diff --git a/app/static/css/cassandra.css b/app/static/css/cassandra.css
index aaa420e..541ae6d 100644
--- a/app/static/css/cassandra.css
+++ b/app/static/css/cassandra.css
@@ -2300,129 +2300,203 @@ a.btn-secondary:hover { color: var(--accent); border-color: var(--accent); }
   outline: none;
 }
 
-/* ---------- Dashboard portfolio edit mode ----------------------------- */
+/* ---------- Dashboard portfolio edit mode -----------------------------
+ *
+ * Inline composer that sits above the portfolio table. Aesthetic:
+ * terminal-style command line, no boxed-form chrome, ghost controls,
+ * tinted-neutral palette pulled from --border / --dim / --muted, accent
+ * is theme-aware (deep teal in light, electric cyan in dark).
+ */
 
-/* The EDIT button — same shape as .settings-icon-btn but smaller. */
+/* EDIT / Done toggle buttons in the panel header. */
 .pf-edit-btn,
 .pf-done-btn {
   display: inline-flex;
   align-items: center;
   gap: 4px;
   background: transparent;
-  border: 1px solid var(--neu-dim, #444);
-  color: var(--text, #ccc);
+  border: 1px solid var(--border);
+  color: var(--dim);
   padding: 2px 8px;
-  border-radius: 4px;
+  border-radius: 2px;
   cursor: pointer;
-  font-size: 12px;
+  font-family: var(--font-mono);
+  font-size: 11px;
+  letter-spacing: 0.04em;
+  text-transform: lowercase;
   margin-left: auto;
+  transition: color 120ms ease-out, border-color 120ms ease-out;
 }
 .pf-edit-btn:hover, .pf-done-btn:hover {
-  background: var(--surface-2, #2a2a2a);
-  border-color: var(--accent, #5af);
+  color: var(--accent);
+  border-color: var(--accent);
 }
 
-/* × button on each row — hidden by default, visible only in edit mode. */
-.pf-row-del-cell { width: 24px; text-align: center; }
+/* × button per row — hidden by default, visible only in edit mode. */
+.pf-row-del-cell { width: 20px; text-align: center; }
 .pf-row-del {
   display: none;
   background: transparent;
   border: none;
-  color: var(--neu-dim, #888);
+  color: var(--dim);
   cursor: pointer;
   font-size: 14px;
   padding: 0 4px;
+  font-family: inherit;
+  transition: color 120ms ease-out;
 }
 #portfolio-panel.pf-editing .pf-row-del { display: inline; }
-#portfolio-panel.pf-editing .pf-row-del:hover { color: var(--err, #f55); }
+#portfolio-panel.pf-editing .pf-row-del:hover { color: var(--negative); }
 
-/* Add-position form — compact inline strip that visually sits above the
-   portfolio table rather than as a separate boxed form. */
-.pf-add-form {
+/* ---------- Inline add-position composer ----------------------------- */
+
+.pf-add {
+  padding: 6px 0 8px;
+  border-bottom: 1px dashed var(--border);
   margin-bottom: 6px;
-}
-.pf-add-strip {
-  display: flex;
-  gap: 6px;
-  align-items: center;
-  flex-wrap: nowrap;
+  font-family: var(--font-mono);
   font-size: 12px;
 }
-.pf-add-input {
-  background: var(--surface, #111);
-  border: 1px solid var(--neu-dim, #444);
-  color: var(--text, #ccc);
-  padding: 3px 6px;
-  border-radius: 3px;
+.pf-add__line {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 6px;
+  flex-wrap: wrap;
+}
+.pf-add__prompt {
+  color: var(--accent);
+  font-weight: 600;
+  user-select: none;
+  margin-right: 2px;
+}
+.pf-add__div {
+  width: 1px;
+  height: 14px;
+  background: var(--border);
+  margin: 0 2px;
+}
+.pf-add__at {
+  color: var(--dim);
+  font-size: 11px;
+  user-select: none;
+}
+.pf-add__line input[type="text"],
+.pf-add__line input[type="number"],
+.pf-add__line input[type="date"] {
+  background: transparent;
+  border: none;
+  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
+  color: var(--text);
+  padding: 2px 4px;
   font-family: inherit;
   font-size: 12px;
-  min-width: 0;
+  line-height: 1.4;
+  font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
+  border-radius: 0;
 }
-.pf-add-input:focus {
+.pf-add__line input:focus {
   outline: none;
-  border-color: var(--accent, #5af);
+  border-bottom-color: var(--accent);
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent) 6%, transparent);
 }
-.pf-add-input--ticker { width: 90px; text-transform: uppercase; }
-.pf-add-input--qty    { width: 70px; }
-.pf-add-input--cost   { width: 100px; }
-.pf-add-input--date   { width: 130px; }
-
-.pf-add-cost-wrap {
-  display: inline-flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  gap: 4px;
+.pf-add__line input::placeholder {
+  color: var(--dim);
+  font-style: italic;
 }
-.pf-add-currency {
-  color: var(--neu-dim, #888);
-  font-size: 11px;
-  min-width: 28px;
-}
-.pf-add-icon-btn {
-  background: transparent;
-  border: 1px solid var(--neu-dim, #444);
-  color: var(--neu-dim, #888);
-  padding: 2px 4px;
-  border-radius: 3px;
-  cursor: pointer;
-  display: inline-flex;
-  align-items: center;
-}
-.pf-add-icon-btn:hover {
-  color: var(--text, #ccc);
-  border-color: var(--accent, #5af);
-}
-.pf-add-submit {
-  background: var(--accent, #5af);
-  color: var(--bg, #000);
-  border: none;
-  width: 26px;
-  height: 26px;
-  border-radius: 3px;
-  cursor: pointer;
+.pf-add__ticker {
+  width: 80px;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  letter-spacing: 0.05em;
   font-weight: 600;
-  font-size: 16px;
-  line-height: 1;
+}
+.pf-add__num--qty  { width: 56px; text-align: right; }
+.pf-add__num--cost { width: 76px; text-align: right; }
+.pf-add__date      { width: 128px; margin-left: 4px; }
+
+/* Tiny pill that shows after a successful validate: "172.40 USD". */
+.pf-add-currency {
+  color: var(--muted);
+  font-size: 11px;
+  min-width: 24px;
+  letter-spacing: 0.02em;
+}
+.pf-add-currency:empty { display: none; }
+
+/* Calendar-icon button — ghost, square, terminal-feel. */
+.pf-add__icon {
+  background: transparent;
+  border: 1px solid var(--border);
+  color: var(--dim);
+  width: 22px;
+  height: 22px;
+  padding: 0;
+  border-radius: 2px;
+  cursor: pointer;
   display: inline-flex;
   align-items: center;
   justify-content: center;
+  transition: color 120ms ease-out, border-color 120ms ease-out;
 }
-.pf-add-submit:disabled {
-  background: var(--neu-dim, #444);
+.pf-add__icon:hover {
+  color: var(--accent);
+  border-color: var(--accent);
+}
+.pf-add__icon:focus-visible {
+  outline: none;
+  color: var(--accent);
+  border-color: var(--accent);
+}
+
+/* Submit button — ghost styled to match the EDIT pill. Lights up to
+ * solid accent only when an add is actually possible. */
+.pf-add__submit {
+  margin-left: auto;
+  background: transparent;
+  border: 1px solid var(--accent);
+  color: var(--accent);
+  padding: 3px 14px;
+  border-radius: 2px;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  font-family: inherit;
+  font-size: 12px;
+  letter-spacing: 0.06em;
+  text-transform: lowercase;
+  transition: background 120ms ease-out, color 120ms ease-out,
+              border-color 120ms ease-out;
+}
+.pf-add__submit:hover:not(:disabled),
+.pf-add__submit:focus-visible:not(:disabled) {
+  background: var(--accent);
+  color: var(--bg);
+  outline: none;
+}
+.pf-add__submit:disabled {
+  border-color: var(--border);
+  color: var(--dim);
   cursor: not-allowed;
 }
-.pf-add-meta {
-  display: flex;
-  gap: 12px;
-  margin-top: 3px;
-  min-height: 14px;
+
+/* Status indicators next to the ticker + below the row. */
+.pf-add-status {
   font-size: 11px;
+  color: var(--muted);
+  font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
 }
 .pf-add-status:empty { display: none; }
-.pf-add-status--pending { color: var(--neu-dim, #888); }
-.pf-add-status--ok      { color: var(--ok, #6c6); }
-.pf-add-status--err     { color: var(--err, #f55); }
-.pf-add-warning {
-  color: var(--warn, #fb3);
+.pf-add-status--pending { color: var(--dim); font-style: italic; }
+.pf-add-status--ok      { color: var(--positive); }
+.pf-add-status--err     { color: var(--negative); }
+
+/* Secondary line below the main row — only takes space when a child has
+ * content. Holds the date-lookup status and the duplicate warning. */
+.pf-add__notes {
+  display: flex;
+  gap: 14px;
+  margin-top: 4px;
   font-size: 11px;
-  margin-top: 3px;
 }
+.pf-add__notes:has(:empty:only-child) { display: none; }
+.pf-add-warning {
+  color: var(--warning);
+}
+.pf-add-warning:empty { display: none; }
diff --git a/app/templates/dashboard.html b/app/templates/dashboard.html
index 8162bea..e99bc74 100644
--- a/app/templates/dashboard.html
+++ b/app/templates/dashboard.html
@@ -60,37 +60,37 @@
     <button type="button" id="pf-done-btn" class="pf-done-btn" hidden>Done</button>
   </div>
   <div class="panel-body">
-    <div id="pf-add-form" class="pf-add-form" hidden>
-      <div class="pf-add-strip">
-        <input type="text" id="pf-add-ticker" class="pf-add-input pf-add-input--ticker"
+    <div id="pf-add-form" class="pf-add" hidden>
+      <div class="pf-add__line">
+        <span class="pf-add__prompt" aria-hidden="true">$</span>
+        <input type="text" id="pf-add-ticker" class="pf-add__ticker"
                autocomplete="off" spellcheck="false" maxlength="32"
-               placeholder="Ticker">
-        <input type="number" id="pf-add-qty" class="pf-add-input pf-add-input--qty"
-               min="0" step="any" placeholder="Qty">
-        <span class="pf-add-cost-wrap">
-          <input type="number" id="pf-add-cost" class="pf-add-input pf-add-input--cost"
-                 min="0" step="any" placeholder="Cost / share">
-          <span id="pf-add-cost-currency" class="pf-add-currency"></span>
-          <button type="button" id="pf-add-date-btn" class="pf-add-icon-btn"
-                  title="Auto-fill from historical date" aria-label="Pick date">
-            <svg width="13" height="13" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none"
-                 stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" aria-hidden="true">
-              <rect x="3" y="4" width="18" height="18" rx="2" ry="2"/>
-              <line x1="16" y1="2" x2="16" y2="6"/>
-              <line x1="8" y1="2" x2="8" y2="6"/>
-              <line x1="3" y1="10" x2="21" y2="10"/>
-            </svg>
-          </button>
-          <input type="date" id="pf-add-date" class="pf-add-input pf-add-input--date" hidden>
-        </span>
-        <button type="button" id="pf-add-submit" class="pf-add-submit"
-                disabled title="Add position">+</button>
-      </div>
-      <div class="pf-add-meta">
+               placeholder="ticker">
         <span id="pf-add-ticker-status" class="pf-add-status"></span>
-        <span id="pf-add-date-status" class="pf-add-status"></span>
+        <span class="pf-add__div" aria-hidden="true"></span>
+        <input type="number" id="pf-add-qty" class="pf-add__num pf-add__num--qty"
+               min="0" step="any" placeholder="qty">
+        <span class="pf-add__at" aria-hidden="true">@</span>
+        <input type="number" id="pf-add-cost" class="pf-add__num pf-add__num--cost"
+               min="0" step="any" placeholder="cost">
+        <span id="pf-add-cost-currency" class="pf-add-currency"></span>
+        <button type="button" id="pf-add-date-btn" class="pf-add__icon"
+                title="Use a buy date to auto-fill cost" aria-label="Pick buy date">
+          <svg width="12" height="12" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none"
+               stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" aria-hidden="true">
+            <rect x="3" y="4" width="18" height="18" rx="2" ry="2"/>
+            <line x1="16" y1="2" x2="16" y2="6"/>
+            <line x1="8" y1="2" x2="8" y2="6"/>
+            <line x1="3" y1="10" x2="21" y2="10"/>
+          </svg>
+        </button>
+        <input type="date" id="pf-add-date" class="pf-add__date" hidden>
+        <button type="button" id="pf-add-submit" class="pf-add__submit" disabled>add</button>
+      </div>
+      <div class="pf-add__notes">
+        <span id="pf-add-date-status" class="pf-add-status"></span>
+        <span id="pf-add-warning" class="pf-add-warning" hidden></span>
       </div>
-      <div id="pf-add-warning" class="pf-add-warning" hidden></div>
     </div>
     <div id="pf-mount">
       <div class="empty">loading…</div>