A serif display face over a quiet grotesque body is the little black dress of web typography: it has never once gone out of style. But the pairing only works when contrast is intentional — in weight, in width, and in temperament.
Pairings we keep returning to
- Playfair Display with Inter — editorial confidence, modern clarity
- Cormorant Garamond with Source Sans — literary, soft, unhurried
- Fraunces with Work Sans — characterful headlines, neutral prose
- Libre Baskerville with DM Sans — classic print warmth on screen
- Sora with Inter — for brands that lean contemporary
Whichever pairing you choose, commit. Two families are a system; four are an argument.