Check the theme author’s reputation first!!  You are downloading this piece of software to your server, so treat it like it is a piece of foreign software.

Here is selection method D:

Look for these:

We are looking for function in this phase, as that is very difficult to change without php & html knowledge.

• good ad placement opportunities (under featured section, top sidebar, possibly in header)
• supported featured slideshow on front page – we can add this ourselves, but there is a chance that the plugin will conflict the theme we’ve chosen.  This way, we know it will work.
• single nav bar – this is my personal preference for readability
• enough sections for my content, but not so many that it is difficult to find things
• width of template – it is a bit of a hassle to change the width of the container that holds everything, so I generally try to find something that is the right width right off the bat

Disregard these:

We can live without these features as they can easily be configured through the stylesheet.

• search placement & style
• subscribe /rss buttons placement and design
• colors
• typography
• logo images/ sidebar backgrounds / posts background/ blog background / decorative details
• outlines – rounded or square
• nav bar placement – above or below header
• size of header

Check under the hood for the following:

How the theme is written is actually more important than any of the outside stuff.  This is why, for the professional design services, I usually select the template we’re working with, not the client.

• CSS File: there are 2 ways most of us write CSS files.  Here is the method used less often (and I find it really hard to read):

• And this is my preferred style:  I only look for this in a theme as a “good to have” not a make-or-break it item.

• drop-down navigation bars
• favicon and stylesheet links, & the wordpress version link is removed.  If these things are done, it tells you that the author was current and thorough in his work.
• each multi-post page should have an if-then-else statement for the headers – this tells you that the author was up on his SEO practices
• a legendary comments template – this tells you that the theme is not only backwards compatible but also the author didn’t skip corners and it is likely to be forward compatible too
• look for all the text to be wrapped in tags like this:  <?php …  ?>  This means that the site is likely to be compatible with browsers for the sight-impaired

By this time you should have a very nice, easy to edit, theme.

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Did I miss something that you must have in your theme?  Let me know in the comments!

My preferred themes?  Without a doubt, StudioPress themes.

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The first one is another template “system”.  I’m not fond of these yet, but then again, I’m not fond of anything with a learning curve.  So we’ll see which of the ‘systems’ ends up staying around.  I’ll let you know how my first edit of this one goes soon.  Alex King created this one (WordPress developer emeriti) so it is worth noting.

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Jai with Blog Oh Blog is thinking outside the box again.  I love that man!  Here’s a THREE box version you can download for free.  The sidebar expands when you click on that arrow under the header.  Cute, eh?  Click on the image to download the theme.

by Blog Oh Blog!

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Another cool idea – post excerpts on the front page – by Jai.

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I like this one because the top bar has the latest news, comments, and posts right under the header.  Very attractive, and great for the regular visitor. Again, from Jai.

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I am using this one on my Strawberries Are Gluten Free blog and found it really easy to modify and style.   I really like how I can feature more posts on the front page.  Being a recipe blog, the easier to navigate the better!  Thank you Mr. C. Bavota!

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And a dark template just for the photography blogs out there by Rui Castro at web2themes.com:

The above template requires you to edit a template to configure the ad placement blocks.

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Excellence, by Jai Nischal Verma of Blog oh Blog!

I really do love the soothing colors in this theme, and Jai’s sense of style.   His stylesheet is commented really well, and includes a gallery, comments, and custom top nav bar that you see in this screenshot.  My only complaint is that it(the stylesheet) is written horizontally which, although technically correct, just bugs me.

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Soho Serenity by The Cloisters

We’re in the process of adapting this theme for a business site.  And it is quite extensible, and easy to edit.

Here are some other articles with Magazine Theme reviews:

• Theme Playground- The Best Magazine Themes Available
• 45+ WordPress Themes with Magazine or Grid Layouts
  
• Magazine WordPress Themes Gallery – this link includes a great list of Premium Themes too (starting at $37 +)
• 13 WordPress Magazine Themes – in Dutch!  But the themes are just as good and in English.

Pink for October is a website that is dedicated to increasing the awareness and education of peeps about Breast Cancer.  Last year over 3000 websites went pink. From the Pink for October site:

Web sites will Go Pink during the month of October to bring attention to Breast Cancer Awareness Month, get people talking about breast cancer, and raise money for research.

But to be clear, raising money isn’t the primary purpose of this web event.

The hope is that you turn your site pink (in whatever way works for your site), go out to that World Wide Web thing and educate yourself about the multiple issues related to Breast Cancer, then take that newfound knowledge and tell someone else what you’ve learned.

We hope that you will:

1. Turn your web site/blog pink (however you like, it’s up to you).
2. Educate yourself about the multiple issues related to breast cancer.
3. Take that newfound knowledge and teach someone else what you know.

Now, you can turn your site pink in any way you like – just a title or text, add a pink ribbon (they have a few cute graphics on their site too), or you can add a new theme.  I designed a theme for self-hosted wordpress bloggers at Healing Graphics and Designs.  You can preview it here.  And download here.  Did I mention it is FREE? 

Cheers!

Cathy