editorial

Cinzel and Red Hat Text font pairing

Serif headings with a sans serif body.

Background
Issue 07 · Field notes
Stories worth reading slowly

Good pairings feel inevitable. Great ones set the tone before a single word is read.

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A strong pairing creates clear hierarchy while feeling like one consistent voice across every page. This paragraph is set in Red Hat Text, while the headline uses Cinzel. Numbers like 0123456789, punctuation “quotes” — and ampersands & — reveal a lot about how two typefaces get along.

Contrast, then harmony

Look for contrast in structure and harmony in proportion: similar x-heights, compatible widths and a shared sense of rhythm. Bold text and italic text should feel natural, too.

Why this pairing works

A classic contrast: Cinzel's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Red Hat Text's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Red Hat Text stays comfortable at paragraph sizes.

HCinzel

Cinzel is a free serif typeface designed by Natanael Gama, added to Google Fonts in 2012. It comes in 6 weights, and is a variable font with a weight axis.

More pairings for Cinzel →

BRed Hat Text

Red Hat Text is a free sans serif typeface designed by MCKL, added to Google Fonts in 2019. It comes in 5 weights with matching italics, and is a variable font with a weight axis.

More pairings for Red Hat Text →

Use this pairing on your website

HTML — paste in <head>
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com">
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin>
<link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Cinzel:wght@700&family=Red+Hat+Text:wght@400;700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">
CSS
h1, h2, h3 {
  font-family: 'Cinzel', serif;
  font-weight: 700;
}

body {
  font-family: 'Red Hat Text', sans-serif;
  font-weight: 400;
  line-height: 1.6;
}

More pairings with Cinzel

Stories worth reading slowly

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HCinzelBPlus Jakarta Sanseditorial→

A classic contrast: Cinzel's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Plus Jakarta Sans's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

Design is how it works

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HCinzelBRoboto Condensededitorial→

A classic contrast: Cinzel's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Roboto Condensed's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

More pairings with Red Hat Text

Everything starts with a sketch

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HLibre BaskervilleBRed Hat Texteditorial→

A classic contrast: Libre Baskerville's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Red Hat Text's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

A field guide to good ideas

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HFrauncesBRed Hat Texteditorial→

A classic contrast: Fraunces's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Red Hat Text's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

The future of small business

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HRed Hat TextBPlayfair Displaymoderneditorial→

A modern twist on the classic: Red Hat Text keeps headings crisp and contemporary, while Playfair Display's serifs guide the eye along longer lines of text.

Frequently asked questions

Do Cinzel and Red Hat Text go well together?

A classic contrast: Cinzel's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Red Hat Text's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Red Hat Text stays comfortable at paragraph sizes.

Which font should be used for headings?

Use Cinzel for headings at weight 700, and Red Hat Text for body text at weight 400. You can swap them in the pairing tool to compare.

Are Cinzel and Red Hat Text free?

Yes — both are open-source fonts on Google Fonts and free for personal and commercial use.