:root {
    /* Core brand */
    --black: #0F0F0F;
    --soft-sand: #E0D2CE;
    --burnt-cocoa: #422828;
    --deep-wine: #4F0101;
    --fire-red: #EF2828;
    --midnight-blue: #071532;

    /* Cream — warm editorial counterpoint for alternating blocks */
    --cream: #F2EAE0;
    --cream-deep: #E8DECF;
    --ink: #1A1413;          /* near-black for text on cream */
    --ink-dim: rgba(26, 20, 19, 0.62);
    --ink-faint: rgba(26, 20, 19, 0.18);

    /* Sand variants on black */
    --soft-sand-dim: rgba(224, 210, 206, 0.5);
    --soft-sand-faint: rgba(224, 210, 206, 0.12);

    /* Polaroid tape */
    --tape: rgba(244, 220, 138, 0.42);

    /* Fonts */
    --font-display: 'Playfair Display', Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;
    --font-body: 'Montserrat', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;
    --font-hand: 'Caveat', 'Bradley Hand', 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;

    --ease-clip: cubic-bezier(0.77, 0, 0.175, 1);
    --ease-fade: cubic-bezier(0.25, 0.46, 0.45, 0.94);
}