1. Helvetica

Type has trends, just like hair styles and clothing and eyeglasses and architecture. Helvetica was the most popular typeface in the world in the 1960s, and in the ’70s it was a way of life. By the ’80s Helvetica was becoming as passé as beehive hairdos and then it appeared in the Macintosh font menu and then in the PC font menu under the name Arial. Just as a beehive hairdo creates a certain look, Helvetica creates a certain look. A dated look. A ’70s look. Just because it’s on your computer doesn’t mean you have to use it. The greatest thing you could do for your publications is to invest in another sans serif face, one with a strong, bold black version in its family. As with all trends, Helvetica will someday be back in style— ...

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