diff --git a/app/controllers/wardrobe_controller.rb b/app/controllers/wardrobe_controller.rb
index d104f574..a19e4364 100644
--- a/app/controllers/wardrobe_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/wardrobe_controller.rb
@@ -99,17 +99,23 @@ class WardrobeController < ApplicationController
     # Handle search mode
     @search_mode = params[:q].present?
     if @search_mode
-      search_filters = build_search_filters(params[:q], @outfit)
-      query_params = ActionController::Parameters.new(
-        search_filters.each_with_index.map { |filter, i| [i.to_s, filter] }.to_h
-      )
-      @query = Item::Search::Query.from_params(query_params, current_user)
-      @search_results = @query.results.paginate(page: params.dig(:q, :page), per_page: 30)
+      begin
+        @query = Item::Search::Query.from_text(params[:q], current_user)
+        results = @query.results
 
-      # Load appearances for search results to get zone information
-      target = @alt_style || @pet_type
-      if target
-        @appearances_by_item_id = Item.appearances_for(@search_results, target, swf_asset_includes: [:zone])
+        # Auto-fit filter: apply body_id filter from outfit state
+        body_id = @outfit.alt_style&.body_id || @outfit.pet_type&.body_id
+        results = results.merge(Item.fits(body_id)) if body_id
+
+        @search_results = results.paginate(page: params[:page], per_page: 30)
+
+        # Load appearances for search results to get zone information
+        target = @alt_style || @pet_type
+        if target
+          @appearances_by_item_id = Item.appearances_for(@search_results, target, swf_asset_includes: [:zone])
+        end
+      rescue Item::Search::Error => e
+        @search_error = e.message
       end
     end
 
@@ -152,51 +158,4 @@ class WardrobeController < ApplicationController
   def outfit_state_params_present?
     params[:species].present? || params[:color].present? || params[:objects].present? || params[:closet].present?
   end
-
-  def build_search_filters(query_params, outfit)
-    filters = []
-
-    # Add name filter if present
-    if query_params[:name].present?
-      filters << { key: "name", value: query_params[:name] }
-    end
-
-    # Add item kind filter if present
-    if query_params[:item_kind].present?
-      case query_params[:item_kind]
-      when "nc"
-        filters << { key: "is_nc", value: "true" }
-      when "np"
-        filters << { key: "is_np", value: "true" }
-      when "pb"
-        filters << { key: "is_pb", value: "true" }
-      end
-    end
-
-    # Add zone filter if present
-    if query_params[:zone].present?
-      filters << { key: "occupied_zone_set_name", value: query_params[:zone] }
-    end
-
-    # Always add auto-filter for items that fit the current pet
-    pet_type = outfit.pet_type
-    if pet_type
-      fit_filter = {
-        key: "fits",
-        value: {
-          species_id: pet_type.species_id.to_s,
-          color_id: pet_type.color_id.to_s
-        }
-      }
-
-      # Include alt_style_id if present
-      if outfit.alt_style_id.present?
-        fit_filter[:value][:alt_style_id] = outfit.alt_style_id.to_s
-      end
-
-      filters << fit_filter
-    end
-
-    filters
-  end
 end
diff --git a/app/helpers/wardrobe_helper.rb b/app/helpers/wardrobe_helper.rb
index a6fbc71d..ead48372 100644
--- a/app/helpers/wardrobe_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/wardrobe_helper.rb
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ module WardrobeHelper
     end
 
     unless except.include?(:q)
-      (params[:q] || {}).each do |key, value|
-        fields << hidden_field_tag("q[#{key}]", value) if value.present?
+      if params[:q].present?
+        fields << hidden_field_tag(:q, params[:q])
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/app/views/wardrobe/items/_search_results.html.haml b/app/views/wardrobe/items/_search_results.html.haml
index 00d3f0d9..ada84210 100644
--- a/app/views/wardrobe/items/_search_results.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/wardrobe/items/_search_results.html.haml
@@ -1,13 +1,16 @@
 .search-results
-  - if @search_results.any?
-    = will_paginate @search_results, page_links: false, param_name: "q[page]", params: @outfit.wardrobe_params.merge(q: params[:q])
+  - if @search_error
+    .error-state
+      %p.error-message= @search_error
+  - elsif @search_results.any?
+    = will_paginate @search_results, page_links: false, param_name: :page, params: @outfit.wardrobe_params.merge(q: params[:q])
 
     %ul.search-results-list
       - @search_results.each do |item|
         - appearance = @appearances_by_item_id&.dig(item.id)
         = render "items/item_card", item: item, appearance: appearance
 
-    = will_paginate @search_results, param_name: "q[page]", params: @outfit.wardrobe_params.merge(q: params[:q])
+    = will_paginate @search_results, param_name: :page, params: @outfit.wardrobe_params.merge(q: params[:q])
 
   - else
     .empty-state
diff --git a/app/views/wardrobe/show.html.haml b/app/views/wardrobe/show.html.haml
index 22b585df..e7f1e40f 100644
--- a/app/views/wardrobe/show.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/wardrobe/show.html.haml
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
               = outfit_state_params except: [:q]
           = form_with url: @wardrobe_path, method: :get, class: "search-form" do |f|
             = outfit_state_params
-            = f.text_field "q[name]", placeholder: "Search for items...", value: params.dig(:q, :name), "aria-label": "Search for items"
+            = f.text_field :q, placeholder: "Search items… (try is:nc, occupies:hat, user:owns)", value: params[:q], "aria-label": "Search for items"
             = f.submit "Search"
 
         - if @search_mode