TIFU by showing up severely overdressed to a job interview.

This was 10 years ago, but it still haunts me. I was looking for my first ever job, and I had applied for a job at a Hollister in a mall. I was very excited when later that week, I saw an email from Hollister. I opened it and read that they were inviting me for an interview and I only read the date and time to show up. I get all ready, make myself look nice, and excitedly drive to the mall to try to secure my first ever job. I arrive and am confused that no one dressed up. I thought this was a job interview! Turns out we were supposed to wear “beachy” attire such as shorts, sandals, polo shirt, etc. It has said in the email that we were supposed to dress similar to how the employees dress. Not only that, but I also find out that we are having a group interview. So there I am — the only one wearing a button up, slacks, tie, and dress shoes.

They would ask a question and we would go around answering it. Basically everyone is just trying to 1-up each other. I could barely focus. I was so embarrassed, but I felt like I couldn’t leave. What do I say? Just walk out silently and accept my inevitable loss? It still makes me shudder just thinking of me standing there in a room of 15 potential hires and I’ve already screwed it all up by showing I don’t read emails or follow directions. I wonder if anyone remembers that. Either way, it’s a good story when people ask what my most embarrassing memory is.

TL;DR I didn’t read the entire email for the job interview, and showed up in formal dress clothes instead of beachy attire for a Hollister group interview.