​A biographer of Frederic Goudy, Peter Beilenson, sated that Goudy Old Style was a "happy blend of French suavity and Italian fullness, marred by the supposed commercial practicality of shortened descenders." Because of these abbreviated descenders (the short drop of the g's, q's, y's, etc.) the type was ideal for commercial printers since he smaller use of vertical space made printing more economical. Therefore, Goudy Old Style became a success in newspapers' advertising sections. The font still persisted throughout the following decades and appeared in such ads like this computer advertisement in the 80s (pictured below).

​Artistic principles were very important to Goudy and his work. He did not use a compass, straightedge, or French Curve to complete his drawings, but sketched his types by hand instead. Goudy felt that certain methods--like the Monotype foundry's way of transferring the drawings on to matrices-- conceded his artistic qualities. ​Goudy Old Style's classic capitals were favorited by book designers and were used as chapter headings or title pages, and although it was only used throughout an entire book just once, it was used as such titles and headings dozens of times. This classical quality was what made the type so successful which Goudy admitted was inspired by lettering on a Hans Holbein painting. 

​Goudy's classic design of Goudy Old Style is considered a modern classic; "beautiful because it is simple," stated one of Goudy's critics. Because the type, along with dozens of other typefaces designed by Goudy are still used today is a testament to the type's popularity. Here is a list of other types designed by the self-taught Frederic Goudy: 



• Aries
• Bertham
• Booklet Old Style
• Californian and Italic
• Camelot 
• Caxton Initials
• Collier Old Style
• Companion Old Style and Italic
• Copperplate Gothic
• Copperplate Gothic Heavy
• Cushing Antique
• Cushing Italic
• Deepdene 
• DeVinne Roman
• Forum
• Forum Capitals
• Foster Abstract
• Frenchwood Ronde (or Italian Old Style)
• Friar