Kaitlin Style calligraphy is the kind of script that breathes a little. It sways, loops, and breaks the rules—in a good way. If you’ve ever felt like traditional scripts were a little too buttoned-up for your taste, this one might quickly become a favorite for you.
Sometimes, you just want to sit down and write something lovely—without mapping out guidelines or obsessing over slant angles. That’s where Kaitlin Style shines. It’s my go-to for casual, no-pressure calligraphy that still looks refined. In today’s post, I’ll share the story behind the style, its quirks and strengths, and how you can make it your own.
Before we get started, it’s worth mentioning that the calligraphy styles you’ll find on the TPK site—like Kaitlin Style—are modern styles I’ve developed over the years. They aren’t traditional in the historical sense, like Copperplate or Spencerian, but that doesn’t make them any less valid. They’re approachable, flexible, and designed with everyday use (and real-life handwriting quirks) in mind.
Kaitlin Style calligraphy is a whimsical and artistic calligraphy style. I like it because it reminds me of the ocean: there’s movement and a rhythm to it. The calligraphy is informal, but not in a goofy way … in fact, the informality gives it an artistic and distinctly bohemian feel. You can completely ignore uppercase letters with this calligraphy style, and it looks natural!
When I first started TPK, I envisioned it as a service-based business. I loved designing invitations and calligraphing envelopes for events! As an artist and calligrapher, I’m pretty flexible and willing to try anything. In 2013, when a client named Kaitlin from North Carolina came to me and described what she wanted, I tinkered until I came up with this calligraphy style. Kaitlin and I worked together to develop her wedding suite, which included foil-stamped invitations and RSVP cards.
After I finished Kaitlin’s project, I thought that other clients might also like materials using the same calligraphy style. I needed a name for it, and “Kaitlin Style” came to mind. So, that’s what I called it. And I was right! Other clients were interested, including a high-profile Hollywood couple. They also opted for a “Kaitlin Style” wedding suite! Here’s what their hand-written invitation suites looked like:
What started as a way to help one bride create her dream invitations slowly turned into something bigger. As more people discovered TPK, I realized I had a choice: keep taking on custom work, or focus on teaching others to create for themselves. I chose teaching, and I’m so glad I did. Now, it’s amazing to see how many people have made this style their own—and how much beauty they’ve created with it.
Kaitlin Style calligraphy has my heart for a few reasons. First of all, its flexibility is freeing. The fact that letters dip up and down makes it easy to create curved or contoured lettering. The letter dips also mean that you have the opportunity to correct the course of your calligraphy if you find that it’s slanting too far upward or too downward! Vitally, pencil calligraphy guidelines are optional, which can save you a ton of time.
I like the bohemian look of the Kaitlin. I don’t think it’s for everyone, but to me, it’s pretty. The lettering serves as a reminder that some imperfection and inconsistency can be beautiful! This calligraphy style basks in both. No two letters look exactly the same, and character baselines change on a whim.
As I mentioned, Kaitlin calligraphy is flexible. That means that there aren’t many rules when it comes to connecting letters. If you’re a fairly experienced calligrapher, that won’t be scary. But, if you’re a beginner, the lack of rules can be overwhelming! For years, I tried to make rules about the letter dips in various versions of the Kaitlin Style worksheet. Finally, I realized: assigning specific patterns to the letter dips doesn’t work.
Instead of focusing on rigid rules, I now emphasize word practice. The more you engage with the style, the more naturally it starts to flow. My hope is that this approach helps you feel confident and curious enough to experiment—and from what I’ve seen, it works well for most learners.
The second somewhat-con is that you’ve still got to be mindful of letter slant. In order for Kaitlin Style calligraphy to look elegant, all of the letters must follow the same slant. Otherwise, the calligraphy starts to look a bit too juvenile (for my taste, at least). If you have trouble with slant, you can always draw a few quick calligraphy slant lines before putting pen to paper!
TPK learners have put their own twists on Kaitlin Style calligraphy, and they’ve used it for some really cool things! This is a taste of what I’ve seen on Instagram:
If you like this calligraphy style and you’re not familiar with how to create dip pen calligraphy, take the Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course. In the course, you’ll practice a few Kaitlin Style letters! Once you complete the course, you’ll understand how to use a dip pen, and you can move on to filling out the Kaitlin Style Worksheet Set.
If you feel at home using a dip pen, you can jump straight into the Kaitlin Style Worksheet Set! Consider taking the video course if you’d like some guided practice through the worksheet. The course also teaches you how to make ombré faux Kaitlin Style calligraphy and how to address centered Kaitlin Style envelopes!
If you like the idea of Kaitlin Style calligraphy, but you don’t want to use a dip pen to create it, use a brush pen instead! The Kaitlin Style Brush Pen Calligraphy Worksheet will teach you how. And yes! Letter formation for Kaitlin Style brush pen letters and Kaitlin Style dip pen letters is quite different. Different enough that I felt compelled to release a worksheet specifically formulated for brush pens!
If all you need is a simple exemplar to learn this calligraphy style, you can find a free one by clicking here. It doesn’t have any instructional bells and whistles, but that may be just fine for your learning style!
Whether you’re brand-new to calligraphy or just looking for a style that feels a little more relaxed and playful, Kaitlin Style is a wonderful place to start. Its built-in wiggle room gives you space to experiment, express yourself, and develop your rhythm over time. I hope you’ll give it a try—there’s no pressure to get it perfect. Just enjoy the process, and see where it takes you.
Warmly,
inspiration in your inbox
TPK’s innovative newsletters are an artistic treat. Join the 125K+ subscribers who have already discovered The Postman’s Knock, and receive 10% off your first Digital Catalog order.
Fuel your inspiration and creativity with TPK Premium Plus! Members enjoy three free worksheets or learning resources every month, unlimited video course access, member-exclusive tutorials, and a 10% discount on all Supplies Shop orders.
