This website uses an old (2.0) version of Branford Magazine.  I like it better than the newer versions.  (You can download this older version at BranfordMagazine.com in the Downloads tab on my homepage. )

However, I’m using the newest (2.6) Branford Magazine stylesheet with it.  I’m doing that so my links are underlined and easier for visitors to find.

Obviously, this combination works and can give you the best of both worlds.

Here’s what to do if you’d like to try this at your website using the older version of the Branford Magazine theme:

1. In your WordPress dashboard, to go Appearances > Editor.

2. Replace your current style.css code with the code from the new stylesheet. (If you need a copy, right-click to download it here:  http://www.SitesThatSoar.com/misc/style.css In it, I’ve renamed the theme “Branford Magazine variation”.)

3. Click “Update File” to save your new stylesheet code.

4. The screen will suddenly say something like, “The requested theme does not exist.”  DO NOT PANIC!  (The screen will look like the following screenshot.)

5. Go to Appearance > Themes in your WP dashboard.

6. Re-activate your Branford Magazine theme.  Click on it in your themes list, and then click where it says something like “Activate Branford Magazine theme” in the upper right corner of the theme preview screen.

7. Your Themes screen might say that your theme is now Branford Magazine variation (or Branford Magazine 2.6  2.6).  That’s because the stylesheet says it is. Do not forget that you’re actually using the earlier Branford Magazine theme!

ALTERNATE METHOD

If you aren’t able to use the Editor in your Appearance section, or if you’d rather use FTP to overwrite your current style.css file, you can do that instead.

1. Download the Branford Magazine 2.6 theme, or download my copy of the style.css in it. (http://www.SitesThatSoar.com/misc/style.css )

2. In FTP, open your Branford Magazine folder.  That’s at wp-content > themes > branfordmagazine.

3. Upload your new style.css file.  When your FTP program asks if you’d like to overwrite (or replace) the older style.css file, say yes.

4. If necessary, reactivate your Branford Magazine theme, as explained in Steps 4 – 6, above.

VARIATIONS

People have asked me if they can make their links appear in the classic blue color of links.

The answer is yes, but you may not like the results. (I didn’t, when I tried it.)

IMPORTANT: Read this entire section before you make any changes!

If you’d like your links to appear in a different color, that’s the same color you’ll see for your sidebar links (Categories, Recent Posts, etc.).

In your new style.css, look for this section of the Hyperlinks part of your CSS code:

a:link, a:active, a:visited {
color:#333;
text-decoration: underline;
}

Change it to the following.

a:link {
color:blue;
text-decoration: underline;
}

a:active, a:visited {
color:#333;
text-decoration: underline;
}

At most of my websites, that looks ugly.

I compromise by changing the code.  Now, the links are black and underlined, but if someone hovers their cursor over the link, the link turns red.

Here’s how I did that.

Look for where it says:

a:hover    { 
    color:#333;
    text-decoration: none;
    }

Change it to:

a:hover	{
     color:red;
     text-decoration: none;
	}

If you’d like to download a stylesheet that already has those changes made, right-click on this link: http://www.SitesThatSoar.com/misc/style-redlink.css )