diff --git a/custom.css b/custom.css
index 068eeeb..0907ba6 100644
--- a/custom.css
+++ b/custom.css
@@ -74,6 +74,33 @@ body { font-family: var(--sans); font-size: 1.06rem; }
   color: #8a1e12;
 }
 
+/* Form controls keep their light surface inside the dark and brick
+   panels, so their text must NOT inherit the panel's light ink -
+   pin it dark, and darken the placeholder, so nothing is light-on-
+   light. The selected pill fills with the panel accent (terracotta /
+   cream) and carries dark ink, which reads on either panel. */
+.alt-card:nth-of-type(3n+1) .select-option,
+.alt-card:nth-of-type(3n) .select-option,
+.alt-card:nth-of-type(3n+1) input,
+.alt-card:nth-of-type(3n) input,
+.alt-card:nth-of-type(3n+1) textarea,
+.alt-card:nth-of-type(3n) textarea {
+  color: #201a18;
+  background: #f6f5f3;
+  border-color: #cabfb6;
+}
+.alt-card:nth-of-type(3n+1) .select-option.selected,
+.alt-card:nth-of-type(3n) .select-option.selected {
+  color: #201a18;
+  background: var(--accent);
+  border-color: var(--accent);
+}
+.alt-card:nth-of-type(3n+1) ::placeholder,
+.alt-card:nth-of-type(3n) ::placeholder {
+  color: #8a827b;
+  opacity: 1;
+}
+
 /* Wordmark: the mark carries its own red ground, so just seat it. */
 .wordmark img { border-radius: 0.35rem; }