023: Thou shall not set body copy in a novelty typeface

Commentary I turned to my trusty Oxford English Dictionary (read Webster’s if you’re in the States) where “novelty” is defined as “a decorative or amusing object relying for its appeal on the newness of its design.” It also uses the word “strangeness,” which for me is the more appropriate explanation for the unsuitability of novelty typefaces for text setting. To be fair, there is a place in the design world for novelty typefaces and . When used appropriately, good novelty typefaces can work, but it takes a good eye and a measured judgment on the part of the designer to get it right. I know I’m sounding like a terrible type snob here but it’s true—believe me. As for setting body copy in a novelty typeface, it breaks all the rules of legibility and readability (and taste, quite frankly), so if you want to be taken seriously as a typographer, don’t go there. TS