diff --git a/bumblebee-status b/bumblebee-status
index fcb5679..28e8e88 100755
--- a/bumblebee-status
+++ b/bumblebee-status
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 
 import sys
+import bumblebee.theme
 import bumblebee.engine
 import bumblebee.config
 import bumblebee.output
 
 def main():
     config = bumblebee.config.Config(sys.argv[1:])
-    output = bumblebee.output.I3BarOutput()
+    theme = bumblebee.theme.Theme(config.theme())
+    output = bumblebee.output.I3BarOutput(theme=theme)
     engine = bumblebee.engine.Engine(
         config=config,
         output=output,
diff --git a/bumblebee/config.py b/bumblebee/config.py
index 58e3ca2..386f12f 100644
--- a/bumblebee/config.py
+++ b/bumblebee/config.py
@@ -7,12 +7,14 @@ module parameters, etc.) to all other components
 import argparse
 
 MODULE_HELP = ""
+THEME_HELP = ""
 
 def create_parser():
     """Create the argument parser"""
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="display system data in the i3bar")
     parser.add_argument("-m", "--modules", nargs="+", default=[],
-                        help=MODULE_HELP)
+        help=MODULE_HELP)
+    parser.add_argument("-t", "--theme", default="default", help=THEME_HELP)
     return parser
 
 class Config(object):
@@ -32,4 +34,8 @@ class Config(object):
             "name": x if not ":" in x else x.split(":")[1],
         } for x in self._args.modules]
 
+    def theme(self):
+        """Return the name of the selected theme"""
+        return self._args.theme
+
 # vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
diff --git a/bumblebee/output.py b/bumblebee/output.py
index 47289ce..f614447 100644
--- a/bumblebee/output.py
+++ b/bumblebee/output.py
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ class Widget(object):
 
 class I3BarOutput(object):
     """Manage output according to the i3bar protocol"""
-    def __init__(self):
-        pass
+    def __init__(self, theme):
+        self._theme = theme
 
     def start(self):
         """Print start preamble for i3bar protocol"""
@@ -32,8 +32,13 @@ class I3BarOutput(object):
 
     def draw_widget(self, result, widget):
         """Draw a single widget"""
+        full_text = widget.full_text()
+        if self._theme.prefix():
+            full_text = "{}{}".format(self._theme.prefix(), full_text)
+        if self._theme.suffix():
+            full_text = "{}{}".format(full_text, self._theme.suffix())
         result.append({
-            u"full_text": widget.full_text()
+            u"full_text": "{}".format(full_text)
         })
 
     def draw(self, widgets, engine=None):
diff --git a/bumblebee/theme.py b/bumblebee/theme.py
index e07c1b8..f056c85 100644
--- a/bumblebee/theme.py
+++ b/bumblebee/theme.py
@@ -14,6 +14,14 @@ class Theme(object):
     def __init__(self, name):
         self._theme = self.load(name)
 
+    def prefix(self):
+        """Return the theme prefix for a widget's full text"""
+        return None
+
+    def suffix(self):
+        """Return the theme suffix for a widget's full text"""
+        return None
+
     def load(self, name):
         """Load and parse a theme file"""
         path = theme_path()
diff --git a/tests/test_i3baroutput.py b/tests/test_i3baroutput.py
index 4a277ae..067cf42 100644
--- a/tests/test_i3baroutput.py
+++ b/tests/test_i3baroutput.py
@@ -10,10 +10,12 @@ except ImportError:
 
 from bumblebee.output import I3BarOutput
 from tests.util import MockWidget
+from tests.util import MockTheme
 
 class TestI3BarOutput(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
-        self.output = I3BarOutput()
+        self.theme = MockTheme()
+        self.output = I3BarOutput(self.theme)
         self.expectedStart = json.dumps({"version": 1, "click_events": True}) + "[\n"
         self.expectedStop = "]\n"
         self.someWidget = MockWidget("foo bar baz")
@@ -46,5 +48,32 @@ class TestI3BarOutput(unittest.TestCase):
         self.output.flush()
         self.assertEquals(",\n", stdout.getvalue())
 
+    @mock.patch("sys.stdout", new_callable=StringIO)
+    def test_prefix(self, stdout):
+        self.theme.set_prefix(" - ")
+        self.output.draw(self.someWidget)
+        result = json.loads(stdout.getvalue())[0]
+        self.assertEquals(result["full_text"], "{}{}".format(
+            self.theme.prefix(), self.someWidget.full_text())
+        )
+
+    @mock.patch("sys.stdout", new_callable=StringIO)
+    def test_suffix(self, stdout):
+        self.theme.set_suffix(" - ")
+        self.output.draw(self.someWidget)
+        result = json.loads(stdout.getvalue())[0]
+        self.assertEquals(result["full_text"], "{}{}".format(
+            self.someWidget.full_text(), self.theme.suffix())
+        )
+
+    @mock.patch("sys.stdout", new_callable=StringIO)
+    def test_bothfix(self, stdout):
+        self.theme.set_suffix(" - ")
+        self.theme.set_prefix(" * ")
+        self.output.draw(self.someWidget)
+        result = json.loads(stdout.getvalue())[0]
+        self.assertEquals(result["full_text"], "{}{}{}".format(
+            self.theme.prefix(), self.someWidget.full_text(), self.theme.suffix())
+        )
 
 # vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
diff --git a/tests/util.py b/tests/util.py
index e3bef15..aa67cdc 100644
--- a/tests/util.py
+++ b/tests/util.py
@@ -29,4 +29,21 @@ class MockWidget(object):
     def full_text(self):
         return self._text
 
+class MockTheme(object):
+    def __init__(self):
+        self._prefix = None
+        self._suffix = None
+
+    def set_prefix(self, value):
+        self._prefix = value
+
+    def set_suffix(self, value):
+        self._suffix = value
+
+    def prefix(self):
+        return self._prefix
+
+    def suffix(self):
+        return self._suffix
+
 # vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4