THE STUMBLE

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In my mid-twenties, I landed a job interview at the Fairmont Château Laurier in downtown Ottawa. The job itself wasn’t fancy; it was an administrative position, primarily focused on data entry. However, the pay was decent, so I put on my best dress (a ghastly Laura Ashley thing; it was the 80s, after all), my pink pumps (EGAD!), rehearsed all my responses, and took the bus to Rideau Street.

I was interviewed by a tall, willowy woman in stilettos, with bitch-red lipstick and cheekbones that could cut you to pieces. I think her name was Natasha, or Emmaline, or something equally gorgeous. Anyway, she gave me the once-over and, with a strained smile, said, “Hello, Carol Anne. Nice to meet you. The first thing you should know is that we have a very strict dress code here at Château Laurier. (Okay, so she hated my dress. I wasn’t a big fan of it, either.)

Our interview continued, and I said all the right things. At least, I think I did. But I knew right from the start that I wouldn’t get the job. Thanks, Laura Ashley.

It was only on my bus ride home that I looked at my feet. Then I started to laugh because, for some reason I still can’t fathom, I was wearing two different shoes. Both pink, but very different. One had a heinous bow on the front; the other had a square toe. I like to think I made this error because, at the time, my would-be husband and I lived in a dank basement suite, and the light wasn’t good. (That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.)

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WHAT I LEARNED

I have decided that wearing mismatched shoes feels a lot like revising a draft where the voice changes halfway through—but you only catch it when someone else points it out. Also, sometimes the universe helps you out in the weirdest ways. I would have hated that job

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HOW ABOUT YOU?

Do you have a fashion faux pas to share? What's the most absurd outfit you've ever accidentally worn in public? I would love to know.

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Cobble Hill, Vancouver Island, BC CANADA

​https://www.carolanneshaw.com​

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