Top 22 Vintage Fonts for Retro Brands

There’s nothing like a vintage font to make you feel nostalgic for simpler times. Although there’s no hard and fast rule of what constitutes ‘vintage’, it’s generally anything old, which – surprise – could be as recent as the ’90s!

We’ll take a full circle ride from the groovy vintage fonts of the ’60s to the bright neon lights of the ’90s. Buckle up! We’re going back in time.

How to make a vintage logo

Vintage fonts aren’t for everyone. If you’re in Bitcoin or AI – a vintage font might not suit your business or brand identity. But industries that have tradition and history, like organic skincare, natural health, beer or winemaking, outdoor apparel, and even food work well with a vintage logo font.

1. Use a vintage font

With an endless array of vintage fonts to choose from, narrow down your options by asking yourself: “What is my brand personality, and which era best embodies it?”

From there, you’ll have a better idea of what to look for.

Vintage fonts lean towards older, more established font types. For example, serif fonts, handwritten or cursive fonts, and display fonts are all great choices since they existed before the internet.

Check out the funky vintage font below!

A Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory-inspired font, this 70’s swirling display font is fun, playful, and great at getting attention.

2. Use vintage color palettes

Vintage color palettes can be bright and retro or faded and muted. They vary depending on the era, so gather inspiration from older TV shows like That 70’s Show, Scooby-Doo, or Stranger Things! Try visiting a vintage shop or listening to music from that era to get the ideas flowing.

Here’s the whole gamut of vintage color palettes for inspiration!

The font and color palette above are as funky as bell bottoms at a roller derby. The dark teal and mustard yellow are a retro combo. The dark orange slogan adds balance and depth to the palette.

3. Use retro design elements

Whatever industry you’re in, use a simple, wholesome symbol that represents your business. Stay away from abstract or modern symbols, and look for symbols with hand-drawn or minimalistic strokes.

Look at these vintage logo symbols from Looka’s logo maker to get you going in the right direction:

22 best vintage fonts for retro brands

We’ve compiled the best vintage fonts by era to help you find the perfect look for your band. Let’s get to it!

Funky 60’s fonts

1. Benguiat Caslon

Like a 60’s cocktail party, this font is sophisticated, full of contrasting shapes, and smooth as silk. Perfect for a brand that does traditional things in a contemporary way, or vice versa! Designed by House Industries in 2021, it’s got all the right elements for a modern vintage brand.

2. Thermind 

Thermind is a perfect rewind to the fun display fonts of the ’60s. With a script style that looks handmade, this 2021 font by Maculink is perfect for traditional yet exotic branding. It’s best suited for brands that live in printed mediums due to its elaborate lettering.

3. Bungker

Bungker has a bold and bulky retro vibe suited for compelling brands that like to have a little fun. It’s great for signage, branding, and labels in a printed setting. Designed by Alit in 2021, it has 4 different display styles to choose from.

4. Gunydrops

If you’re looking to stand out with a 60’s font – this is it. Gunydrops is an all-in groovy font with an undeniable psychedelic look. There are no straight edges here! A fresh 2021 release by designer Ahmad Jamaludin.

5. Sunfleur

Soft and feminine, Sunfleur is the flower child of vintage fonts. If it could, it would wear a flower crown and attend peace rallies. It’s great for feminine or elegant branding in skincare, apparel, or illustrations. Released by Valley Type in 2020.

Psychedelic 70’s fonts

6. Nectarine

A fresh 2021 pick, Nectarine is a bubbly and whimsical 70’s font by Prioritype. With a hand-illustrated look, it’s perfect for fun brands that want a vintage and human-made look. Ideal for businesses in handcrafted skincare or artisanal pottery, this font is deliciously vintage.

7. Bright 

Dreamy and retro, Bright is a great font for personal branding and brands that live in printed mediums. Designed by Ahmad Jamaludin in 2021, it’s a sophisticated and retro font that also works well in the fashion industry.

8. Mainstay

Yeah, baby! The Mainstay is an Austin Powers-esque 70’s font that has all the characteristics of the cool era. Loud and audacious, it’s meant for bigger-than-life brands that have a sense of humor. Designed in 2021 by Ahweproject, it’s the perfect font to get your groove on.

9. Laguna Vintage

California dreamin’ about a road trip down the coast? This font is a freewheelin’ hipster with an edgy side(literally). Made for vintage branding in food, hospitality, or illustration industries, it’s a fresh release by Ricky Rinaldi.

10. Seventies

If bell bottoms could be a font, it would be the Seventies. It’s suitable for hardcore funkadelic 70’s brands in vintage clothing, furniture, or cannabis industries. It’s smooth jiving and bold enough to knock you off your platforms.

11. Brice 

The “Dude” of all fonts, Brice is fun, friendly, and boasts a hand-drawn 70’s font appeal. It works well for illustration, logo design, and printed formats. Designed by Cahya Sofyan and released by Studio Sun in 2020.

Retro 80’s fonts

12. Endless sunrise 

Endless Sunrise has an eclectic 80’s font look fit for brands making their own path. Bold, scrappy, and unapologetic, it’s built for the James Deans of the world. Released in 2021 by Wing’s Art Studio.

13. ITC Benguiat 

Need a serious and spooky font? ITC Benguiat has hook-like edges that grip you at first sight. The perfect 80’s font for brands looking to make a sharp impact, it works well for product packaging, posters, and unique illustrations. It’s not for the faint of heart!

14. Saturday night 

What’s a better combo than Scooby-Doo and Shaggy? The Saturday Night font family. A funky display font paired with a slender script makes for a perfect duo. Inspired by the ’70s and ‘80’s font style, Saturday Night is for funky brands that won’t turn down a night at the disco.

15. Gazpacho 

On a more serious note, Gazpacho is classy, sophisticated, and made for logos and brands that live in display settings. Easy to read and timeless, it’s a fresh 2021 release by Santi Rey.

Bold 90s fonts

16. Balgin 

A font fitting for the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Balgin is retro and embodies the spirit of a 90’s font. Bold and dynamic, it has 5 different weights and widths to work with. Published by Studio Sun in 2020.

17. Retrolight 

Ready for a night at the Roxbury? This energizing 90’s font is a great retro font for loud and confident brands. The outlines make for bold logo design or posters, posts, and headlines. A fresh release in 2021 by Abdul Malik Wisnu.

18. Strippy

Inspired by 90’s fonts, Strippy is like a graphic novel with a pulp fiction and blade runner mix. Perfect for statement branding with a unique and unparalleled look. Published by Just Font You in 2021.

19. Lolapeluza

Get your outfit ready! Inspired by Lolapeluza music festival, this font has sharp curves and a bright personality. It stands out from the crowds and works well in entertainment, toys, or event planning industries.

Old- style western fonts

20. Ranch Vintage

Ranch is a classic western font that has the good without the bad and the ugly. Great for branding old-fashioned industries like whiskey making, baking, or barbershops. It’s a modern cowboy font designed by Gleb Guralnyk.

21. Plinc Hasler

The old western font, Plinc Hasler will get you through any competitor shootout thanks to its distinct and eccentric look. Suitable for logos, packaging, posters, and illustrations, this font is a fresh 2021 release by House Industries.

22. Old Harbor front

A vintage font collection isn’t complete without ye old sailor font. Perfect for tattoo parlors, artistic personal branding, and anything traditional – but edgy. Designed and published by Anastasia Dimitriadi.

Get jiggy with it

With a full list of vintage fonts, create a logo or design that emulates your chosen era. Have fun with it and keep these key points in mind:

Go forth and bring back some old-school magic!