Serif fonts

Serifs are the small strokes at the ends of letters. They guide the eye along a line, which is why serif fonts have long been used for books, newspapers and magazines, and they give a heading or an invitation a formal, traditional tone.

Serif fonts differ in contrast, the gap between thick and thin strokes. High contrast looks refined and works best at large sizes; lower contrast is calmer and holds up better in long text and when small.