To be livid at Marks & Spencer's sexism: 'Women Must Have Fancy Little Knickers'?

[EmpressAdultHumanFemale]

A tweet from FiLiA, along with a photo of two M&S window displays. Men's Must-Haves: Outfits To Impress. Women's Must-Haves: Fancy Little Knickers.

This would be crass enough at any time, but even more so when an Irish girl has recently been blamed for her own rape because of her lacy knickers.

I think I've set foot in M&S for the last time.

I hope that's true about the third window!

I think it's the "little knickers" that's creepy. Surely there's a better description like "luxurious lingerie" ?

I do think it makes it slightly less offensive

'Offensive' isn't the word I'd use ... the juxtaposition is problematic. I think the fact that they could easily have paired two 'dress to impress' displays, and chose not to makes it worse. And the mismatch is just as bad if done casually without thought than if it was deliberately.

I think it’s the fact that women are being portrayed as being semi naked, while men are fully clothed. To me they should have had both in underwear. It’s just another stereotype that women have to be subservient and in fancy underwear to impress. I don’t like it.

Found it.

Not the party outfits that I assumed would feature in the female equivalent.

That Twitter thread says that ghost's picture above is a window display at the same store. I don't know why they didn't put it next to the display of men's "must have" outfits; that would have made more sense.

I don't think they're saying women must have fancy little knickers (which would totally be vom); they're displaying their "must have" clothing in the category of "fancy little knickers", or indeed "outfits to impress".

The juxtaposition is ill-conceived though.

It's not clear where the 3rd display is, though. It could be next to the men's 'must haves' but on the other side...?

Those clothes don't look very impressive to me.

Some of the 'must have' collection, er, really aren't ... well, I expect someone will like them, I mean there was at least one person on mn who claimed to like The Pink Frock.

But a pleated plastic skirt... wtf happens if you sit in it?

www.marksandspencer.com/pleated-midi-skirt/p/p60199200?prevPage=plp&pdpredirect

The pic is apparently at the same store.

M&S is pitching itself as a place to buy your Christmas must-haves. They really should have put the outfit displays together and the underwear where the female outfits are right now.

I think that the wording is creepy - "little knickers"

I thought you meant this Gandi.... I don't think he wears undies.

😂
Here he is in M&S undies.

Major blind spot M&S!

I think this is part of wider sexism in the fashion industry. For example, I work in the city which is full of shops selling suits for men, but just shirts and skirts for women (no jackets!), or no professional clothing for women at all. So are all women supposed to wear cardigans to meetings? Yes Hawes & Curtis- I'm looking at you here! Hobbs, Reiss and Hugo Boss do sell proper women's suits but they're the minority.

Great physique I definitely would 😁

ghosts They're apparently at the same store, but I wonder whether that 3rd display is immediately adjoining the other 2 or is, for instance, a less prominently-placed window space round the side of the shop.

Not sure if anyone has linked to today's article in The Times on this yet?

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/marks-spencer-sparks-sexism-row-with-underwear-next-to-men-s-suits-76vgfmggn?shareToken=3b30da274f950d4244c05aea9ee42ed7

Just shows how out of touch they are. Most of us would rather big knickers, myself included. Or Spanx.
I have some silly little pants bought by DH and they've never seen the seat off my pants, quite literally.
All I want for Christmas is a new bed, 8 hours uninterrupted sleep for a week, and someone else to cook while I drink gin.

Haven’t read the thread. Has anyone said that women can wear whatever they like because feminism is about choices? Any mention of the Diet Coke ad?

These are the women’s “must haves” next to the men’s suits display in my local M&S in London SW3. They appear to have gone for a purple / mustard combo theme which only partly prepares you for the array of lemon yellow handbags that blinds you on entering the store. Still, Holly looks delighted.

I think the secret name for this campaign is 'must have people on'...they've got to be kidding.

The ad at lunchtime had all the knicker bits taken out I noticed today!
There was a piece on the news about it too.

I’m sure the big store on oxford st had knickers next to suits yesterday. It was woolies next to suits this morning.

All I want for Christmas is a new bed, 8 hours uninterrupted sleep for a week, and someone else to cook while I drink gin

A-fucking-men!!

I'm ok with the cooking but would love a team of tidy upperers.

The phrase 'fancy little knickers' sounds like the brainchild of a dirty little man rubbing his thighs under his grubby mac.

The Nottingham Evening Post are running a poll to determine whether this local interest issue [it was a Nottingham Store] is or isn't sexist...

Please let your voices be heard. Currently NOT sexist at all.

www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/shoppers-react-sexist-marks-spencer-2240245?fbclid=IwAR2sltXqOdQBs7tXvtxHkbqZIPAROTJX9Xn9UxYdjaj8IiJW1CWK66-Kq7k

Oh FFS as I scrolled down I bloody clicked NO on the vote! 🤦‍♀️