:root {
      --bg-cream: #FAF6F0;
      --bg-soft: #F5EFEB;
      --wine-primary: #4A1521;
      --wine-hover: #370d17;
      --wine-light: #6c2a37;
      --text-dark: #2B2321;
      --text-muted: #6E6259;
      --eyebrow-color: #8C2F39;
      --card-bg: #FFFFFF;
      --border-subtle: #E8DFD8;
      --footer-bg: #320C14;
    }

    * {
      box-sizing: border-box;
      margin: 0;
      padding: 0;
    }

    body {
      background-color: var(--bg-cream);
      font-family: 'Montserrat', sans-serif;
      color: var(--text-dark);
      overflow-x: hidden;
      line-height: 1.6;
    }

    h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, .font-serif {
      font-family: 'Cormorant Garamond', Georgia, serif;
    }

    /* Navbar */
    .brand-logo-wrap {
      display: flex;
      flex-direction: column;
      align-items: center;
      text-decoration: none;
    }

    .brand-feather-icon {
      width: 22px;
      height: 22px;
      color: #8C2F39;
      margin-bottom: 2px;
      transition: transform 0.3s ease;
    }

    .brand-logo-wrap:hover .brand-feather-icon {
      transform: rotate(-10deg) scale(1.08);
    }

    .brand-title {
      font-family: 'Cormorant Garamond', serif;
      letter-spacing: 0.22em;
      font-weight: 600;
      font-size: 1.28rem;
      color: var(--wine-primary);
      line-height: 1.1;
      text-transform: uppercase;
    }

    .brand-subtitle {
      font-family: 'Montserrat', sans-serif;
      font-size: 0.58rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.35em;
      color: #7b6f69;
      text-transform: uppercase;
    }

    .nav-link {
      font-size: 0.86rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.04em;
      color: #4a413d !important;
      padding: 0.5rem 1.1rem !important;
      position: relative;
      transition: color 0.2s ease;
      font-weight: 400;
    }

    .nav-link:hover {
      color: var(--wine-primary) !important;
    }

    .nav-link.active {
      color: var(--wine-primary) !important;
      font-weight: 500;
    }

    .nav-link.active::after {
      content: '';
      position: absolute;
      bottom: 2px;
      left: 1.1rem;
      right: 1.1rem;
      height: 1.5px;
      background-color: var(--wine-primary);
    }

    .search-nav-btn {
      color: #4a413d;
      background: none;
      border: none;
      padding: 0.4rem;
      cursor: pointer;
      transition: color 0.2s;
      font-size: 1rem;
    }
    .search-nav-btn:hover {
      color: var(--wine-primary);
    }

    /* Full-Width Hero Section with Left-Aligned Overlay */
    .hero-banner {
      position: relative;
      width: 100%;
      min-height: 520px;
      height: 62vh;
      max-height: 680px;
      background-image: url('../images/stories_page_hero_image.png');
      background-size: cover;
      background-position: center right;
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      overflow: hidden;
    }

    /* Ambient warm gradient focusing readability on the left */
    .hero-banner::before {
      content: "";
      position: absolute;
      inset: 0;
      background: linear-gradient(
        to right,
        rgba(250, 246, 240, 0.96) 0%,
        rgba(250, 246, 240, 0.90) 32%,
        rgba(250, 246, 240, 0.65) 52%,
        rgba(250, 246, 240, 0.15) 75%,
        transparent 100%
      );
      z-index: 1;
    }

    .hero-content {
      position: relative;
      z-index: 2;
      max-width: 580px;
    }

    .eyebrow-tag {
      font-size: 0.74rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.26em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      font-weight: 600;
      color: var(--eyebrow-color);
      display: block;
      margin-bottom: 0.6rem;
    }

    .hero-title {
      font-size: clamp(2.4rem, 4.6vw, 3.9rem);
      line-height: 1.1;
      font-weight: 600;
      color: var(--text-dark);
      margin-bottom: 1.3rem;
    }

    .hero-subtext {
      font-size: 1rem;
      color: #4b413c;
      line-height: 1.7;
      max-width: 480px;
      font-weight: 300;
    }

    /* Filters & Search */
    .filter-section {
      background-color: var(--bg-cream);
      padding: 2.2rem 0 1.2rem;
    }

    .filter-btn {
      background: transparent;
      border: none;
      color: #5d534e;
      font-size: 0.82rem;
      font-weight: 400;
      padding: 0.42rem 1rem;
      border-radius: 9999px;
      transition: all 0.25s ease;
      white-space: nowrap;
    }

    .filter-btn:hover {
      color: var(--wine-primary);
      background-color: rgba(74, 21, 33, 0.06);
    }

    .filter-btn.active {
      background-color: var(--wine-primary);
      color: #FFFFFF !important;
      font-weight: 500;
    }

    .search-input-wrapper {
      position: relative;
      min-width: 220px;
      max-width: 260px;
    }

    .search-input-wrapper i {
      position: absolute;
      left: 14px;
      top: 50%;
      transform: translateY(-50%);
      color: #8c827a;
      font-size: 0.85rem;
      pointer-events: none;
    }

    .search-input {
      padding: 0.42rem 1rem 0.42rem 2.25rem;
      border-radius: 9999px;
      border: 1px solid var(--border-subtle);
      background-color: #FFFFFF;
      font-size: 0.82rem;
      width: 100%;
      color: var(--text-dark);
      transition: all 0.25s ease;
    }

    .search-input:focus {
      outline: none;
      border-color: var(--wine-light);
      box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(74, 21, 33, 0.12);
    }

    .filter-divider {
      width: 1px;
      height: 24px;
      background-color: #dfd4cc;
      margin: 0 1rem;
    }

    /* Cards Grid */
    .journal-grid {
      padding: 1rem 0 3.5rem;
    }

    .journal-card {
      background: transparent;
      border: none;
      transition: transform 0.3s ease;
      cursor: pointer;
    }

    .card-img-wrapper {
      position: relative;
      border-radius: 8px;
      overflow: hidden;
      aspect-ratio: 16 / 10.5;
      background-color: #eeded3;
      margin-bottom: 1.15rem;
      box-shadow: 0 4px 14px rgba(43, 35, 33, 0.05);
    }

    .card-img-wrapper img {
      width: 100%;
      height: 100%;
      object-fit: cover;
      transition: transform 0.6s cubic-bezier(0.165, 0.84, 0.44, 1);
    }

    .journal-card:hover .card-img-wrapper img {
      transform: scale(1.05);
    }

    .card-meta-category {
      font-size: 0.68rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.2em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      font-weight: 600;
      color: var(--eyebrow-color);
      margin-bottom: 0.35rem;
      display: inline-block;
    }

    .card-title-serif {
      font-size: 1.55rem;
      line-height: 1.25;
      font-weight: 600;
      color: var(--text-dark);
      margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
      transition: color 0.2s ease;
    }

    .journal-card:hover .card-title-serif {
      color: var(--wine-primary);
    }

    .card-excerpt {
      font-size: 0.86rem;
      color: var(--text-muted);
      line-height: 1.55;
      margin-bottom: 0.85rem;
      font-weight: 350;
    }

    .read-more-link {
      font-family: 'Cormorant Garamond', serif;
      font-size: 1.05rem;
      font-weight: 600;
      color: var(--wine-primary);
      text-decoration: none;
      display: inline-flex;
      align-items: center;
      gap: 6px;
      transition: transform 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease;
    }

    .read-more-link span {
      transition: transform 0.2s ease;
    }

    .journal-card:hover .read-more-link span {
      transform: translateX(4px);
    }

    /* Pagination */
    .pagination-container {
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      justify-content: center;
      gap: 0.75rem;
      margin: 1.5rem 0 3.5rem;
    }

    .page-arrow, .page-num {
      width: 34px;
      height: 34px;
      display: inline-flex;
      align-items: center;
      justify-content: center;
      border-radius: 50%;
      color: #544943;
      text-decoration: none;
      font-size: 0.9rem;
      transition: all 0.2s ease;
      cursor: pointer;
      user-select: none;
    }

    .page-num.active {
      background-color: var(--wine-primary);
      color: #FFFFFF;
      font-weight: 500;
    }

    .page-num:not(.active):hover, .page-arrow:hover {
      background-color: rgba(74, 21, 33, 0.08);
      color: var(--wine-primary);
    }

    /* Quote Banner */
    .quote-banner {
      background-color: #4C151E;
      position: relative;
      color: #FFFFFF;
      padding: 5.5rem 1.5rem;
      text-align: center;
    }

    .quote-text {
      font-family: 'Cormorant Garamond', Georgia, serif;
      font-style: italic;
      font-size: clamp(1.45rem, 2.7vw, 2.15rem);
      font-weight: 400;
      line-height: 1.48;
      max-width: 860px;
      margin: 0 auto 1.2rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.01em;
    }

    .quote-author {
      font-family: 'Montserrat', sans-serif;
      font-size: 0.72rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.3em;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      color: #E6BAC2;
      display: inline-block;
    }

    /* Newsletter Community Section */
    .newsletter-section {
      background-color: #FAF5EF;
      position: relative;
      padding: 6rem 1.5rem 5.5rem;
      text-align: center;
    }

    .subscribe-container {
      max-width: 550px;
      margin: 0 auto;
      position: relative;
      z-index: 2;
    }

    .subscribe-title {
      font-size: clamp(2.1rem, 3.8vw, 3rem);
      color: var(--text-dark);
      font-weight: 600;
      margin-bottom: 0.85rem;
    }

    .subscribe-desc {
      font-size: 0.94rem;
      color: #655850;
      margin-bottom: 2.2rem;
      font-weight: 350;
    }

    .subscribe-input-group {
      display: flex;
      border: 1px solid #D8CCC2;
      border-radius: 4px;
      overflow: hidden;
      background-color: #FFFFFF;
      box-shadow: 0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.03);
    }

    .subscribe-input {
      border: none;
      padding: 0.82rem 1.25rem;
      flex-grow: 1;
      font-size: 0.9rem;
      color: var(--text-dark);
      background: transparent;
    }

    .subscribe-input:focus {
      outline: none;
    }

    .subscribe-btn {
      background-color: #4C151E;
      color: #FFFFFF;
      border: none;
      padding: 0 2.2rem;
      font-size: 0.86rem;
      font-weight: 500;
      letter-spacing: 0.04em;
      transition: background-color 0.25s ease;
      cursor: pointer;
    }

    .subscribe-btn:hover {
      background-color: #380C14;
    }

    .subscribe-feedback {
      display: none;
      font-size: 0.88rem;
      color: #55443d;
      margin-top: 1.25rem;
      animation: fadeIn 0.4s ease;
    }

    /* Footer Section */
    .site-footer {
      background-color: var(--footer-bg);
      color: #E8DCD5;
      padding: 5rem 0 2.5rem;
    }

    .footer-brand-title {
      font-family: 'Cormorant Garamond', serif;
      letter-spacing: 0.22em;
      font-weight: 600;
      font-size: 1.45rem;
      color: #FFFFFF;
      text-transform: uppercase;
    }

    .footer-brand-sub {
      font-size: 0.58rem;
      letter-spacing: 0.35em;
      color: #CBBAB1;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      display: block;
      margin-bottom: 1.2rem;
    }

    .footer-quote {
      font-size: 0.88rem;
      line-height: 1.7;
      color: #D3C5BD;
      font-weight: 300;
      max-width: 320px;
    }

    .footer-heading {
      font-family: 'Cormorant Garamond', serif;
      font-size: 1.25rem;
      color: #FFFFFF;
      margin-bottom: 1.4rem;
      font-weight: 600;
      letter-spacing: 0.05em;
    }

    .footer-links {
      list-style: none;
      padding: 0;
      margin: 0;
    }

    .footer-links li {
      margin-bottom: 0.55rem;
    }

    .footer-links a {
      color: #D3C5BD;
      text-decoration: none;
      font-size: 0.88rem;
      transition: color 0.2s ease;
      font-weight: 300;
    }

    .footer-links a:hover {
      color: #FFFFFF;
    }

    .footer-contact-mail {
      color: #D3C5BD;
      text-decoration: none;
      font-size: 0.88rem;
      font-weight: 300;
      word-break: break-all;
    }

    .footer-contact-mail:hover {
      color: #FFFFFF;
    }

    .social-icon-btn {
      color: #D3C5BD;
      font-size: 1.25rem;
      transition: color 0.2s ease, transform 0.2s ease;
      display: inline-block;
      text-decoration: none;
    }

    .social-icon-btn:hover {
      color: #FFFFFF;
      transform: translateY(-2px);
    }

    .footer-copyright {
      font-size: 0.8rem;
      color: #9F8A80;
      font-weight: 300;
    }

    /* Modal Styling */
    .story-modal-img {
      width: 100%;
      height: 300px;
      object-fit: cover;
      border-radius: 8px;
    }

    @keyframes fadeIn {
      from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(6px); }
      to { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }
    }

    @media (max-width: 991px) {
      .hero-banner {
        min-height: 480px;
        background-position: center;
      }
      .hero-banner::before {
        background: linear-gradient(
          to right,
          rgba(250, 246, 240, 0.95) 0%,
          rgba(250, 246, 240, 0.85) 65%,
          rgba(250, 246, 240, 0.6) 100%
        );
      }
      .filter-divider {
        display: none;
      }
    }