A Winter White Pick‑Me‑Up

It’s been a long time since I’ve worn winter white. Even when I did, I wore it sparingly — white was always a summer color to me, something reserved for warm days and sunshine. But this year, it’s everywhere. I first noticed it on a sales associate at Macy’s: crisp white slacks that looked so fresh and modern. I admired the look but brushed it off, thinking, She’s so young — anything would look good on her.

Today, I found myself back at Macy’s, wandering through my favorite place in the store: the Ralph Lauren department. I picked up a pair of cords on sale — the perfect choice for the frigid weather we’re having. Cords are warm, comfortable, and casual without being too casual, still polished enough for work.

As Philomena, the sales associate, rang them up, we chatted. I wandered a bit more and spotted a fabulous pair of Ralph Lauren jeans in winter white — more of a soft cream, really. I was instantly taken with them and even snapped a photo, telling myself, Maybe another time.

Philomena noticed I was eyeing a pair of black slacks, but they didn’t have my size. “I’ll show you my favorite pair,” she said, leading me to another table stacked with jeans. I knew immediately she meant the winter white ones.

“I don’t usually work in this department,” she said, “so I was looking at the fashions.” I told her how I’d just photographed the pair, and we laughed about how winter white is trending again. She mentioned she was planning to buy a pair herself.

My only hesitation was that they didn’t come in petite — and I’m not exactly someone who rushes to the tailor. But when I picked them up, I saw the magic words: ankle length. Sold.

As she rang them up, I got another surprise: they were 20% off. Ralph Lauren rarely goes on sale, so it felt like a little gift from the shopping gods.

When I got home — far too cold in New York today to be peeling off layers in a store dressing room — I tried them on. They fit perfectly. And even better, they go with so many of my sweaters and blouses.

As I told Philomena, shopping should be fun. And today, she made it fun. Those winter white jeans were the perfect pick‑me‑up, a small bright spot on a dreary January day.