When I choose "[Widen the search box in the Vector skin](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-gadgets)", then the search box on the search results page, where my searches are refined and more terms are added, is more narrow than the usual search box on every page. I'd like to see the entire query and have the search box on the search results page expand to show all 300 characters if necessary.
* Search has advanced with more parameters and regexp, so the old size is no longer sufficient.
* It would look most natural to span the page. The frame directly below the search box? It spans the page.
* The frame and search box need stronger visual coherence because of the search domain inter-relation. Search domains specified in the search box override the search domains in the frame below it. Search domains in the frame below it determine the search domain of the search results shown if no search domain is specified in the query (with a //namespace// or //prefix// term), but these can be easily overlooked. The only indication that the search domain of the search results is indicated by the frame is (very subtle when the Advanced frame is not open) that the font changes from blue to black in the name of the search domain in the frame below the search box.