10 Painfully Awkward Moments We've All Been Through

6. Asking Someone Where To Find Something In A Shop And Realising They Don't Work There

"Excuse me, do you know where the pasta sauces are?" The lady you ask, in your hasty get-the-food-and-get-the-hell-out rush, is most definitely wearing a shirt that could only possibly be that of a supermarket employee. You think anyway, until you see the sheer horror on her face. It's nothing short of an insult to assume someone is in staff uniform. No one wants to give off work vibes; we want to breathe cool, casual, sexy shopper vibes, working that basket. So, unless you mistake them for a Victoria's Secret employee, it's going to be awkward.

5. The Awkward Side Hug

There is an art to hugging. If David Attenborough were to narrate a compilation of human hug behaviour, this is likely what he'd say... While a regular hug is a full, non-bumbling embrace; the side hug is a weird, half-embrace and an abomination. It involved the clash of one arm and one shoulder of each participant, and is usually found in moments of greeting when a full hug would be deemed too much. Or if you don't really know someone but don't want to be too formal, so you give them an odd little bash and a squeeze. These non-committing clasps can cause some cringeworthy affairs: especially if someone has actually gone in for a handshake and you throw out a side hug and a kiss on the cheek. Soul-destroying.