Before they are no longer new and no longer white I pause here to celebrate my new white tennis shoes. Anyone who has shopped for jogging shoes lately knows you can find plenty in day-glow orange or hot pink — but pitifully few plain white ones anymore. Even the sales clerks are apologetic.

My philosophy on shoes is that fit trumps everything, so I’ve had to swallow my love of the simple and inconspicuous lately to ensure that my toes aren’t scrunched and my heels aren’t slipping.

This year, however, there was a welcome confluence of fit and color, and I’m now the proud owner of white shoes (albeit with fluorescent green laces).

Not for long, of course. The toes are already smudged. But that’s a small price to pay for having them white to start off with.