diff --git a/src/apps/dashboard/forms.py b/src/apps/dashboard/forms.py
index 955a7f9..0ed90d0 100644
--- a/src/apps/dashboard/forms.py
+++ b/src/apps/dashboard/forms.py
@@ -5,40 +5,28 @@ from .models import Item
 DUPLICATE_ITEM_ERROR = "You've already logged this to your list"
 EMPTY_ITEM_ERROR = "You can't have an empty list item"
 
-class ItemForm(forms.models.ModelForm):
-    class Meta:
-        model = Item
-        fields = ("text",)
-        widgets = {
-            "text": forms.widgets.TextInput(
-                attrs={
-                    "placeholder": "Enter a to-do item",
-                    "class": "form-control form-control-lg",
-                }
-            ),
-        }
-        error_messages = {"text": {"required": EMPTY_ITEM_ERROR}}
+class ItemForm(forms.Form):
+    text = forms.CharField(
+        error_messages = {"required": EMPTY_ITEM_ERROR},
+        required=True,
+    )
 
-    def is_valid(self):
-        result = super().is_valid()
-        if not result:
-            self.fields["text"].widget.attrs["class"] += " is-invalid"
-        return result
-    
     def save(self, for_list):
-        self.instance.list = for_list
-        return super().save()
+        return Item.objects.create(
+            list=for_list,
+            text=self.cleaned_data["text"],
+        )
 
 class ExistingListItemForm(ItemForm):
     def __init__(self, for_list, *args, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
-        self.instance.list = for_list
+        self._for_list = for_list
 
     def clean_text(self):
         text = self.cleaned_data["text"]
-        if self.instance.list.item_set.filter(text=text).exists():
+        if self._for_list.item_set.filter(text=text).exists():
             raise forms.ValidationError(DUPLICATE_ITEM_ERROR)
         return text
     
     def save(self):
-        return forms.models.ModelForm.save(self)
+        return super().save(for_list=self._for_list)
diff --git a/src/apps/dashboard/tests/test_forms.py b/src/apps/dashboard/tests/test_forms.py
index eafd4b5..939d043 100644
--- a/src/apps/dashboard/tests/test_forms.py
+++ b/src/apps/dashboard/tests/test_forms.py
@@ -8,12 +8,6 @@ from ..forms import (
 from ..models import Item, List
 
 class ItemFormTest(TestCase):
-    def test_form_item_has_placeholder_and_css_classes(self):
-        form = ItemForm()
-        rendered = form.as_p()
-        self.assertIn('placeholder="Enter a to-do item"', rendered)
-        self.assertIn('class="form-control form-control-lg"', rendered)
-
     def test_form_validation_for_blank_items(self):
         form = ItemForm(data={"text": ""})
         form.save()
@@ -23,15 +17,6 @@ class ItemFormTest(TestCase):
         self.assertFalse(form.is_valid())
         self.assertEqual(form.errors["text"], [EMPTY_ITEM_ERROR])
 
-    def test_invalid_form_has_bootstrap_is_invalid_css_class(self):
-        form = ItemForm(data={"text": ""})
-        self.assertFalse(form.is_valid())
-        field = form.fields["text"]
-        self.assertEqual(
-            field.widget.attrs["class"],
-            "form-control form-control-lg is-invalid",
-        )
-
     def test_form_save_handles_saving_to_a_list(self):
         mylist = List.objects.create()
         form = ItemForm(data={"text": "do re mi"})
@@ -41,11 +26,6 @@ class ItemFormTest(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(new_item.list, mylist)
 
 class ExistingListItemFormTest(TestCase):
-    def test_form_renders_item_text_input(self):
-        list_ = List.objects.create()
-        form = ExistingListItemForm(for_list=list_)
-        self.assertIn('placeholder="Enter a to-do item"', form.as_p())
-
     def test_form_validation_for_blank_items(self):
         list_ = List.objects.create()
         form = ExistingListItemForm(for_list=list_, data={"text": ""})
diff --git a/src/apps/dashboard/tests/test_views.py b/src/apps/dashboard/tests/test_views.py
index 15b73a0..155d968 100644
--- a/src/apps/dashboard/tests/test_views.py
+++ b/src/apps/dashboard/tests/test_views.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class NewListTest(TestCase):
         response = self.post_invalid_input()
         self.assertContains(response, html.escape(EMPTY_ITEM_ERROR))
 
-class DashViewTest(TestCase):
+class ListViewTest(TestCase):
     def test_uses_list_template(self):
         mylist = List.objects.create()
         response = self.client.get(f'/apps/dashboard/{mylist.id}/')
@@ -122,6 +122,12 @@ class DashViewTest(TestCase):
         response = self.post_invalid_input()
         self.assertContains(response, html.escape(EMPTY_ITEM_ERROR))
 
+    def test_for_invalid_input_sets_is_invalid_class(self):
+        response = self.post_invalid_input()
+        parsed = lxml.html.fromstring(response.content)
+        [input] = parsed.cssselect("input[name=text]")
+        self.assertIn("is-invalid", set(input.classes))
+
     def test_duplicate_item_validation_errors_end_up_on_lists_page(self):
         list1 = List.objects.create()
         Item.objects.create(list=list1, text="lorem ipsum")
diff --git a/src/templates/core/base.html b/src/templates/core/base.html
index 03ad956..7b816c7 100644
--- a/src/templates/core/base.html
+++ b/src/templates/core/base.html
@@ -18,10 +18,20 @@
                     <h2 class="display-2 mb-2">{% block header_text %}{% endblock header_text %}</h2>
 
                     <form method="POST" action="{% block form_action %}{% endblock form_action %}">
-                        {{ form.text }}
                         {% csrf_token %}
+                        <input
+                            id="id_text"
+                            name="text"
+                            class="form-control form-control-lg{% if form.errors %} is-invalid{% endif %}"
+                            placeholder="Enter a to-do item"
+                            value="{{ form.text.value | default:'' }}"
+                            aria-describedby="id_text_feedback"
+                            required
+                        />
                         {% if form.errors %}
-                            <div class="invalid-feedback">{{ form.errors.text }}</div>
+                            <div id="id_text_feedback" class="invalid-feedback">
+                                {{ form.errors.text.0 }}
+                            </div>
                         {% endif %}
                     </form>
                 </div>