When It Rains: A Playful Display Font for Editorial Charm
Choosing a Font for a Lifestyle Blog Redesign
I was halfway through a lifestyle blog redesign when I stumbled upon When It Rains. The brief called for a warm, approachable tone—something that felt like a rainy afternoon with a cup of tea. As I sifted through font libraries, this quirky display typeface stood out. Its irregular shapes and slightly bouncy rhythm caught my eye, not just for their visual novelty, but for how they might support the blog’s editorial mood. I downloaded the trial and dropped it into a working layout.
Visual Character and Editorial Personality
When It Rains is a modern display font that walks the line between whimsy and readability. Each letterform has a gentle irregularity, as if drawn by hand with a relaxed confidence. The baseline varies slightly, giving the text a soft bounce, and the letter spacing feels intentionally open—ideal for short bursts of editorial text. It’s not a font for long paragraphs, but rather for moments where you want to draw attention: titles, headers, pull quotes, or decorative accents in digital or print layouts.
What makes it unique is its ability to carry tone. It doesn’t shout for attention like a bold script or stencil font. Instead, it invites the reader in with a quiet charm. It reminded me of the kind of typography you might find in a boutique packaging design or a curated print magazine with a soft, creative edge.
Real-World Use in a Digital Newsletter Header
I first tested When It Rains in a weekly newsletter header for a wellness brand. The client wanted a header that felt human, not corporate. I set the title “Sunday Slowdown” in the font, using a light green color over a soft cream background. On screen, the font held up beautifully—its rounded edges and airy spacing made it feel friendly without being cutesy. Even on mobile previews, the text remained legible at a slightly larger size. It gave the newsletter a distinct visual identity, something that could help build brand recognition over time.
The font’s rhythm also helped with visual hierarchy. Paired with a clean sans serif for subheaders and body text, it created a nice contrast that guided the reader’s eye naturally. It wasn’t just decorative—it was functional in how it shaped content structure.
Best Use Cases for When It Rains
This font shines in editorial and design contexts where personality matters more than precision. It works well for:
- Blog headers and article titles
- Ebook covers and digital magazine mastheads
- Printable planners and coaching workbooks
- Wedding guides and event invitations
- Newsletter graphics and social media posts
It’s especially effective in digital products aimed at creative audiences—think course PDFs, printable guides, and branded templates. Because of its character, it can also be used sparingly in logo design or packaging design where a soft, modern typography style is desired.
Readability Considerations Across Formats
While When It Rains is playful, it still respects readability when used appropriately. On screen, it performs well at medium to large sizes. For web design, I’d recommend using it above the fold for titles or callouts, but not for long body text. In print, it works beautifully in editorial layouts—especially for pull quotes or chapter openers. In PDF exports, the font rendered cleanly across devices, maintaining its character without pixelation.
That said, it’s not ideal for small captions, footnotes, or body copy. The irregular shapes that give it charm can become distracting in dense reading environments. I wouldn’t recommend it for formal reports, academic content, or technical documentation where clarity is paramount.
Font Pairing and Editorial Design
One of the joys of working with a display font like When It Rains is the opportunity for thoughtful font pairing. I paired it with a classic serif font for body copy in a digital magazine layout, and the contrast was striking in the best way. The serif brought structure and tradition, while When It Rains added warmth and creativity. In another layout, I used a minimalist sans serif for navigation and captions, creating a balanced visual flow.
When building a brand identity or content template, this kind of pairing helps maintain both consistency and variety. It allows the font to carry editorial tone without sacrificing readability or structure.
Practical Notes Before Use
Before committing to When It Rains in a commercial project, I recommend checking the full font family. Look for alternates, ligatures, and stylistic sets that might enhance your design. The font includes multiple weights and multilingual support, which is especially useful for international content creators or multilingual publications.
Also, verify the licensing terms—especially if you’re embedding the font in an ebook, template, or digital product. Many display fonts are sold with standard licenses that cover personal and small business use, but may require an extended license for resale or redistribution.
File formats are another consideration. Most premium fonts like this one come in both OTF and WOFF formats, making them suitable for both print and web use. Always test the font in all intended formats—PDF, mobile preview, print proof—to ensure it renders consistently.
