diff --git a/header.php b/header.php
index 01f6900..554479b 100644
--- a/header.php
+++ b/header.php
@@ -9,12 +9,10 @@
 	<link
 		href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Montserrat:wght@400;700&family=Playfair+Display:ital,wght@0,700;1,700&display=swap"
 		rel="stylesheet">
-	<!-- Alpine.js for lightweight interactivity -->
-	<script defer src="https://unpkg.com/alpinejs@3.x.x/dist/cdn.min.min.js"></script>
 	<?php wp_head(); ?>
 </head>
 
-<body <?php body_class('bg-light'); ?> x-data="{ searchOpen: false }">
+<body <?php body_class('bg-light'); ?>>
 	<?php wp_body_open(); ?>
 	<div id="page" class="site d-flex flex-column min-vh-100">
 		<header id="masthead" class="site-header sticky-top bg-white shadow-sm">
@@ -48,7 +46,8 @@
 					?>
 					<button
 						class="btn btn-outline-secondary ms-lg-3 rounded-circle p-2 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center"
-						@click="searchOpen = !searchOpen" aria-label="Toggle search">
+						data-bs-toggle="collapse" data-bs-target="#searchCollapse" aria-expanded="false"
+						aria-controls="searchCollapse" aria-label="Toggle search">
 						<svg width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor"
 							stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round">
 							<circle cx="11" cy="11" r="8"></circle>
@@ -58,13 +57,13 @@
 				</div>
 			</nav>
 
-			<!-- Search Overlay (Alpine.js) -->
-			<div class="search-overlay position-absolute w-100 bg-white border-bottom shadow-sm" x-show="searchOpen"
-				x-transition @click.away="searchOpen = false" style="display: none; top: 100%; z-index: 1050;">
+			<!-- Search Overlay (Bootstrap Collapse) -->
+			<div class="collapse search-overlay position-absolute w-100 bg-white border-bottom shadow-sm"
+				id="searchCollapse" style="top: 100%; z-index: 1050;">
 				<div class="container py-4">
 					<form role="search" method="get" class="d-flex" action="<?php echo esc_url(home_url('/')); ?>">
 						<input type="search" class="form-control form-control-lg me-2" placeholder="Search wisdom..."
-							value="<?php echo get_search_query(); ?>" name="s" x-ref="searchInput">
+							value="<?php echo get_search_query(); ?>" name="s">
 						<button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary btn-lg px-4">Search</button>
 					</form>
 				</div>
diff --git a/search.php b/search.php
index f1482a6..bc9a64e 100644
--- a/search.php
+++ b/search.php
@@ -8,47 +8,66 @@ get_header();
 
 <div class="bg-light py-5 border-bottom mb-5">
     <div class="container text-center">
-        <h1 class="display-5 fw-bold mb-3">
-            <?php
-            /* translators: %s: search query. */
-            printf(esc_html__('Search Results for: %s', 'wisdom1'), '<span>' . get_search_query() . '</span>');
-            ?>
-        </h1>
+        <?php if (have_posts()): ?>
+            <h1 class="display-4 fw-bold mb-3 font-serif">
+                <?php printf(esc_html__('Search Results for: %s', 'wisdom1'), '<span class="text-primary">' . get_search_query() . '</span>'); ?>
+            </h1>
+            <p class="lead text-muted mx-auto w-75 font-sans">
+                <?php printf(esc_html__('Showing results matching your query.'), 'wisdom1'); ?>
+            </p>
+        <?php else: ?>
+            <h1 class="display-4 fw-bold mb-3 font-serif"><?php esc_html_e('Nothing Found', 'wisdom1'); ?></h1>
+            <p class="lead text-muted mx-auto w-75 font-sans">
+                <?php esc_html_e('Sorry, but nothing matched your search terms. Please try again with some different keywords.', 'wisdom1'); ?>
+            </p>
+        <?php endif; ?>
     </div>
 </div>
 
-<main id="primary" class="site-main container mb-5">
-    <div class="row g-4">
-        <?php if (have_posts()): ?>
+<div class="container mb-5">
+    <main id="primary" class="site-main">
+        <div class="row g-4">
             <?php
-            /* Start the Loop */
-            while (have_posts()):
-                the_post();
-                get_template_part('template-parts/content', 'card');
-            endwhile;
+            if (have_posts()):
+                while (have_posts()):
+                    the_post();
+                    get_template_part('template-parts/content', 'card');
+                endwhile;
 
-            the_posts_navigation(array(
-                'screen_reader_text' => 'Posts navigation',
-                'prev_text' => '<span class="btn btn-outline-primary">&larr; Older Results</span>',
-                'next_text' => '<span class="btn btn-outline-primary">Newer Results &rarr;</span>',
-                'class' => 'd-flex justify-content-between my-5 col-12'
-            ));
-
-        else:
-            ?>
-            <div class="col-12 text-center py-5">
-                <h2 class="h3 mb-4">Nothing Found</h2>
-                <p class="lead text-muted mb-4">Sorry, but nothing matched your search terms. Please try again with some
-                    different keywords.</p>
-                <div class="search-container mx-auto" style="max-width: 500px;">
-                    <?php get_search_form(); ?>
+                echo '</div>'; // close row
+            
+                the_posts_navigation(array(
+                    'screen_reader_text' => 'Posts navigation',
+                    'prev_text' => '<span class="btn btn-outline-primary">&larr; Older Results</span>',
+                    'next_text' => '<span class="btn btn-outline-primary">Newer Results &rarr;</span>',
+                    'class' => 'd-flex justify-content-between my-5'
+                ));
+            else:
+                ?>
+                <div class="col-12 col-md-8 mx-auto text-center py-5">
+                    <div class="card border-0 bg-light p-5 rounded-4 text-center">
+                        <svg width="48" height="48" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"
+                            stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="text-muted mx-auto mb-4">
+                            <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="8"></circle>
+                            <line x1="21" y1="21" x2="16.65" y2="16.65"></line>
+                        </svg>
+                        <h3 class="h4 font-serif fw-bold mb-3">No matching articles found.</h3>
+                        <p class="text-muted mb-4">Try searching for different keywords or explore our latest articles
+                            below.</p>
+                        <form role="search" method="get" class="d-flex w-75 mx-auto"
+                            action="<?php echo esc_url(home_url('/')); ?>">
+                            <input type="search" class="form-control form-control-lg me-2" placeholder="Search wisdom..."
+                                value="<?php echo get_search_query(); ?>" name="s">
+                            <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary btn-lg px-4">Search</button>
+                        </form>
+                    </div>
                 </div>
             </div>
             <?php
-        endif;
-        ?>
-    </div><!-- .row -->
-</main><!-- #main -->
+            endif;
+            ?>
+    </main>
+</div>
 
 <?php
 get_footer();
