Thirtys: A Casual Display Font for Web Design
It was a late afternoon when I first tested Thirtys in the hero section of a boutique online store. The sun had dipped below the horizon, and the screen glowed softly as I adjusted the font size, color, and spacing. Something about the way the letters flowed felt just right—a gentle curve here, a confident stroke there. It wasn’t just a font; it was a mood, a vibe, a voice for the brand.
What Is Thirtys?
Thirtys is a casual display font that brings warmth and character to digital design. With its soft curves and friendly appearance, it feels like a handwritten note from a friend—approachable, inviting, and slightly whimsical. This font is perfect for headings, banners, logos, and any place where you want to add personality without sacrificing readability.
As a web designer, I appreciate how Thirtys balances charm with clarity. It’s not overly ornate, so it doesn’t overwhelm the eye, yet it’s distinctive enough to stand out on a landing page or product banner. Its PUA encoding means I can access special characters and ligatures easily, which adds a nice touch to custom typography.
Thirtys in Action: Real-World Web Examples
I started by using Thirtys on a creative portfolio homepage. The main headline read “Design with Purpose,” and the font gave it a personal, human feel. It worked especially well over a background image of a hand-drawn sketch. The contrast between the soft curves of the font and the clean lines of the illustration created a harmonious visual balance.
Next, I applied Thirtys to a boutique online store’s product landing page. The hero section featured a bold headline: “Handcrafted Goods for Everyday Living.” The font’s subtle variation in stroke weight helped the text pop against a neutral background while maintaining legibility even at smaller sizes.
For a coaching website, I used Thirtys in the call-to-action section. The phrase “Start Your Journey Today” was styled with Thirtys, and the result was inviting and motivating. It didn’t feel too formal, which aligned perfectly with the brand’s tone of approachable expertise.
Readability and Responsiveness
One of the key considerations when choosing a display font is how it performs across different screen sizes. Thirtys holds up well on mobile devices, especially when paired with a clean sans serif font like Helvetica or Arial for body copy. On smaller screens, I found that keeping the font size above 24px ensured good readability without stretching or distorting the letterforms.
When using Thirtys on dark backgrounds, I opted for a light color like #ffffff or #f5f5f5 to maintain contrast. On light backgrounds, a deep navy or charcoal shade worked best. I also experimented with overlaying the font on images and found that adding a slight drop shadow improved legibility without compromising the font’s natural charm.
For fast-loading websites, I made sure to use webfont optimization techniques. Loading only the necessary weights and styles helped keep performance smooth, even on slower connections.
Font Pairing and Styling Tips
Thirtys works beautifully when paired with a simple sans serif font for body text. For example, using Thirtys for headlines and Open Sans for paragraphs creates a balanced and professional look. In more editorial-style designs, pairing Thirtys with a classic serif font like Georgia can give the layout a timeless quality.
If the project has a more playful or artistic vibe, a script font like Great Vibes can complement Thirtys nicely. However, I always make sure the two fonts don’t compete for attention. Keeping one as the primary display font and the other as an accent helps maintain visual harmony.
For digital branding kits, I recommend including a few variations of Thirtys—light, regular, and bold—to cover different use cases. The font’s versatility makes it suitable for everything from logo text to decorative accents on buttons and icons.
What Thirtys Isn’t Best For
While Thirtys is a fantastic choice for display purposes, it’s not ideal for long-form content or small navigation text. Its casual style can become hard to read in dense paragraphs or when used in tiny sizes. I’ve noticed that it doesn’t perform as well on form labels or accessibility-focused interfaces where clear, straightforward typography is essential.
Additionally, if the design requires high levels of typographic hierarchy with multiple font weights, Thirtys might not be the best fit unless it comes with a full range of weights and styles. Always check the font’s included options before committing to it for a client project or online store.
Lastly, ensure that the font license allows for commercial use, especially if you’re building a digital product, template, or selling branded assets. Thirtys is great for creative projects, but understanding the licensing terms is crucial for legal compliance.
Final Thoughts on Using Thirtys
Thirtys has become a go-to font for me when designing web projects that need a touch of personality. Whether it’s a boutique shop, a creative portfolio, or a course sales page, this font brings warmth and character to the design without overwhelming the user experience.
Its casual yet polished look makes it a versatile choice for a wide range of digital applications. As long as it’s used thoughtfully and paired appropriately, Thirtys can elevate the visual appeal of your website and help create a stronger connection with your audience.
