Former Broston: A Bold Display Font for Digital Creativity
I was working on a redesign for a boutique online store that sells handcrafted jewelry, and I needed a font that would stand out without overwhelming the design. That’s when I came across Former Broston. At first glance, it felt like the kind of display font that could bring a website to life—something bold, unique, and full of character.
Former Broston is a display font with a strong visual presence. Its letterforms have a confident weight and sharp edges, giving it a modern yet slightly vintage feel. It’s not one of those overly ornate script fonts; instead, it has a clean structure with subtle flourishes that make it visually engaging. The personality of Former Broston leans into creativity and boldness, making it ideal for projects that want to convey confidence and originality.
I decided to test it in the hero section of the jewelry store’s homepage. The idea was to use it for the main headline, which reads “Handcrafted with Heart.” When I applied Former Broston, the text immediately felt more dynamic. It didn’t just sit on the page—it commanded attention. The contrast between the bold font and the soft background image of a silver pendant helped create a focal point that drew the eye naturally.
One thing I noticed right away was how well Former Broston worked with different color schemes. On a dark background, the font stood out beautifully, creating a high-contrast look that felt both elegant and modern. On lighter backgrounds, it still maintained its readability, especially when paired with enough spacing between letters.
As I moved through the rest of the layout, I considered where else Former Broston could shine. It wasn’t just for headlines. I used it sparingly in call-to-action buttons, such as “Shop Now” and “Explore Collections,” adding a touch of flair without distracting from the action. It also looked great in small decorative accents, like on the navigation menu or within product category labels.
Readability is always a concern when using display fonts, especially on mobile screens. I made sure to test Former Broston at smaller sizes and checked how it performed on various screen resolutions. While it’s not a body font, it held up well in short phrases and titles, even on smaller devices. For longer blocks of text, I paired it with a simple sans serif font, which kept the overall design balanced and easy to read.
Font pairing is crucial in web design, and Former Broston worked surprisingly well with a range of other typefaces. I found that combining it with a clean sans serif like Montserrat or a classic serif like Playfair Display created a nice contrast. This combination allowed me to maintain a cohesive brand identity while ensuring that all text elements remained legible and aesthetically pleasing.
Another consideration was the availability of styles and weights. Former Broston comes with several variations, including regular and bold weights, which gave me flexibility in how I used it across the site. The ability to access webfonts made it easy to implement quickly, and the file formats supported fast loading times—important for maintaining performance on any digital project.
I also checked the licensing options before finalizing the choice. Since the jewelry store is a commercial project, I needed a font with proper commercial rights. Former Broston offered clear licensing information, which gave me peace of mind knowing I could use it confidently on client websites and digital assets.
For the blog section of the site, I used Former Broston in the headers of each post. It added a sense of professionalism and creativity, aligning with the brand’s message of craftsmanship and quality. In promotional banners and social media graphics, it brought a consistent visual identity that reinforced the brand’s tone across multiple platforms.
When designing landing pages or course sales pages, I found that Former Broston helped create a strong first impression. It’s the kind of font that makes you pause and take notice, which is exactly what you want for a headline that needs to cut through the noise. It works well for branding, logo design, editorial layouts, and even packaging design if you’re looking to extend your brand identity beyond the web.
Ultimately, Former Broston proved to be a versatile display font that can elevate a wide range of digital projects. Whether you're building a creative portfolio, launching an online store, or redesigning a coaching website, this font brings a unique energy that helps your content stand out. Just remember to use it thoughtfully—reserve it for headlines, accents, and short phrases, and pair it with a complementary font for body copy to ensure readability and accessibility across all devices.
