diff --git a/internal/chat/handler.go b/internal/chat/handler.go
index 9e3af8b..9611bdd 100644
--- a/internal/chat/handler.go
+++ b/internal/chat/handler.go
@@ -222,14 +222,14 @@ func (h *Handler) HandleChat(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	// User message bubble
-	_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(w, `<div class="chat-message chat-user">%s</div>`, html.EscapeString(message))
+	// User message bubble with avatar
+	_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(w, `<div class="chat-bubble chat-user"><div class="chat-avatar chat-avatar-user"><iconify-icon icon="mdi:account"></iconify-icon></div><div class="chat-message">%s</div></div>`, html.EscapeString(message))
 
-	// Agent response bubble
+	// Agent response bubble with avatar
 	if response == "" {
 		response = "I couldn't find an answer to that. Try asking about experience, projects, skills, or education."
 	}
-	_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(w, `<div class="chat-message chat-agent">%s</div>`, formatResponse(response))
+	_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(w, `<div class="chat-bubble chat-bot"><div class="chat-avatar chat-avatar-bot"><iconify-icon icon="mdi:robot-happy-outline"></iconify-icon></div><div class="chat-message">%s</div></div>`, formatResponse(response))
 
 	// Session ID via OOB swap
 	_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(w, `<input type="hidden" id="chat-session-id" name="session_id" value="%s" form="chat-form" hx-swap-oob="true"/>`, sessionID)
diff --git a/static/css/04-interactive/_chat.css b/static/css/04-interactive/_chat.css
index 87ca5c0..f47c0d5 100644
--- a/static/css/04-interactive/_chat.css
+++ b/static/css/04-interactive/_chat.css
@@ -201,17 +201,54 @@
     min-height: 60px;
 }
 
-/* Message Bubbles */
+/* Chat Bubbles with Avatars */
+.chat-bubble {
+    display: flex;
+    gap: 8px;
+    align-items: flex-start;
+    max-width: 95%;
+}
+
+.chat-bubble.chat-bot {
+    align-self: flex-start;
+}
+
+.chat-bubble.chat-user {
+    align-self: flex-end;
+    flex-direction: row-reverse;
+}
+
+.chat-avatar {
+    width: 26px;
+    height: 26px;
+    border-radius: 50%;
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    justify-content: center;
+    font-size: 0.85rem;
+    flex-shrink: 0;
+}
+
+.chat-avatar-bot {
+    background: var(--accent-green, #27ae60);
+    color: #fff;
+}
+
+.chat-avatar-user {
+    background: var(--black-bar, #2b2b2b);
+    color: #fff;
+}
+
+/* Message content */
 .chat-message {
     padding: 8px 12px;
     border-radius: 8px;
     font-size: 0.8rem;
     line-height: 1.5;
-    max-width: 90%;
     word-wrap: break-word;
     overflow-wrap: break-word;
     word-break: break-word;
-    overflow: hidden;
+    min-width: 0;
 }
 
 .chat-message p {
@@ -231,17 +268,15 @@
     margin-bottom: 2px;
 }
 
-.chat-agent {
+.chat-bot .chat-message {
     background: var(--paper-secondary-bg, #f5f5f5);
     color: var(--text-secondary, #333333);
-    align-self: flex-start;
     border-bottom-left-radius: 2px;
 }
 
-.chat-user {
+.chat-user .chat-message {
     background: var(--accent-green, #27ae60);
     color: #fff;
-    align-self: flex-end;
     border-bottom-right-radius: 2px;
 }
 
@@ -252,6 +287,14 @@
     font-style: italic;
     border: 1px solid #fecaca;
     font-size: 0.75rem;
+    padding: 8px 12px;
+    border-radius: 8px;
+}
+
+.theme-clean .chat-error {
+    background: #3a1a1a;
+    color: #fca5a5;
+    border-color: #5a2a2a;
 }
 
 /* ==========================================================================
@@ -578,38 +621,42 @@
    ========================================================================== */
 
 .theme-clean .chat-panel {
-    background: #1a1a1a;
-    border-color: #333333;
+    background: #1e1e1e;
+    border-color: #3a3a3a;
 }
 
 .theme-clean .chat-header {
-    background: #166b3a;
+    background: var(--accent-green, #27ae60);
 }
 
-.theme-clean .chat-agent {
-    background: #2a2a2a;
-    color: #d0d0d0;
+.theme-clean .chat-bot .chat-message {
+    background: #2d2d2d;
+    color: #e0e0e0;
 }
 
-.theme-clean .chat-user {
+.theme-clean .chat-user .chat-message {
     background: #1e8c4c;
 }
 
-.theme-clean .chat-error {
-    background: #3a1010;
-    color: #fca5a5;
-    border-color: #5a1a1a;
+.theme-clean .chat-avatar-bot {
+    background: #1e8c4c;
 }
 
+.theme-clean .chat-avatar-user {
+    background: #444444;
+}
+
+/* error styles consolidated above */
+
 .theme-clean .chat-input-area {
-    border-top-color: #333333;
-    background: #1a1a1a;
+    border-top-color: #3a3a3a;
+    background: #1e1e1e;
 }
 
 .theme-clean .chat-input {
-    background: #111111;
-    border-color: #333333;
-    color: #d0d0d0;
+    background: #2d2d2d;
+    border-color: #3a3a3a;
+    color: #e0e0e0;
 }
 
 .theme-clean .chat-suggestions {
diff --git a/templates/partials/widgets/chat-widget.html b/templates/partials/widgets/chat-widget.html
index 78efc83..4962cbb 100644
--- a/templates/partials/widgets/chat-widget.html
+++ b/templates/partials/widgets/chat-widget.html
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@
     </div>
 
     <div id="chat-messages" class="chat-messages">
-        <div class="chat-message chat-agent">
-            {{if eq .Lang "es"}}¡Hola! Pregúntame lo que quieras sobre este CV.{{else}}Hi! Ask me anything about this CV.{{end}}
+        <div class="chat-bubble chat-bot">
+            <div class="chat-avatar chat-avatar-bot"><iconify-icon icon="mdi:robot-happy-outline"></iconify-icon></div>
+            <div class="chat-message">{{if eq .Lang "es"}}¡Hola! Pregúntame lo que quieras sobre este CV.{{else}}Hi! Ask me anything about this CV.{{end}}</div>
         </div>
     </div>