from the same font family as the more popular Times New Roman font. This font is great for conveying a serious and academic voice. There are several variations of this font available, but the Times font is in a class all its own.
6. Baskerville
Baskerville, a typeface created by John Baskerville in the 1750s, and characterized by its more circular strokes, is used often for marketing messaging. Popularized presently by Microsoft, this font, like most serif fonts, is sophisticated and bold.
7. Baskerville No. 2
Created by the URW Design Staff in 1980, the above typeface served as the inspiration for this font. Characterized by its thin, more circular, and sophisticated strokes, the Baskerville No. 2 is an iteration of the popular Baskerville font. This is a true luxury serif font.
8. Mrs Eaves
Mrs Eaves is a font designed by Zuzana Licko in 1996. It’s a transitional serif typeface that is used in display contexts such as book descriptions and titles. This font can convey elegant and fanciful messaging and titles.
9. Cheltenham Old Style No 2
URW Type Foundry produced the Cheltenham Old Style No 2. For body copy in books and magazines, this typeface works beautifully. It is based on the Cheltenham font that architects Bertram Goodhue and Ingalls Kimball created in 1896 for the Cheltenham press. This font has a strong, memorable style.
10. Cushing Std-Book
The Cushing Std-Book typeface was created by Vincent Pacella and is trademarked by the International Typeface Corporation. This is yet another great typeface for presswork and body copy that keeps things interesting and elegant.
11. Aldine 721
Originally designed by the font designer Frank Hinman Pierpont, this font was later adapted for digital printing and use by Bitstream. Aldine 721 is great for legibility and sophisticated overtones.
12. Plantin Std
Named after the 16th Century printer Christophe Plantin, this typeface was the predecessor to the Times New Roman — and was the basis for this typeface. Plantain Std is a modern-day variation of this font. The font is great for magazine text and anything that requires substance and class. This is a true timeless serif font.
13. Sabon
Originally designed by German-born designer Jan Tschichold, this old-style serif font was later digitized by Linotype. Sabon is a slender and legible typeface that is great for book covers, poetry, quotes, and even posters. Like most serif fonts, it conveys an overall sophisticated feel.
14. Arno Pro
Arno Pro is a serif font created by Robert Slimbach from Adobe Type for professional use. Heavily inspired by Italian renaissance texts, this font is great for book design, even earning a winning entry in the 2007 Type Design Competition.
15. Palatino
This old-type serif font was created by Hermann Zapf in 1949 and later published by Linotype. Palatino was later licensed to Adobe and Apple, which made it a pre-installed font, increasing the popularity of this elegant typeface. This font family has 20 styles and family package options. This is a very formal serif font, and a top funeral font choice too.
16. Centaur MT Std
This serif typeface was created by Bruce Rogers and later released in 1929. Also known as Metropolitan, this font variation was digitized and licensed by Linotype. Inspired by renaissance printing in the 1470s, Centaur MT Std conveys a scholarly tone.
17. Bookman Light
This old-style serif font was inspired by Bookman Old Style that was created in the 1860s. It rose in popularity in the 1960s and 1970s for its legible and classy characteristics. Bookman Light can give an impression of reliability without the heaviness.
18. Perpetua Std
The Perpetua font was designed by Eric Gill in the 1920s. This font was published by Monotype and comes with 22 styles in this package. Perpetua has a delicate and crisp font structure and is very similar to 18th-century British fonts like Baskerville.
UNLIMITED DOWNLOADS: 50 Million+ Fonts & Design Assets
All the Fonts you need and many other design elements are available for a monthly subscription by subscribing to Envato Elements. The subscription costs $16.50 per month and gives you unlimited access to a massive and growing library of 50 million items that can be downloaded as often as you need (stock photos too)!
19. New Century Schoolbook Roman
New Century Schoolbook Roman was designed by Morris Fuller Benton in 1919. The transitional serif typeface was created to improve textbook readability (from where it derives its name). Later published by Linotype, this font retains its sophisticated and informative aesthetic.
20. Berthold Baskerville Book Regular
Berthold Baskerville is a reinterpretation of the classic Baskerville typeface from Berthold Type Foundry in the 1800s along with several other font variations. Most of the Baskerville typeface’s original features are still present in this font. The typeface is bolder and has sharper lines, which is one of the most obvious differences.
21. Scala Pro-Regular
Created by Martin Majoor in 1991, this font is an old-type serif, published by the FontFont Foundry. This font has an emphasis on clarity and is also very calligraphic in italics. Generally, it conveys a clear and crisp overall tone.
22. Garamond Premier
This font was created by Robert Slimbach for Adobe and is described as a more restrained and modernized approach to the classic Garamond font. Garamond fonts were re-envisioned by Slimbach to meet the business requirements of the time. Garamond Premier has a sophisticated, minimalistic appearance.
23. Bembo
Created by Monotype, this font is based on one used by the Venetian printer, Aldus Manutius. Bembo is an old-type serif font that rose in popularity because of its overall sleek look and its ability to remain consistent in color. This font has an elegant and clean aesthetic.
24. Times New Roman MTStd
Times New Roman by Monotype was designed by Stanley Morison and Victor Lardent. To date, this font is for many the golden standard for academic writing and the publishing of important information. The font is bold, legible, and leaves an official impression.
25. Caslon
Adobe Caslon was created by Carol Twombly and William Caslon for Adobe. This font was inspired by the Caslon font, designed by William Caslon in the 1600s. This old-type serif font looks sophisticated and has an overall clean look.
26. Bodoni
The Bodoni typeface is based on similar ones created in the 1800s by Giambattista Bodoni. Many of Bodoni’s fonts draw inspiration from the same design movement as Robert Baskerville. As a result, there is a slight similarity to the Baskerville typeface. The font’s exquisite appearance is enhanced by using alternate thin and broad strokes.
27. Goudy 38
Goudy 38 is a typeface by Red Rooster Collection based on Goudy Old Style. Goudy Old Style was particularly famous in advertising circles for its overall boldness and eligibility. The Goudy 38 retains this quality and adds a slightly whimsical touch to it.
28. Goudy Trajan Pro
Goudy Trajan Pro is “Fonts favored by Hollywood movies” by Frederic W. Goudy and Jason Castle. This font comes in three different styles and is similar to the Gowdy 38. If you want to give your project something different and unique, then go for this serif font.
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Tell If A Font Is Serif Or Sans Serif?
Sans-serif font strokes lack decorative strokes, while serif font strokes feature decorative strokes.
What Do Serif Fonts Convey?
Serif typeface fascinates readers and inspires confidence in the truthfulness of all claims made in blogs and other projects.
List out Most Popular Serif Fonts?
The most widely used serif typefaces are Didot, Times New Roman, Georgia, and Garamond.
More Typography & Font Resources:
- Best Timeless Fonts
- The Top 100 Best Fonts Of All Time
- FREE 27 Page Type Classification eBook
- Designer’s Favourite Fonts & Why
Classy, Classic & Elegant Professional Fonts Summary
A classic serif font is perfect for creating any project or document where you can expect readers will read it because it accentuates the ends of strokes. Serifs are not merely decorative, though, they add a touch of class and elegance to the design.
Have you got a favorite classic serif typeface or classy font was missed in this list? Let us know in the comments below.
I consider TRAJAN PRO as the best & the most classical of them all and it should have been in the list.
I usually never use serif fonts, I’m not used to them because I don’t like serif. But when choosing a type of font, i include them and then discard them lol.
I like to add ‘Rotis Serif’ to the above list.
I particularly love Minion and I fell in love with Sabon having worked on some print from Booz&co. I don’t know about ITC Garamond…my all time favourite in the list will be Baskerville. It’s great for large type!
Oh! What a nice list. Also another good one that I refer to often if Plantagenet (referred to on my local machine as Plantagenet Cherokee)
Here’s more info on that one:
http://www.tiro.com/Plantagenet/plantagenet_index3.html
I think my favorite “rediscovered” classic font is New Century Schoolbook. I used it on a printable PDF of top fonts recently. Seeing it in a “teacherly” context, there was no question why it’s called “Schoolbook”. For some reason, it has the patience and upbeat temperament of a saintly 7th grade teacher, but does double-duty as a college prof…
It didn’t make my “Top 19 Fonts” post, but it was in the top 40, and my fondness for it has only grown. I love when something old becomes unexpectedly new again.
And you know, I never, ever, ever get sick of the lower-case “a” in Garamond. I think that has to be my favorite letter in any typeface. It’s a work of art 🙂
This is great list Jacob.
Arnhem, esp for body copy when well typeset. The primary typeface used in the book Modern Typography by Robin Kinross. Read about it here;
http://www.davidtorno.com/MacTex_Uploads/Button001.jpg
preview it here:
http://www.fontshop.com/search/?q=arnhem+normal
I’d add Hoefler Text to the list.
Very resourceful. Especially nice that you laid out examples and links. I find that using serif fonts in formal designs is very effective. When I say formal I mean things like press releases and websites or print marketing for formal businesses like accounting firms, law offices, and high profile businesses.
Jacob: thanks for the tweet and link! You are the Oprah Winfrey of Graphic Design. 🙂 Now I just need to complete my semi-biographical auto-biography.
Funny about the MEGs logo and it’s application in a University setting, with my comment about the college prof! How funny. I have another post in the works about “font personalities”, which might be like a Rorschach test for type-lovers :). It’s fascinating how fonts are chosen for their perceived persona, even to the average office worker setting a memo to print:
“I want this to be funny and light hearted” = Comic Sans
“I really need to grab their attention” = Impact
“We’re having a picnic!” = Brush Script
“I’m *very* professional” = Copperplate
Or how ’bout…
“I’m sophisticated” = any typeface, but all lower case
🙂
It might be because I’m easily influence by big ads and things like Macs, but I just have a really hard time getting into Serif fonts. I know this is something that I need to fix, but I just don’t like the way they look for most projects. Guess I just haven’t found the right client to fit them to.
I completely agree. I am always swayed by how clean sans serif fonts look on the web. However, the next time I need to get over myself and go with a serif font, this will be my resource! Thank you!
Thank you for your patience in waiting for my response, it’s been a busy week. Thank you to all those that have suggested more great serif fonts!
Saravana,
Thank you, Trajan is certainly a lovely typeface even if it is overused.
Ebi,
ITC Garamond is one of those ones that you either love or hate. In fact there was an essay on this topic that is worth reading. I hate ITC Garmond.
Douglas,
I recently used New Century Schoolbook in a logo of mine (MEGS) which is actually for a University program. Seemed like the perfect fit.
I forgot about your top 19 fonts list, I have added the link to your comment now.
Nice selection Jacob, I love a serif very tasty. Shame in this day and age we can’t use more fonts in our web design…DAMN THOSE LIMITED WEB FRIENDLY FONTS!! Baskerville, kerned, oh so good! Just read your ‘How To Choose A Font’ blog to nicely written bro….take it easy.
Great list and you’ve got my favorite in it, Caslon, it such a great font, old but wise as I always say.
I’ve reviewed all the fonts that you have mentioned but I personally love Helvetica. Is there anyone who is passionate of using “Helvetica”?
Looks like Brian Hoff got the jump on the “single letter” post idea – he focused on “g” in bunch. Great looking, interesting post:
http://www.thedesigncubicle.com/2009/10/same-ol-g-think-again-a-visual-study-of-the-lowercase-g/
Now I have to finish up my “a” post…
Graphics are a big deal on posts like these. I’m going back and revamping a few font posts with enhanced graphics like PDFs.
I’ll get around to revamping my other font-related posts like this…much more fun…
Where is Trajan Pro, its web-safe and renders on most OS’s – unlike many of the fonts you have listed, However thats no longer a problem with the likes of Cufon and Sifr etc.
nice list though! thanks
First use of Palatino – added on my fave fonts!
Where is Trajan Pro, its web-safe and renders on most OS’s – unlike many of the fonts you have listed, However thats no longer a problem with the likes of Cufon and Sifr etc.
Where is Trajan Pro, its web-safe and renders on most OS’s – unlike many of the fonts you have listed, However thats no longer a problem with the likes of Cufon and Sifr etc.
I consider TRAJAN PRO as the best & the most classical of them all and it should have been in the list.
I particularly love Minion and I fell in love with Sabon having worked on some print from Booz&co. I don’t know about ITC Garamond…my all time favourite in the list will be Baskerville. It’s great for large type!