What's Wrong with this SF Symphony Opening Night picture?

Anyone with a smidgen of professional catering experience would look at this photo by Chronicle Pulitzer winning photog Deanne Fitzmaurice and want to laugh. Yes Yurie Pascarella looks stunning. I'm not laughing at her. It's the McCall Associates caterer -- shall we call her Ms. Wrong? -- on the left that's making me cringe and giggle at the same time (click photo for a better view). Ms. Wrong is committing the biggest catering fashion faux pas to hit the 2006 San Francisco Symphony Opening Night red carpet: open toed sandals.

Sandals are fine for guests, but not the hired help! For the catering uninitiated, there are many aspects to a catering uniform. Open toed sandals are never, ever one of them. For starters, it looks weird with a tuxedo or other serving attire. But more importantly, sandals are not safe for catering. Black work shoes commonly worn by caterers are usually of the sturdy, closed toe, non-slip variety.

Why did this catering faux pas happen? My guess: given the sheer numbers for the San Francisco Symphony and Opera opening nights this week, perhaps McCall got a little desperate. What else could possibly force them to overlook Ms. Wrong's unsafe sandals? But still... why was Ms. Wrong placed in such a prominent location? McCall management might now be cringing at how many times Ms. Wrong and her open toed sandals made it into media pictures. By my count, she's in four SF Gate pictures, two of which are with bold faced names like Marcia Goldman (behind, in the distance, with sandals peeking out) as well as Gordon and Ann Getty (sandals are thankfully out of view).

If you are a caterer or have past catering experience, have you ever worked in sandals or seen a fellow caterer in sandals?

Comments

[Kirsty]

She is a Symphony usher, not part of the catering crew.

[Mary/Jalapeno Girl]

Kirsty:

How do you know that? Even if she is an usher rather than caterer, the footwear choice doesn't seem appropriate for a tuxedo and formal occasion.