Winter white is a privilege, not a right.

I love the look of a fitted white winter coat.

When worn correctly, there are very few missteps capable of overshadowing its sophistication.

Eating an 8-inch Quizno's Ultimate Italian with your mouth open at the intersection of ConnAve and M is one such misstep.

Enduring hunger pangs while walking back to the office is something I grapple with on a near daily basis. I know how she felt, because standing there close enough to smell her salami and jalapeno scented exhales, I also felt it. All of us sharing that 4x4 foot space, gripping our ABP, Cosi, and Subway bags felt it. How badly I, too, wanted to dig out my cup of vegetarian chili, my warm piece of peasant bread, my Cherry Coke Zero 20 oz. and start a picnic right there in front of the old American Express office.

But of course, I didn't. And I was wearing a black coat.

Take away the sheer disregard this woman had for following generally-accepted social mores, what I found absolutely beyond reproach was her willingness to risk soiling her stunning ivory wool military-style trench with any one of four meats, three cheeses, a bounty of runny vegetables and from what I could see, at least two oil-based condiments.

Wearing white anything successfully (i.e. stain-free) has three primary requirements: fine motor skills, a watchful eye for others' lack thereof, and an acceptance that you can't sit on just any surface. A white coat, not only because of its constant interaction with the elements but also because it serves as your first impression piece, deserves a particularly heightened adherence to these rules.

I admit, standing there on the corner, my stomach grumbling at the sight of her gluttony, I secretly hoped she'd dribble or drop a mouthful down the textured front of her beautiful piece of outerwear. But it was only because I wanted her to learn her lesson sooner rather than later - on a corner with strangers as opposed to Valentine's Day dinner at Ceiba - that wearing winter white is a privilege, not a right.