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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

"All fur coat no knickers" - where in UK or further afield?

252 replies

redwinetalking · 20/09/2023 23:37

I have to admit I love this phrase and can think of several towns, areas and localities where "IMHO" it may have applied.

Obviously not travelled everywhere but what are you "FCNK" places?

OP posts:
Itham · 21/09/2023 00:59

A phrase often used by my London mum in the 50/60s.

Men were described as 'All mouth and no trousers'.

CallieQ · 21/09/2023 01:00

Eh

RedLollyYellowLorry · 21/09/2023 01:00

ClairDeLaLune · 21/09/2023 00:54

It is a misogynist term. It basically implies a woman is dressing up to look classy but has low sexual standards. If you wanted to start a light-hearted thread OP, perhaps avoid the misogyny and stop having a go at anyone who (rightly) points it out.

I dont agree

I would say it means that you spend money on the outward thing ie a fur coat that can be seen and not on the inner things that cannot ie knickers or as my granny said fur coat and no draws

It isnt about sexual standards and can be used for men or women

SomeoneKidda · 21/09/2023 01:01

I've never heard this phrase said about a place either. I've only ever heard it as a child/teen, and it was - as several other posters have pointed out - used in a derogatory way about women.

Obviously there's different understandings of the phrase, but whether that's a strictly geographical thing, I've no idea.

RedLollyYellowLorry · 21/09/2023 01:01

Itham · 21/09/2023 00:59

A phrase often used by my London mum in the 50/60s.

Men were described as 'All mouth and no trousers'.

all mount and no trousers to me would be that you say a lot but do nothing

Teapot13 · 21/09/2023 01:03

I think the American equivalent would be “big hat, no cattle.” Kind of like all talk, no action.

prisencolinensinnainciusol · 21/09/2023 01:03

Beenaboutabit · 21/09/2023 00:53

I’ve heard it used to describe Edinburgh.

I fully concur with that appraisal.

Yes, it's always been used in Glasgow to describe Edinburgh. It's about pretension and being outwardly ostentatious.

And it has fuck all to do with "low sexual standards"

swimsong · 21/09/2023 01:10

redwinetalking · 21/09/2023 00:15

@Gillstuck - God no - I love Paris!

Places that come to mind are (in no particular order):

Cheltenham
Chiswick
Lytham St Annes
Tynemouth
Formby
Scarborough
Southport

Maybe just anywhere with a golf course?!

I live in Scarborough and it's pretty much all knickers and no fur coat.

rodanbrew · 21/09/2023 01:15

We say it in Glasgow, and it means someone who puts on a good show of being classy but in reality is anything but. I guess you could say it about a place or thing like "style over substance" but I've only heard it applied to people, women really.

RedLollyYellowLorry · 21/09/2023 01:16

swimsong · 21/09/2023 01:10

I live in Scarborough and it's pretty much all knickers and no fur coat.

Show quote history

Thongs surely?

ohbygolly · 21/09/2023 01:17

I'm from Ireland and I've heard it used by older and younger generations and about men and women. It's always used about people, not places, and the reference doesn't have any sexual link.

The use of the phrase is in the context of having all the outward appearances of being a fabulous human being but not having the basics covered.

An example would be someone who is very visibly active at helping in the parish but less publicly speaks in a bad way about someone whose life isn't perfect and who needs help in some way. They're all about looking the part but in reality they don't have the basics covered like empathy for another human being - all fur coat and no knickers.

I've never heard it used about a place, but I could imagine it could. Imagine a city hosting a major event but it moves all it's homeless people temporarily so they can't be seen. It does it for show rather than tackling the real issue and helping those who need it.

Theworried2 · 21/09/2023 01:19

Cambridge

Evaka · 21/09/2023 01:20

thinkfast · 21/09/2023 00:33

@redwinetalking I've nothing to get over! It's an unpleasant, sexist, misogynistic phrase. It's used to describe a woman who you're basically saying looks classy or rich or beautiful but has no real substance. It's not a phrase used to describe a man. I think insulating other women for their appearance is anti- feminist.

I think if you want to insult someone for being all style no substance then just say that, as that's not a sexist expression.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

MrsFezziwig · 21/09/2023 01:22

swimsong · 21/09/2023 01:10

I live in Scarborough and it's pretty much all knickers and no fur coat.

Show quote history

I was baffled by that one too!

I’ll nominate Harrogate, based on the experiences of a friend who worked in Social Services there many years ago.

GrumpyPanda · 21/09/2023 01:23

Teapot13 · 21/09/2023 01:03

I think the American equivalent would be “big hat, no cattle.” Kind of like all talk, no action.

Thought it was all hat, no cattle. And yes, I was coming in to suggest this as the male equivalent.

MrsFezziwig · 21/09/2023 01:24

Theforeverhome · 21/09/2023 00:22

When I was growing up in the 70’s/80’s, it was Dalgety Bay in Fife where they built a huge number of “executive” homes that were expensive for the, local to me area - so the people who bought them might have had the house but didn’t have the money to fund the lifestyle to go with it. The alternative name was Spam Valley (because that’s all they could afford to eat), and we could also talk about Champagne tastes and Lemonade income.

Our local versions were “Sausage Hill” and “Champagne tastes, lemonade pockets”.

Twofurrycats · 21/09/2023 01:25

Harrogate.
Parts of skipton, according to my great uncle who was a bin man. Flash houses but the bin contents showed there was no money left for 'decent food'. I think meat paste jars were a part of this theory.

Ihateslugs · 21/09/2023 01:32

redwinetalking · 21/09/2023 00:03

To add I do think it's a northern phrase that may lose meaning to anyone who is not from "oop" here

Definitely used here in Manchester by me! I would use it to describe someone who looks posh on the surface but is really common underneath - but in a joking way, not used to be rude or derogatory.

RedLollyYellowLorry · 21/09/2023 01:32

MrsFezziwig · 21/09/2023 01:22

I was baffled by that one too!

I’ll nominate Harrogate, based on the experiences of a friend who worked in Social Services there many years ago.

Show quote history

I assumed like Leeds people go out wearing skimpy dresses and sandals showing their knickers in December with no coat.

Mummumgem · 21/09/2023 01:33

Using a phrase like this is called personification

ie the sun smiled down on us, the sun is an object it can not smile

all fur coat and no nickers, I was led to believe —- well think Bet Lynch on coronation street 😂, dressed up like a lady but as common as muck someone trying to be what they’re not

a place that’s fur coat no nickers - Brighton, St Albans,

PyongyangKipperbang · 21/09/2023 01:43

I agree with a PP about Paris.

If Paris was a person she would be swanning around in her elegant fur coat, drinking champagne on a tab she never pays and then going back to a shit hole flat that is the latest in a long list of places she has been kicked out of for not paying the rent!

Oh would be shagging tourists in exchange for a pack of Galoise!

Someoneonlyyouknow · 21/09/2023 01:46

I'm Scottish and thought it was a Scottish phrase. Only heard it applied to people (probably only women) not places. Not really sexual but definitely meaning pretentious.

I would say "all mouth and trousers" about a man who thinks he's "God's gift"

Ihaveamagicwand · 21/09/2023 01:59

I use this phrase to describe things as well as people. I think for example, it perfectly describes those over decorated occasion cakes that cost a fortune, look amazing but taste like s**t.

FeigningConcern · 21/09/2023 02:04

WillowCraft · 20/09/2023 23:42

It means a person who looks rich but is actually poor. How can it apply to a place?

I have always taken it to mean someone was all style and no substance.

FeigningConcern · 21/09/2023 02:08

comedownwithme · 20/09/2023 23:53

It can't refer to a place, places don't wear coats, or knickers.

Show quote history

Phrases don't need to be taken or applied literally.

It means all show and no substance, or flashy with outward show of appearance, but scrimps on the necessities. So could be applied to people or places.

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