This is a quick review of WP themes (free WP.com blogs) with the custom header. Please note that it is not an elaborate review but is the result of my limited experience with all themes. The themes are in the alphabetical order. I will elaborate it someday and review all the themes when I have time. This was actually written in mid-March 2009 on my Blogging tips blog which had only this post. I have closed that blog now and shifted the post here. You may also see this comprehensive WordPress theme reviews by Internet Duct Tape.
| Serial No. | Name of theme | Features/ Pros and Cons   |
Suggestion/ Verdict |
| 1. | AMBIRU | One column, bottom widgets; small font size, dull appearance! | Nah! Think better! |
| 2. | BENEVOLENCE | two-column, sidebar on left; small font size but nice boxed comments; HTML info with comment box. No page info (navigation) in header | okay but nothing great! |
| 3. | BLACK-LETTERHEAD | two-column, black background; lot of orange; looks stylish but also difficult on the eye! Sidebar does not show with individual posts! | Avoid it. |
| 4. | BLIX | two-column, green; rather thin header; spacious between paragraphs; rather thin header; HTML info with comment box. |
You may like it! |
| 5. | CHAOTIC SOUL | dark, 2 column, vertical stylish split in header image; very small font size; very tough on eyes! title above header bar; little space between various posts on the page! No page info in header | Not recommended |
| 6. | CONNECTIONS | two column; quite smart; demerits: rather thin sidebar; sidebar does not show with individual posts (i.e. permalink with a post) | Okay and fine if the sidebar demerit does not matter to you. |
| 7. | CONTEMPT | 2-columns, indeed a professional version of the classic Kubrick; looks very smart, blue; sidebar items in hard line boxes | Quite okay |
| 8. | CUTLINE | clean, two column, very smart look, blue links in sidebar, title above header image, smart exhortations (“kick off things by filling out the form”) ; rather thin sidebar but no problem; professional, no-nonsense look | Highly recommended/widely used |
| 9. | DAY DREAM | one-column, colour schemes, bottom widgets; smart fonts; bottom widgets are always hotchpotch, alas! Bottom widgets don’t show with individual posts (permalink)! | Avoid it! |
| 10. | DIGG 3 COLUMN | 3 column, two sidebars; looks nice; page info in header above header image; slightly dull appearance but overall quite okay | Recommended |
| 11. | FJORDS 04 | 4-column with split custom header; thin posts; no page info in header; HTML tags info with comment box | Good for personal satisfaction only |
| 12 | FRESHY | dark, 2 column; small font size but smart; rather thin header but okay; Very pronounced dates; Some actions, info and HTML info with comment box available with individual posts (permalink) | Okay |
| 13. | GREENERY | Fluorescent green; fresh and clear; Comment exhortation (say your words)! | Okay if you like such greenery and think your readers will like it too! |
| 14. | ICEBERG | Blue and white holiday theme; three widgets column at bottom; Comment exhortation (respond now) | Okey-Dokey |
| 15. | K2-LITE | clean 2-column, blue links in sidebar, very smart | Recommended |
| 16. | KUBRICK | Default WP theme, 2-column, blue; no page info (page navigation) in header; sidebar doesn’t show with individual posts! | There are better themes. Avoid this default theme. |
| 17. | MISTYLOOK | 2-column, white, quite smart, header size bigger than most themes | Recommended; a widely used theme |
| 18. | NEAT | 2-column, dark blue, stylish but no page navigation in header; flower dots in sidebar line; small font size but okay | Okay |
| 19. | NEO-SAPIEN | Black and red , prominent photo header; four columns, really dark! | Not for Homo Sapiens, so to speak! For personal satisfaction only! |
| 20. | OCEAN MIST | Blueish two-column, large header image; category navigation at bottom ;small font size but very good-looking | Recommended |
| 21. | POOL | Blue, 2-column, smart, cute fonts ; rather thin sidebar, HTML tags info with comment box | Recommended for personal blogs |
| 22. | PRESSROW | Two-columns, journalistic and professional look and feel; easy on the eyes, big header image |
Highly recommended |
| 23. | PROLOGUE | Twitter-inspired microblog and therefore has its limitations for normal blogging! Edit posts is ‘e’ here! No title with posts! | For twitter freaks of course! |
| 24. | REDOABLE LITE | Dark, black-red, 2-column; smart, sexy, stylish appearance; no Caps in sidebar or title of posts, alas (only small alphabets)! | Quite okay just the same! Great for personal blogs. |
| 25. | RUBRIC | Clean 2-column, wider posts, journalistic look; easy on eyes; no page navigation in header | Quite okay |
| 26. | SAPPHIRE | 2-column, blueish, smart fonts, boxed blockquotes, no page navigation in header, sidebar missing from individual posts (permalinks) | Nah! Missing sidebar from permalink posts is a big demerit! |
| 27. | TARSKI | Relaxing 2-column theme, looks good but comments are zigzag! | Okay for personal blogs |
| 28. | VIGILANCE | Probably the most customizable theme on WP! 2-column, professional, journalistic feel; big header image; this recent launch has won high-profile converts from Heather to Timethief! Alert box, custom colors of borders, hyperlinks, background and whatnot! Cons: buggy sidebar fonts, oversize blockquotes! | Highly recommended; They are lovin’ it! P.S.: BTW, the custom header theme option search in WP theme dashboard still does not show it! It shows only 27 themes! |
Actually, in the Tarski theme, the comments are only zig-zagged if you activate threaded comments. The reply comment to the main comment is slightly askew.
If you don’t activate threaded comments, the comments are in a straight line.
Thanks Melancholy for the comment. I had Tarski for my personal blog for some time and I recall that it was zig zag in late Dec when comment threading was not there! It is the the same style with comments irrespective of threading.
Just visit this page and read the comment and you will know what I mean:
http://vikastravels.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/hello-world/#comment-2
In rubric theme, i can’t change the custom header.
When i upload a new image and save changes and view the blog, the old header is still there.
I deleted all cookies and still the custom header image is not showing. Could you verify this.
P.S.: I didn’t buy the upgrade option as i don’t need it. I just need to edit custom header.
I love the misty look theme!
Thanks for sharing!
http://sillyfox.wordpress.com/
Great post, I just feel it would be a little more helpful with links to the themes?
Customizable themes of wordpress
http://twurl.nl/muaomh
You don’t need the upgrade; its okay.
Clear the cache (not the cookies). Upload it again if it does not work.
It should work.
Thank you Onethousand seas! I didn’t had time to link it. Check out this post which is the most comprehensive review available: http://engtech.wordpress.com/tools/wordpress/wordpress-theme-reviews/
Ooh, thanks for the link